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he said.
It was an awkward thing to speak about, but apparently
it was necessary to discuss it.
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she answered.
‘Please don’t be angry with me. I should never have asked
you to come and live here if I’d not meant our relations to be
merely friendly. I suggested it because I thought you wanted
a home and you would have a chance of looking about for
something to do.’
‘Oh, don’t think I care.’
‘I don’t for a moment,’ he hastened to say. ‘You mustn’t
think I’m ungrateful. I realise that you only proposed it for
my sake. It’s just a feeling I have, and I can’t help it, it would
make the whole thing ugly and horrid.’
‘You are funny’ she said, looking at him curiously. ‘I can’t
make you out.’
She was not angry with him now, but puzzled; she had
no idea what he meant: she accepted the situation, she had
indeed a vague feeling that he was behaving in a very noble
fashion and that she ought to admire it; but also she felt in-
clined to laugh at him and perhaps even to despise him a
little.
‘He’s a rum customer,’ she thought.
Life went smoothly enough with them. Philip spent all
day at the hospital and worked at home in the evening ex-
cept when he went to the Athelnys’ or to the tavern in Beak
Street. Once the physician for whom he clerked asked him
to a solemn dinner, and two or three times he went to parties
given by fellow-students. Mildred accepted the monotony

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