Page 270 - sons-and-lovers

anticipation. Paul told Miriam. She seemed to brood with
joy over it. But the Morel’s house rang with excitement.
They were to go on Saturday morning by the seven train.
Paul suggested that Miriam should sleep at his house, be-
cause it was so far for her to walk. She came down for supper.
Everybody was so excited that even Miriam was accepted
with warmth. But almost as soon as she entered the feeling
in the family became close and tight. He had discovered a
poem by Jean Ingelow which mentioned Mablethorpe, and
so he must read it to Miriam. He would never have got so
far in the direction of sentimentality as to read poetry to
his own family. But now they condescended to listen. Mir-
iam sat on the sofa absorbed in him. She always seemed
absorbed in him, and by him, when he was present. Mrs.
Morel sat jealously in her own chair. She was going to hear
also. And even Annie and the father attended, Morel with
his head cocked on one side, like somebody listening to a
sermon and feeling conscious of the fact. Paul ducked his
head over the book. He had got now all the audience he
cared for. And Mrs. Morel and Annie almost contested with
Miriam who should listen best and win his favour. He was
in very high feather.
‘But,’ interrupted Mrs. Morel, ‘what IS the ‘Bride of En-
derby’ that the bells are supposed to ring?’
‘It’s an old tune they used to play on the bells for a warning
against water. I suppose the Bride of Enderby was drowned
in a flood,’ he replied. He had not the faintest knowledge
what it really was, but he would never have sunk so low as
to confess that to his womenfolk. They listened and believed