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XCIII

ext morning Mildred was sulky and taciturn. She re-
Nmained in her room till it was time to get the dinner
ready. She was a bad cook and could do little more than
chops and steaks; and she did not know how to use up odds
and ends, so that Philip was obliged to spend more money
than he had expected. When she served up she sat down op-
posite Philip, but would eat nothing; he remarked on it; she
said she had a bad headache and was not hungry. He was
glad that he had somewhere to spend the rest of the day; the
Athelnys were cheerful and friendly. It was a delightful and
an unexpected thing to realise that everyone in that house-
hold looked forward with pleasure to his visit. Mildred had
gone to bed when he came back, but next day she was still
silent. At supper she sat with a haughty expression on her
face and a little frown between her eyes. It made Philip im-
patient, but he told himself that he must be considerate to
her; he was bound to make allowance.
‘You’re very silent,’ he said, with a pleasant smile.
‘I’m paid to cook and clean, I didn’t know I was expected
to talk as well.’
He thought it an ungracious answer, but if they were go-
ing to live together he must do all he could to make things
go easily.
‘I’m afraid you’re cross with me about the other night,’

0 Of Human Bondage