Birkin knew she was waiting for him to participate. And dutifully he
spoke up.

'I think Gerald is right--race is the essential element in nationality,
in Europe at least,' he said.

Again Hermione paused, as if to allow this statement to cool. Then she
said with strange assumption of authority:

'Yes, but even so, is the patriotic appeal an appeal to the racial
instinct? Is it not rather an appeal to the proprietory instinct, the
COMMERCIAL instinct? And isn't this what we mean by nationality?'

'Probably,' said Birkin, who felt that such a discussion was out of
place and out of time.

But Gerald was now on the scent of argument.

'A race may have its commercial aspect,' he said. 'In fact it must. It
is like a family. You MUST make provision. And to make provision you
have got to strive against other families, other nations. I don't see
why you shouldn't.'

Again Hermione made a pause, domineering and cold, before she replied:
'Yes, I think it is always wrong to provoke a spirit of rivalry. It
makes bad blood. And bad blood accumulates.'

'But you can't do away with the spirit of emulation altogether?' said
Gerald. 'It is one of the necessary incentives to production and
improvement.'