ul luminous face
to him. 'Why isn't it enough?'

'Because we can go one better,' he said, putting his arms round her.

'No, we can't,' she said, in a strong, voluptuous voice of yielding.
'We can only love each other. Say "my love" to me, say it, say it.'

She put her arms round his neck. He enfolded her, and kissed her
subtly, murmuring in a subtle voice of love, and irony, and submission:

'Yes,--my love, yes,--my love. Let love be enough then. I love you
then--I love you. I'm bored by the rest.'

'Yes,' she murmured, nestling very sweet and close to him.

CHAPTER XIV.

WATER-PARTY

Every year Mr Crich gave a more or less public water-party on the lake.
There was a little pleasure-launch on Willey Water and several rowing
boats, and guests could take tea either in the marquee that was set up
in the grounds of the house, or they could picnic in the shade of the
great walnut tree at the boat-house by the lake. This year the staff of
the Grammar-School was invited, along with the chief officials of the
firm. Gerald and the younger Criches did not care for this party, but
it had become customary now, and it pleased the father, as being the
only occasion when he could gather some people of the district together
in festivity with him. For he loved to give pleasures to his dependents
and to those poorer than himself. But his children preferred the
company of their own equals in wealth. They hated their inferiors'
humility or gratitude or awkwardness.

Nevertheless they were willing to attend at this festival, as they had
done almost since they were children, the more so, as they all felt a
little guilty now, and unwilling to thwart their father any more, since
he was so ill in health. Therefore, quite cheerfully Laura prepared to
take her mother's place as hostess, and Gerald assumed responsibility
for the amusements on the water.

Birkin had written to Ursula saying he expected to see her at the
party, and Gudrun, although she scorned the patronage of the Criches,
would nevertheless accompany her mother and father if the weather were
fine.

The day came blue and full of sunshine, with little wafts of wind. The
sisters both wore dresses of white crepe, and hats of soft grass. But
Gudrun had a sash of brilliant black and pink and yellow colour wound
broadly round her waist, and she had pink silk stockings, and black and
pink and yellow decoration on the brim of her hat, weighing it down a
little. She car