Birkin went and kindled it. It was of a lovely deep blue colour, with a red floor, and a great white cuttle-fish flowing in white soft streams all over it. The cuttle-fish had a face that stared straight from the heart of the light, very fixed and coldly intent.
“ How truly terrifying!” exclaimed Gudrun, in a voice of horror. Gerald, at her side, gave a low laugh.
“ But isn’t it really fearful!” she cried in dismay.
Again he laughed, and said:
“ Change it with Ursula, for the crabs.”
Gudrun was silent for a moment.
“ Ursula,” she said, “could you bear to have this fearful thing?”
“ I think the colouring is lovely ,” said Ursula.
“ So do I,” said Gudrun. “But could you bear to have it swinging to your boat? Don’t you want to destroy it at once? ”
