Page 153 - sons-and-lovers

‘We have waited quite long enough,’ said Mrs. Morel.
In a moment the girl came back with the tart. Mrs. Mo-
rel asked coldly for the bill. Paul wanted to sink through the
floor. He marvelled at his mother’s hardness. He knew that
only years of battling had taught her to insist even so little
on her rights. She shrank as much as he.
‘It’s the last time I go THERE for anything!’ she declared,
when they were outside the place, thankful to be clear.
‘We’ll go,’ she said, ‘and look at Keep’s and Boot’s, and
one or two places, shall we?’
They had discussions over the pictures, and Mrs. Mo-
rel wanted to buy him a little sable brush that be hankered
after. But this indulgence he refused. He stood in front of
milliners’ shops and drapers’ shops almost bored, but con-
tent for her to be interested. They wandered on.
‘Now, just look at those black grapes!’ she said. ‘They
make your mouth water. I’ve wanted some of those for
years, but I s’ll have to wait a bit before I get them.’
Then she rejoiced in the florists, standing in the doorway
sniffing.
‘Oh! oh! Isn’t it simply lovely!’
Paul saw, in the darkness of the shop, an elegant young
lady in black peering over the counter curiously.
‘They’re looking at you,’ he said, trying to draw his moth-
er away.
‘But what is it?’ she exclaimed, refusing to be moved.
‘Stocks!’ he answered, sniffing hastily. ‘Look, there’s a
tubful.’
‘So there is—red and white. But really, I never knew

1 Sons and Lovers