Page 624 - of-human-bondage-

On Thursday morning he got up very late and dragged
himself, blear-eyed and sallow, into his sitting-room to see
if there were any letters. A curious feeling shot through his
heart when he recognised the handwriting of Griffiths.
Dear old man:
I hardly know how to write to you and yet I feel I must
write. I hope you’re not awfully angry with me. I know I
oughtn’t to have gone away with Milly, but I simply couldn’t
help myself. She simply carried me off my feet and I would
have done anything to get her. When she told me you had
offered us the money to go I simply couldn’t resist. And
now it’s all over I’m awfully ashamed of myself and I wish
I hadn’t been such a fool. I wish you’d write and say you’re
not angry with me, and I want you to let me come and see
you. I was awfully hurt at your telling Milly you didn’t want
to see me. Do write me a line, there’s a good chap, and tell
me you forgive me. It’ll ease my conscience. I thought you
wouldn’t mind or you wouldn’t have offered the money. But
I know I oughtn’t to have taken it. I came home on Mon-
day and Milly wanted to stay a couple of days at Oxford by
herself. She’s going back to London on Wednesday, so by
the time you receive this letter you will have seen her and I
hope everything will go off all right. Do write and say you
forgive me. Please write at once.
Yours ever,
Harry.
Philip tore up the letter furiously. He did not mean to
answer it. He despised Griffiths for his apologies, he had
no patience with his prickings of conscience: one could do