Page 135 - of-human-bondage-

trying to do their best for him, and they were so much older
than he that they must be better judges of what was good
for him. Philip clenched his hands. He had heard that state-
ment so often, and he could not see why it was true; they did
not know the conditions as he did, why should they accept it
as self-evident that their greater age gave them greater wis-
dom? The letter ended with the information that Mr. Carey
had withdrawn the notice he had given.
Philip nursed his wrath till the next half-holiday. They
had them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, since on Saturday
afternoons they had to go to a service in the Cathedral. He
stopped behind when the rest of the Sixth went out.
‘May I go to Blackstable this afternoon, please, sir?’ he
asked.
‘No,’ said the headmaster briefly.
‘I wanted to see my uncle about something very impor-
tant.’
‘Didn’t you hear me say no?’
Philip did not answer. He went out. He felt almost sick
with humiliation, the humiliation of having to ask and the
humiliation of the curt refusal. He hated the headmaster
now. Philip writhed under that despotism which never
vouchsafed a reason for the most tyrannous act. He was too
angry to care what he did, and after dinner walked down to
the station, by the back ways he knew so well, just in time to
catch the train to Blackstable. He walked into the vicarage
and found his uncle and aunt sitting in the dining-room.
‘Hulloa, where have you sprung from?’ said the Vicar.
It was very clear that he was not pleased to see him. He

1 Of Human Bondage