'So much the worse, is it?' he repeated.

There was a silence between the two men for some time, as the train ran
on. In Birkin's face was a little irritable tension, a sharp knitting
of the brows, keen and difficult. Gerald watched him warily, carefully,
rather calculatingly, for he could not decide what he was after.

Suddenly Birkin's eyes looked straight and overpowering into those of
the other man.

'What do you think is the aim and object of your life, Gerald?' he
asked.

Again Gerald was taken aback. He could not think what his friend was
getting at. Was he poking fun, or not?

'At this moment, I couldn't say off-hand,' he replied, with faintly
ironic humour.

'Do you think love is the be-all and the end-all of life?' Birkin
asked, with direct, attentive seriousness.

'Of my own life?' said Gerald.

'Yes.'

There was a really puzzled pause.

'I can't say,' said Gerald. 'It hasn't been, so far.'