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‘Why don’t you answer when you’re spoken to, Sally?’ re-
marked her mother, a little irritably.
‘I thought he was a silly.’
‘Aren’t you going to have him then?’
‘No, I’m not.’
‘I don’t know how much more you want,’ said Mrs.
Athelny, and it was quite clear now that she was put out.
‘He’s a very decent young fellow and he can afford to give
you a thorough good home. We’ve got quite enough to feed
here without you. If you get a chance like that it’s wicked
not to take it. And I daresay you’d be able to have a girl to
do the rough work.’
Philip had never before heard Mrs. Athelny refer so di-
rectly to the difficulties of her life. He saw how important it
was that each child should be provided for.
‘It’s no good your carrying on, mother,’ said Sally in her
quiet way. ‘I’m not going to marry him.’
‘I think you’re a very hard-hearted, cruel, selfish girl.’
‘If you want me to earn my own living, mother, I can al-
ways go into service.’
‘Don’t be so silly, you know your father would never let
you do that.’
Philip caught Sally’s eye, and he thought there was in it a
glimmer of amusement. He wondered what there had been
in the conversation to touch her sense of humour. She was
an odd girl.

Of Human Bondage