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‘Your landlady told me you hadn’t been in since Saturday
night, and she said you owed her for the last month. Where
have you been sleeping all this week?’
It made Philip sick to answer. He stared out of the win-
dow.
‘Nowhere.’
‘I tried to find you.’
‘Why?’ asked Philip.
‘Betty and I have been just as broke in our day, only we
had babies to look after. Why didn’t you come here?’
‘I couldn’t.’
Philip was afraid he was going to cry. He felt very weak.
He shut his eyes and frowned, trying to control himself.
He felt a sudden flash of anger with Athelny because he
would not leave him alone; but he was broken; and pres-
ently, his eyes still closed, slowly in order to keep his voice
steady, he told him the story of his adventures during the
last few weeks. As he spoke it seemed to him that he had be-
haved inanely, and it made it still harder to tell. He felt that
Athelny would think him an utter fool.
‘Now you’re coming to live with us till you find some-
thing to do,’ said Athelny, when he had finished.
Philip flushed, he knew not why.
‘Oh, it’s awfully kind of you, but I don’t think I’ll do
that.’
‘Why not?’
Philip did not answer. He had refused instinctively from
fear that he would be a bother, and he had a natural bash-
fulness of accepting favours. He knew besides that the

Of Human Bondage