Page 185 - sons-and-lovers

‘And so—you have to forgive her a lot of things.’
‘WHAT do you have to forgive her, my boy?’
‘I dunno. When she seems shallow, you have to remem-
ber she’s never had anybody to bring her deeper side out.
And she’s FEARFULLY fond of me.’
‘Anybody can see that.’
‘But you know, mother—she’s—she’s different from us.
Those sort of people, like those she lives amongst, they don’t
seem to have the same principles.’
‘You mustn’t judge too hastily,’ said Mrs. Morel.
But he seemed uneasy within himself.
In the morning, however, he was up singing and larking
round the house.
‘Hello!’ he called, sitting on the stairs. ‘Are you getting
up?’
‘Yes,’ her voice called faintly.
‘Merry Christmas!’ he shouted to her.
Her laugh, pretty and tinkling, was heard in the bed-
room. She did not come down in half an hour.
‘Was she REALLY getting up when she said she was?’ he
asked of Annie.
‘Yes, she was,’ replied Annie.
He waited a while, then went to the stairs again.
‘Happy New Year,’ he called.
‘Thank you, Chubby dear!’ came the laughing voice, far
away.
‘Buck up!’ he implored.
It was nearly an hour, and still he was waiting for her.
Morel, who always rose before six, looked at the clock.

1 Sons and Lovers