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they were old or young. They bore their religion arrogant-
ly. The closeness of their connection with the church made
them adopt a slightly dictatorial attitude to the rest of man-
kind.
Miss Wilkinson was very different. She wore a white
muslin gown stamped with gay little bunches of flowers,
and pointed, high-heeled shoes, with open-work stockings.
To Philip’s inexperience it seemed that she was wonderfully
dressed; he did not see that her frock was cheap and showy.
Her hair was elaborately dressed, with a neat curl in the
middle of the forehead: it was very black, shiny and hard,
and it looked as though it could never be in the least disar-
ranged. She had large black eyes and her nose was slightly
aquiline; in profile she had somewhat the look of a bird of
prey, but full face she was prepossessing. She smiled a great
deal, but her mouth was large and when she smiled she
tried to hide her teeth, which were big and rather yellow.
But what embarrassed Philip most was that she was heavily
powdered: he had very strict views on feminine behaviour
and did not think a lady ever powdered; but of course Miss
Wilkinson was a lady because she was a clergyman’s daugh-
ter, and a clergyman was a gentleman.
Philip made up his mind to dislike her thoroughly. She
spoke with a slight French accent; and he did not know
why she should, since she had been born and bred in the
heart of England. He thought her smile affected, and the
coy sprightliness of her manner irritated him. For two or
three days he remained silent and hostile, but Miss Wilkin-
son apparently did not notice it. She was very affable. She

10 Of Human Bondage