Page 131 - sons-and-lovers

CHAPTER V

PAUL LAUNCHES INTO LIFE

MOREL was rather a heedless man, careless of danger. So
he had endless accidents. Now, when Mrs. Morel heard the
rattle of an empty coal-cart cease at her entry-end, she ran
into the parlour to look, expecting almost to see her hus-
band seated in the waggon, his face grey under his dirt, his
body limp and sick with some hurt or other. If it were he,
she would run out to help.
About a year after William went to London, and just af-
ter Paul had left school, before he got work, Mrs. Morel was
upstairs and her son was painting in the kitchen—he was
very clever with his brush—when there came a knock at
the door. Crossly he put down his brush to go. At the same
moment his mother opened a window upstairs and looked
down.
A pit-lad in his dirt stood on the threshold.
‘Is this Walter Morel’s?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ said Mrs. Morel. ‘What is it?’
But she had guessed already.
‘Your mester’s got hurt,’ he said.
‘Eh, dear me!’ she exclaimed. ‘It’s a wonder if he hadn’t,

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