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the North Sea, and that makes it keen and sharp.
Philip did not leave the Athelnys’ till ten o’clock. The
children came in to say good-night at eight and quite natu-
rally put up their faces for Philip to kiss. His heart went out
to them. Sally only held out her hand.
‘Sally never kisses gentlemen till she’s seen them twice,’
said her father.
‘You must ask me again then,’ said Philip.
‘You mustn’t take any notice of what father says,’ re-
marked Sally, with a smile.
‘She’s a most self-possessed young woman,’ added her
parent.
They had supper of bread and cheese and beer, while Mrs.
Athelny was putting the children to bed; and when Philip
went into the kitchen to bid her good-night (she had been
sitting there, resting herself and reading The Weekly Des-
patch) she invited him cordially to come again.
‘There’s always a good dinner on Sundays so long as
Athelny’s in work,’ she said, ‘and it’s a charity to come and
talk to him.’
On the following Saturday Philip received a postcard
from Athelny saying that they were expecting him to din-
ner next day; but fearing their means were not such that Mr.
Athelny would desire him to accept, Philip wrote back that
he would only come to tea. He bought a large plum cake so
that his entertainment should cost nothing. He found the
whole family glad to see him, and the cake completed his
conquest of the children. He insisted that they should all
have tea together in the kitchen, and the meal was noisy

Of Human Bondage