Sons and Lovers - Chapter 8
Filhos e Amantes - Capítulo 8
Clara Dawes was different from Miriam in every way. She was older, married, and worked in a lace factory. She was bold and confident, a woman who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to ask for it.
Clara Dawes era diferente de Miriam em todos os aspetos. Era mais velha, casada e trabalhava numa fábrica de rendas. Era uma mulher ousada e confiante, que sabia o que queria e não tinha medo de o pedir.
Paul met Clara through work. She was training new workers, and Paul found himself drawn to her immediately. She was unlike anyone he had ever known—direct, passionate, and completely unafraid.
Paul conheceu Clara através do trabalho. Ela estava a formar novos trabalhadores, e Paul sentiu-se imediatamente atraído por ela. Ela não se parecia com ninguém que ele tivesse conhecido — direta, apaixonada e completamente destemida.
"You are an interesting boy," she said to him one day, looking him up and down. "There is more to you than meets the eye."
"Você é um rapaz interessante," disse-lhe ela um dia, olhando-o de cima a baixo. "Há mais em você do que aparenta."
Paul felt his face grow hot. He didn't know how to respond to such attention from a woman like Clara.
Paul sentiu o rosto aquecer. Não sabia como reagir a tal atenção de uma mulher como Clara.
As they worked together, they talked more and more. Clara told him about her unhappy marriage, about her husband who drank and treated her badly.
À medida que trabalhavam juntos, falavam cada vez mais. Clara contou-lhe sobre o seu casamento infeliz, sobre o marido que bebia e a tratava mal.
"I should have left him years ago," she said, her voice hard. "But I stayed, and now I am stuck."
"Eu devia tê-lo deixado há anos," disse ela com a voz dura. "Mas fiquei, e agora estou presa."
Paul listened, fascinated by her openness. He had never met a woman who spoke so freely about her life, her desires, her disappointments.
Paul ouvia, fascinado pela franqueza dela. Nunca tinha conhecido uma mulher que falasse tão livremente sobre a sua vida, os seus desejos, as suas frustrações.
Miriam, when she learned about Clara, was upset. She could see that Paul was attracted to this older, married woman, and it made her jealous.
Miriam, ao saber de Clara, ficou perturbada. Ela podia ver que Paul estava atraído por esta mulher mais velha e casada, e isso deixava-a com ciúmes.
"She is not right for you," Miriam said. "She will hurt you."
"Ela não é adequada para ti," disse Miriam. "Ela vai magoar-te."
But Paul was already too involved with Clara to listen. The excitement he felt with her was unlike anything he had ever experienced—intense, physical, overwhelming.
Mas Paul estava demasiado envolvido com Clara para ouvir. A excitação que sentia com ela era diferente de tudo o que já tinha experimentado — intensa, física, avassaladora.
He found himself comparing Clara to Miriam. Where Miriam was shy and spiritual, Clara was bold and earthy. Where Miriam held back, Clara pulled forward.
Ele dava por si a comparar Clara com Miriam. Enquanto Miriam era tímida e espiritual, Clara era ousada e terrena. Enquanto Miriam se continha, Clara avançava.
Paul didn't know which one he truly wanted. But he knew that he could no longer be the boy his mother wanted him to be. He was changing, and the changes were happening fast.
Paul não sabia quem queria realmente. Mas sabia que já não podia ser o rapaz que a mãe queria que ele fosse. Estava a mudar, e as mudanças aconteciam rapidamente.