Page 258 - sons-and-lovers

‘Yes, but it IS—at least with most people,’ he answered.
And Miriam, thinking he had assured himself, felt strong
in herself. She always regarded that sudden coming upon
him in the lane as a revelation. And this conversation re-
mained graven in her mind as one of the letters of the law.
Now she stood with him and for him. When, about this
time, he outraged the family feeling at Willey Farm by some
overbearing insult, she stuck to him, and believed he was
right. And at this time she dreamed dreams of him, vivid,
unforgettable. These dreams came again later on, developed
to a more subtle psychological stage.
On the Easter Monday the same party took an excur-
sion to Wingfield Manor. It was great excitement to Miriam
to catch a train at Sethley Bridge, amid all the bustle of the
Bank Holiday crowd. They left the train at Alfreton. Paul
was interested in the street and in the colliers with their
dogs. Here was a new race of miners. Miriam did not live till
they came to the church. They were all rather timid of en-
tering, with their bags of food, for fear of being turned out.
Leonard, a comic, thin fellow, went first; Paul, who would
have died rather than be sent back, went last. The place was
decorated for Easter. In the font hundreds of white narcissi
seemed to be growing. The air was dim and coloured from
the windows and thrilled with a subtle scent of lilies and
narcissi. In that atmosphere Miriam’s soul came into a glow.
Paul was afraid of the things he mustn’t do; and he was sen-
sitive to the feel of the place. Miriam turned to him. He
answered. They were together. He would not go beyond the
Communion-rail. She loved him for that. Her soul expand-