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‘What’s Mr. Watson like?’ asked Philip, after a while.
‘You’ll see for yourself.’
There was another pause. Mr. Carey wondered why the
headmaster did not come. Presently Philip made an effort
and spoke again.
‘Tell him I’ve got a club-foot,’ he said.
Before Mr. Carey could speak the door burst open and
Mr. Watson swept into the room. To Philip he seemed gi-
gantic. He was a man of over six feet high, and broad, with
enormous hands and a great red beard; he talked loudly in a
jovial manner; but his aggressive cheerfulness struck terror
in Philip’s heart. He shook hands with Mr. Carey, and then
took Philip’s small hand in his.
‘Well, young fellow, are you glad to come to school?’ he
shouted.
Philip reddened and found no word to answer.
‘How old are you?’
‘Nine,’ said Philip.
‘You must say sir,’ said his uncle.
‘I expect you’ve got a good lot to learn,’ the headmaster
bellowed cheerily.
To give the boy confidence he began to tickle him
with rough fingers. Philip, feeling shy and uncomfortable,
squirmed under his touch.
‘I’ve put him in the small dormitory for the present....
You’ll like that, won’t you?’ he added to Philip. ‘Only eight
of you in there. You won’t feel so strange.’
Then the door opened, and Mrs. Watson came in. She
was a dark woman with black hair, neatly parted in the mid-

Of Human Bondage