Page 553 - of-human-bondage-

‘Yes,’ he answered.
He knew that he would not be able to come, since he was
going to help Mildred with her moving, but he had not the
courage to say so. He made up his mind that he would send
a wire. Mildred saw the rooms in the morning, was sat-
isfied with them, and after luncheon Philip went up with
her to Highbury. She had a trunk for her clothes and an-
other for the various odds and ends, cushions, lampshades,
photograph frames, with which she had tried to give the
apartments a home-like air; she had two or three large card-
board boxes besides, but in all there was no more than could
be put on the roof of a four-wheeler. As they drove through
Victoria Street Philip sat well back in the cab in case Norah
should happen to be passing. He had not had an opportu-
nity to telegraph and could not do so from the post office
in the Vauxhall Bridge Road, since she would wonder what
he was doing in that neighbourhood; and if he was there he
could have no excuse for not going into the neighbouring
square where she lived. He made up his mind that he had
better go in and see her for half an hour; but the necessity
irritated him: he was angry with Norah, because she forced
him to vulgar and degrading shifts. But he was happy to be
with Mildred. It amused him to help her with the unpack-
ing; and he experienced a charming sense of possession in
installing her in these lodgings which he had found and was
paying for. He would not let her exert herself. It was a plea-
sure to do things for her, and she had no desire to do what
somebody else seemed desirous to do for her. He unpacked
her clothes and put them away. She was not proposing to go

Of Human Bondage