“And did that make him a naturalist?” asked Birkin.
“Probably,” said Gerald.
Meanwhile Ursula was peeping under one of the cloths. There sat the canary in a corner, bunched and fluffed up for sleep.
“How ridiculous!” she cried. “It really thinks the night has come! How absurd! Really, how can one have any respect for a creature that is so easily taken in!”
“Yes,” sang Hermione, coming also to look. She put her hand on Ursula’s arm and chuckled a low laugh. “Yes, doesn’t he look comical?” she chuckled. “Like a stupid husband.”
Then, with her hand still on Ursula’s arm, she drew her away, saying, in her mild sing-song:
“How did you come here? We saw Gudrun too.”
“I came to look at the pond,” said Ursula, “and I found Mr Birkin there.”
“Did you? This is quite a Brangwen land, isn’t it!”
“I’m afraid I hoped so,” said Ursula. “I ran here for refuge, when I saw you down the lake, just putting off.”