Page 189 - sons-and-lovers

His mother, to whom he became more and more significant,
thought how to help.
His half-day holiday was on Monday afternoon. On a
Monday morning in May, as the two sat alone at breakfast,
she said:
‘I think it will be a fine day.’
He looked up in surprise. This meant something.
‘You know Mr. Leivers has gone to live on a new farm.
Well, he asked me last week if I wouldn’t go and see Mrs.
Leivers, and I promised to bring you on Monday if it’s fine.
Shall we go?’
‘I say, little woman, how lovely!’ he cried. ‘And we’ll go
this afternoon?’
Paul hurried off to the station jubilant. Down Derby
Road was a cherry-tree that glistened. The old brick wall
by the Statutes ground burned scarlet, spring was a very
flame of green. And the steep swoop of highroad lay, in its
cool morning dust, splendid with patterns of sunshine and
shadow, perfectly still. The trees sloped their great green
shoulders proudly; and inside the warehouse all the morn-
ing, the boy had a vision of spring outside.
When he came home at dinner-time his mother was
rather excited.
‘Are we going?’ he asked.
‘When I’m ready,’ she replied.
Presently he got up.
‘Go and get dressed while I wash up,’ he said.
She did so. He washed the pots, straightened, and then
took her boots. They were quite clean. Mrs. Morel was one

1 Sons and Lovers