Page 580 - of-human-bondage-

was announced.
When he got back to his rooms Philip found a letter
from her, saying that she thought it would be better for her
to stay another week in Brighton. She had found a wom-
an who would be glad to take the baby for seven shillings
a week, but she wanted to make inquiries about her, and
she was herself benefiting so much by the sea-air that she
was sure a few days more would do her no end of good. She
hated asking Philip for money, but would he send some by
return, as she had had to buy herself a new hat, she couldn’t
go about with her lady-friend always in the same hat, and
her lady-friend was so dressy. Philip had a moment of bit-
ter disappointment. It took away all his pleasure at getting
through his examination.
‘If she loved me one quarter as much as I love her she
couldn’t bear to stay away a day longer than necessary.’
He put the thought away from him quickly; it was pure
selfishness; of course her health was more important than
anything else. But he had nothing to do now; he might
spend the week with her in Brighton, and they could be to-
gether all day. His heart leaped at the thought. It would be
amusing to appear before Mildred suddenly with the infor-
mation that he had taken a room in the boarding-house. He
looked out trains. But he paused. He was not certain that
she would be pleased to see him; she had made friends in
Brighton; he was quiet, and she liked boisterous joviality;
he realised that she amused herself more with other people
than with him. It would torture him if he felt for an instant
that he was in the way. He was afraid to risk it. He dared not