of his tailored suit。
〃Wasn't it lovely last night？〃 she whispered to him。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 But his face did not open nor bee
free。
The service and the singing in church that morning passed
unnoticed by her。 She saw the coloured glow of the windows； the
forms of the worshippers。 Only she glanced at the book of
Genesis； which was her favourite book in the Bible。
〃And God blessed Noah and his sons； and said unto them； Be
fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth。
〃And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every
beast of the earth； and upon every fowl of the air； upon all
that moveth upon the earth； and upon all the fishes in the sea；
into your hand are they delivered。
〃Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you； even
as the green herb have I given you all things。〃
But Ursula was not moved by the history this morning。
Multiplying and replenishing the earth bored her。 Altogether it
seemed merely a vulgar and stock…raising sort of business。 She
an's stock…breeding lordship over beast
and fishes。
〃And you； be ye fruitful and multiply； bring forth abundantly
in the earth； and multiply therein。〃
In her soul she mocked at this multiplication； every cow
being two cows； every turnip ten turnips。
〃And God said； This is the token of the covenant which I make
between me and you and every living creature that is with you；
for perpetual generations；
〃I do set my bow in the cloud； and it shall be a token of a
covenant between me and the earth。
〃And it shall e to pass； when I bring a cloud over the
earth； that a bow shall be seen in the cloud；
〃And I will remember my covenant； which is between me and you
and every living creature of all flesh； and the waters shall no
more bee a flood to destroy all flesh。〃
〃Destroy all flesh；〃 why 〃flesh〃 in particular？ Who was this
lord of flesh？ After all； how big was the Flood？ Perhaps a few
dryads and fauns had just run into the hills and the farther
valleys and woods； frightened； but most had gone on blithely
unaware of any flood at all； unless the nymphs should tell them。
It pleased Ursula to think of the naiads in Asia Minor meeting
the nereids at the mouth of the streams； where the sea washed
against the fresh； sweet tide； and calling to their sisters the
news of Noah's Flood。 They would tell amusing accounts of Noah
in his ark。 Some nymphs would relate how they had hung on the
side of the ark； peeped in； and heard Noah and Shem and Ham and
Japeth； sitting in their place under the rain； saying； how they
four were the only men on earth now； because the Lord had
drowned all the rest； so that they four would have everything to
themselves； and be masters of every thing； sub…tenants under the
great Proprietor。
Ursula wished she had been a nymph。 She would have laughed
through the window of the ark； and flicked drops of the flood at
Noah； before she drifted away to people who were less important
in their Proprietor and their Flood。
What was God； after all？ If maggots in a dead dog be but God
kissing carrion； what then is not God？ She was surfeited of this
God。 She was weary of the Ursula Brangwen who felt troubled
about God。 What ever God was； He was； and there was no need for
her to trouble about Him。 She felt she had now all licence。
Skrebensky sat beside her； listening to the sermon； to the
voice of law and order。 〃The very hairs of your head are all
numbered。〃 He did not believe it。 He believed his own things
were quite at his own disposal。 You could do as you liked with
your own things； so long as you left other people's alone。
Ursula caressed him and made love to him。 Nevertheless he
knew she wanted to react upon him and to destroy his being。 She
was not with him； she was against him。 But her making love to
him； her plete admiration of him； in open life； gratified
him。
She caught him out of himself； and they were lovers； in a
young； romantic； almost fantastic way。 He gave her a little
ring。 They put it in Rhine wine； in their glass； and she drank；
then he drank。 They drank till the ring lay exposed at the
bottom of the glass。 Then she took the simple jewel； and tied it
on a thread round her neck； where she wore it。
He asked her for a photograph when he was going away。 She
went in great excitement to the photographer； with five
shillings。 The result was an ugly little picture of herself with
her mouth on one side。 She wondered over it and admired it。
He saw only the live face of the girl。 The picture hurt him。
He kept it； he always remembered it； but he could scarcely bear
to see it。 There was a hurt to his soul in the clear； fearless
face that was touched with abstraction。 Its abstraction was
certainly away from him。
Then war was declared with the Boers in South Africa； and
everywhere was a fizz of excitement。 He wrote that he might have
to go。 And he sent her a box of sweets。
She was slightly dazed at the thought of his going to the
war； not knowing how to feel。 It was a sort of romantic
situation that she knew so well in fiction she hardly understood
it in fact。 Underneath a top elation was a sort of dreariness；
deep； ashy disappointment。
However； she secreted the sweets under her bed； and ate them
all herself； when she went to bed； and when she woke in the
morning。 All the time she felt very guilty and ashamed； but she
simply did not want to share them。
That box of sweets remained stuck in her mind afterwards。 Why
had she secreted them and eaten them every one？ Why？ She did not
feel guilty……she only knew she ought to feel guilty。 And
she could not make up her mind。 Curiously monumental that box of
sweets stood up； now it was empty。 It was a crux for her。 What
was she to think of it？
The idea of war altogether made her feel uneasy； uneasy。 When
men began organized fighting with each other it seemed to her as
if the poles of the universe were cracking； and the whole might
go tumbling into the bottomless pit。 A horrible bottomless
feeling she had。 Yet of course there was the minted
superscription of romance and honour and even religion about
war。 She was very confused。
Skrebensky was busy； he could not e to see her。 She asked
for no assurance； no security。 What was between them； was； and
could not be altered by avowals。 She knew that by instinct； she
trusted to the intrinsic reality。
But she felt an agony of helplessness。 She could do nothing。
Vaguely she knew the huge powers of the world rolling and
crashing together； darkly； clumsily； stupidly； yet colossal； so
that one was brushed along almost as dust。 Helpless； helpless；
swirling like dust！ Yet she wanted so hard to rebel； to rage； to
fight。 But with what？
Could she with her hands fight the face of the earth； beat
the hills in their places？ Yet her breast wanted to fight； to
fight the whole world。 And these two small hands were all she
had to do it with。
The months went by； and it was Christmas……the snowdrops
came。 There was a little hollow in the wood near Cossethay；
where snowdrops grew wild。 She sent him some in a box； and he
wrote her a quick little note of thanks……very grateful and
wistful he seemed。 Her eyes grew childlike and puzzled。 P