He swam
slowly, and caught hold of the boat with his wounded hand. It slipped,
and he sank back.
'Why don't you help him?' cried Ursula sharply.
He came again, and Birkin leaned to help him in to the boat. Gudrun
again watched Gerald climb out of the water, but this time slowly,
heavily, with the blind clambering motions of an amphibious beast,
clumsy. Again the moon shone with faint luminosity on his white wet
figure, on the stooping back and the rounded loins. But it looked
defeated now, his body, it clambered and fell with slow clumsiness. He
was breathing hoarsely too, like an animal that is suffering. He sat
slack and motionless in the boat, his head blunt and blind like a
seal's, his whole appearance inhuman, unknowing. Gudrun shuddered as
she mechanically followed his boat. Birkin rowed without speaking to
the landing-stage.
'Where are you going?' Gerald asked suddenly, as if just waking up.
'Home,' said Birkin.
'Oh no!' said Gerald imperiously. 'We can't go home while they're in
the water.
Pages:
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379