Page 179 - sons-and-lovers

Arthur was so inflamed and irritable at last, that when
he won a scholarship for the Grammar School in Notting-
ham, his mother decided to let him live in town, with one of
her sisters, and only come home at week-ends.
Annie was still a junior teacher in the Board-school,
earning about four shillings a week. But soon she would
have fifteen shillings, since she had passed her examination,
and there would be financial peace in the house.
Mrs. Morel clung now to Paul. He was quiet and not bril-
liant. But still he stuck to his painting, and still he stuck to
his mother. Everything he did was for her. She waited for
his coming home in the evening, and then she unburdened
herself of all she had pondered, or of all that had occurred
to her during the day. He sat and listened with his earnest-
ness. The two shared lives.
William was engaged now to his brunette, and had
bought her an engagement ring that cost eight guineas. The
children gasped at such a fabulous price.
‘Eight guineas!’ said Morel. ‘More fool him! If he’d gen
me some on’t, it ‘ud ha’ looked better on ‘im.’
‘Given YOU some of it!’ cried Mrs. Morel. ‘Why give
YOU some of it!’
She remembered HE had bought no engagement ring at
all, and she preferred William, who was not mean, if he were
foolish. But now the young man talked only of the dances to
which he went with his betrothed, and the different resplen-
dent clothes she wore; or he told his mother with glee how
they went to the theatre like great swells.
He wanted to bring the girl home. Mrs. Morel said she

1 Sons and Lovers