Page 546 - of-human-bondage-

suggested that they should dine together and go to a music-
hall. She wanted some persuasion, for she had an idea of
acting up to her situation, and felt instinctively that it did
not accord with her distressed condition to go to a place
of entertainment. At last Philip asked her to go simply to
please him, and when she could look upon it as an act of self-
sacrifice she accepted. She had a new thoughtfulness which
delighted Philip. She asked him to take her to the little res-
taurant in Soho to which they had so often been; he was
infinitely grateful to her, because her suggestion showed
that happy memories were attached to it. She grew much
more cheerful as dinner proceeded. The Burgundy from the
public house at the corner warmed her heart, and she forgot
that she ought to preserve a dolorous countenance. Philip
thought it safe to speak to her of the future.
‘I suppose you haven’t got a brass farthing, have you?’ he
asked, when an opportunity presented itself.
‘Only what you gave me yesterday, and I had to give the
landlady three pounds of that.’
‘Well, I’d better give you a tenner to go on with. I’ll go
and see my solicitor and get him to write to Miller. We can
make him pay up something, I’m sure. If we can get a hun-
dred pounds out of him it’ll carry you on till after the baby
comes.’
‘I wouldn’t take a penny from him. I’d rather starve.’
‘But it’s monstrous that he should leave you in the lurch
like this.’
‘I’ve got my pride to consider.’
It was a little awkward for Philip. He needed rigid econ-