Don't you?'
'Yes,' said Gerald.
There were long spaces of silence between their words. The wrestling
had some deep meaning to them--an unfinished meaning.
'We are mentally, spiritually intimate, therefore we should be more or
less physically intimate too--it is more whole.'
'Certainly it is,' said Gerald. Then he laughed pleasantly, adding:
'It's rather wonderful to me.' He stretched out his arms handsomely.
'Yes,' said Birkin. 'I don't know why one should have to justify
oneself.'
'No.'
The two men began to dress.
'I think also that you are beautiful,' said Birkin to Gerald, 'and that
is enjoyable too. One should enjoy what is given.'
'You think I am beautiful--how do you mean, physically?' asked Gerald,
his eyes glistening.
'Yes. You have a northern kind of beauty, like light refracted from
snow--and a beautiful, plastic form. Yes, that is there to enjoy as
well. We should enjoy everything.'
Gerald laughed in his throat, and said:
'That's certainly one way of looking at it.
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