said Mrs Brangwen, cool but yet gratified. 'I have heard them
speak of you often enough.'

He laughed. Gudrun looked aside, feeling she was being belittled.
People were standing about in groups, some women were sitting in the
shade of the walnut tree, with cups of tea in their hands, a waiter in
evening dress was hurrying round, some girls were simpering with
parasols, some young men, who had just come in from rowing, were
sitting cross-legged on the grass, coatless, their shirt-sleeves rolled
up in manly fashion, their hands resting on their white flannel
trousers, their gaudy ties floating about, as they laughed and tried to
be witty with the young damsels.

'Why,' thought Gudrun churlishly, 'don't they have the manners to put
their coats on, and not to assume such intimacy in their appearance.'

She abhorred the ordinary young man, with his hair plastered back, and
his easy-going chumminess.

Hermione Roddice came up, in a handsome gown of white lace, trailing an
enormous silk shawl blotched with great embroidered flowers, and
balancing an enormous plain hat on her head. She looked striking,
astonishing, almost macabre, so tall, with the fringe of her great
cream-coloured vividly-blotched shawl trailing on the ground after her,
her thick hair coming low over her eyes, her face strange and long and
pale, and the blotches of brilliant colour drawn round her.

'Doesn't she look WEIRD!' Gudrun heard some girls titter behind her.
And she could have killed them.

'How do you do!' sang Hermione, coming up very kindly, and glancing
slowly over Gudrun's father and mother. It was a trying moment,
exasperating for Gudrun. Hermione was really so strongly entrenched in
her class superiority, she could come up and know people out of simple
curiosity, as if they were creatures on exhibition. Gudrun would do the
same herself. But she resented being in the position when somebody
might do it to her.

Hermione, very remarkable, and distinguishing the Brangwens very much,
led them along to where Laura Crich stood receiving the guests.

'This is Mrs Brangwen,' sang Hermione, and Laura, who wore a stiff
embroidered linen dress, shook hands and said she was glad to see her.
Then Gerald came up, dressed in white, with a black and brown blazer,
and looking handsome. He too was introduced to the Brangwen parents,
and immediately he spoke to Mrs Brangwen as if she were a lady, and to
Brangwen as if he were NOT a gentleman. Gerlad was