Page 408 - of-human-bondage-

they should beat Mrs. Rawlingson easily. Louisa never liked
Mrs. Rawlingson.
‘I shall take the funeral myself. I promised Louisa I would
never let anyone else bury her.’
Philip looked at his uncle with disapproval when he took
a second piece of cake. Under the circumstances he could
not help thinking it greedy.
‘Mary Ann certainly makes capital cakes. I’m afraid no
one else will make such good ones.’
‘She’s not going?’ cried Philip, with astonishment.
Mary Ann had been at the vicarage ever since he could
remember. She never forgot his birthday, but made a point
always of sending him a trifle, absurd but touching. He had
a real affection for her.
‘Yes,’ answered Mr. Carey. ‘I didn’t think it would do to
have a single woman in the house.’
‘But, good heavens, she must be over forty.’
‘Yes, I think she is. But she’s been rather troublesome
lately, she’s been inclined to take too much on herself, and
I thought this was a very good opportunity to give her no-
tice.’
‘It’s certainly one which isn’t likely to recur,’ said Philip.
He took out a cigarette, but his uncle prevented him
from lighting it.
‘Not till after the funeral, Philip,’ he said gently.
‘All right,’ said Philip.
‘It wouldn’t be quite respectful to smoke in the house so
long as your poor Aunt Louisa is upstairs.’
Josiah Graves, churchwarden and manager of the bank,

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