If this were human life, if these were human beings, living in a complete world, then what was her own world, outside?
She was aware of her grass-green stockings, her large grass-green velour hat, her full soft coat, of a strong blue colour.
And she felt as if she were treading in the air, quite unstable, her heart was contracted, as if at any minute she might be precipitated to the ground.

She was afraid.
She clung to Ursula, who, through long usage was inured to this violation of a dark, uncreated, hostile world.

But all the time her heart was crying, as if in the midst of some ordeal: 'I want to go back, I want to go away, I want not to know it, not to know that this exists.' Yet she must go forward.
Ursula could feel her suffering.
'You hate this, don't you ?' she asked.
'It bewilders me,' stammered Gudrun.
'You won't stay long,' replied Ursula.
And Gudrun went along, grasping at release.
They drew away from the colliery region, over the curve of the hill, into the purer country of the other side, towards Willey Green.

Still the faint glamour of blackness persisted over the fields and the wooded hills, and seemed darkly to gleam in the air.

It was a spring day, chill, with snatches of sunshine.