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hilip began to pawn his clothes. He reduced his expens-
Pes by eating only one meal a day beside his breakfast;
and he ate it, bread and butter and cocoa, at four so that
it should last him till next morning. He was so hungry by
nine o’clock that he had to go to bed. He thought of borrow-
ing money from Lawson, but the fear of a refusal held him
back; at last he asked him for five pounds. Lawson lent it
with pleasure, but, as he did so, said:
‘You’ll let me have it back in a week or so, won’t you? I’ve
got to pay my framer, and I’m awfully broke just now.’
Philip knew he would not be able to return it, and the
thought of what Lawson would think made him so ashamed
that in a couple of days he took the money back untouched.
Lawson was just going out to luncheon and asked Philip
to come too. Philip could hardly eat, he was so glad to get
some solid food. On Sunday he was sure of a good dinner
from Athelny. He hesitated to tell the Athelnys what had
happened to him: they had always looked upon him as com-
paratively well-to-do, and he had a dread that they would
think less well of him if they knew he was penniless.
Though he had always been poor, the possibility of not
having enough to eat had never occurred to him; it was
not the sort of thing that happened to the people among
whom he lived; and he was as ashamed as if he had some

0 Of Human Bondage