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accustom himself to the publicity; and he dreaded Friday
morning, on which the window was dressed, with a terror
that made him awake at five o’clock and lie sleepless with
sickness in his heart. The girls in the department noticed
his shamefaced way, and they very soon discovered his trick
of standing with his back to the street. They laughed at him
and called him ‘sidey.’
‘I suppose you’re afraid your aunt’ll come along and cut
you out of her will.’
On the whole he got on well enough with the girls. They
thought him a little queer; but his club-foot seemed to
excuse his not being like the rest, and they found in due
course that he was good-natured. He never minded helping
anyone, and he was polite and even tempered.
‘You can see he’s a gentleman,’ they said.
‘Very reserved, isn’t he?’ said one young woman, to
whose passionate enthusiasm for the theatre he had listened
unmoved.
Most of them had ‘fellers,’ and those who hadn’t said
they had rather than have it supposed that no one had an
inclination for them. One or two showed signs of being
willing to start a flirtation with Philip, and he watched their
manoeuvres with grave amusement. He had had enough of
love-making for some time; and he was nearly always tired
and often hungry.