Page 115 - sons-and-lovers

eyes dark and furious. His mother moved about at her work,
taking no notice of him.
‘They always stan’ in front of me, so’s I can’t get out,’ he
said.
‘Well, my lad, you’ve only to ASK them,’ she replied.
‘An’ then Alfred Winterbottom says, ‘What do they teach
you at the Board-school?’’
‘They never taught HIM much,’ said Mrs. Morel, ‘that is
a fact— neither manners nor wit—and his cunning he was
born with.’
So, in her own way, she soothed him. His ridiculous hy-
persensitiveness made her heart ache. And sometimes the
fury in his eyes roused her, made her sleeping soul lift up its
head a moment, surprised.
‘What was the cheque?’ she asked.
‘Seventeen pounds eleven and fivepence, and sixteen and
six stoppages,’ replied the boy. ‘It’s a good week; and only
five shillings stoppages for my father.’
So she was able to calculate how much her husband had
earned, and could call him to account if he gave her short
money. Morel always kept to himself the secret of the week’s
amount.
Friday was the baking night and market night. It was
the rule that Paul should stay at home and bake. He loved
to stop in and draw or read; he was very fond of drawing.
Annie always ‘gallivanted’ on Friday nights; Arthur was en-
joying himself as usual. So the boy remained alone.
Mrs. Morel loved her marketing. In the tiny market-place
on the top of the hill, where four roads, from Nottingham

11 Sons and Lovers