Page 205 - sons-and-lovers

said Mrs. Morel. ‘NOTHING is as bad as a marriage that’s
a hopeless failure. Mine was bad enough, God knows, and
ought to teach you something; but it might have been worse
by a long chalk.’
He leaned with his back against the side of the chimney-
piece, his hands in his pockets. He was a big, raw-boned
man, who looked as if he would go to the world’s end if he
wanted to. But she saw the despair on his face.
‘I couldn’t give her up now,’ he said.
‘Well,’ she said, ‘remember there are worse wrongs than
breaking off an engagement.’
‘I can’t give her up NOW,’ he said.
The clock ticked on; mother and son remained in silence,
a conflict between them; but he would say no more. At last
she said:
‘Well, go to bed, my son. You’ll feel better in the morn-
ing, and perhaps you’ll know better.’
He kissed her, and went. She raked the fire. Her heart
was heavy now as it had never been. Before, with her hus-
band, things had seemed to be breaking down in her, but
they did not destroy her power to live. Now her soul felt
lamed in itself. It was her hope that was struck.
And so often William manifested the same hatred to-
wards his betrothed. On the last evening at home he was
railing against her.
‘Well,’ he said, ‘if you don’t believe me, what she’s like,
would you believe she has been confirmed three times?’
‘Nonsense!’ laughed Mrs. Morel.
‘Nonsense or not, she HAS! That’s what confirmation

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