Miriam's notion of baptism of fire in passion in sons and lovers

Paul as well realised this: "It seemed as if he had known the baptism of fire in passion, and it left him at rest. But it was not Clara. It was something that happened because of her, but it was not her" (p.399). Here is where the informal end of their relationship is. Clara realises that she wants something permanent, a relationship that she can be sure of; she achieves this later when she returns to her husband. Paul here too realises that he does not love Clara and that she is not the one for him, she proves this by telling him that she will not divorce Baxter and that he belongs to her. "But she never believed that her life belonged to Paul Morel, nor his to her. They would separate in the end, and the rest of her life would be an ache after him" (p.405). In the end both of them realised that a future between them was impossible: "Each wanted a mate to go side by side with" (p.405).