He too was impatient of the conversation.
'I don't propose at all,' he replied.

'When we really want to go for something better, we shall smash the old.

Until then, any sort of proposal, or making proposals, is no more than a tiresome game for self-important people.' The little smile began to die out of Gerald's eyes, and he said, looking with a cool stare at Birkin: 'So you really think things are very bad ?' 'Completely bad.' The smile appeared again.
'In what way ?' 'Every way,' said Birkin.

'We are such dreary liars.

Our one idea is to lie to ourselves.