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omy to make his own money last till he was qualified, and
he must have something over to keep him during the year
he intended to spend as house physician and house surgeon
either at his own or at some other hospital. But Mildred had
told him various stories of Emil’s meanness, and he was
afraid to remonstrate with her in case she accused him too
of want of generosity.
‘I wouldn’t take a penny piece from him. I’d sooner beg
my bread. I’d have seen about getting some work to do long
before now, only it wouldn’t be good for me in the state I’m
in. You have to think of your health, don’t you?’
‘You needn’t bother about the present,’ said Philip. ‘I can
let you have all you want till you’re fit to work again.’
‘I knew I could depend on you. I told Emil he needn’t
think I hadn’t got somebody to go to. I told him you was a
gentleman in every sense of the word.’
By degrees Philip learned how the separation had come
about. It appeared that the fellow’s wife had discovered the
adventure he was engaged in during his periodical visits to
London, and had gone to the head of the firm that employed
him. She threatened to divorce him, and they announced
that they would dismiss him if she did. He was passionate-
ly devoted to his children and could not bear the thought
of being separated from them. When he had to choose be-
tween his wife and his mistress he chose his wife. He had
been always anxious that there should be no child to make
the entanglement more complicated; and when Mildred,
unable longer to conceal its approach, informed him of the
fact, he was seized with panic. He picked a quarrel and left

Of Human Bondage