Page 283 - sons-and-lovers

like the army. He did not. The discipline was intolerable to
him.
‘But the doctor,’ she said with some pride to Paul, ‘said
he was perfectly proportioned—almost exactly; all his mea-
surements were correct. He IS good-looking, you know.’
‘He’s awfully nice-looking. But he doesn’t fetch the girls
like William, does he?’
‘No; it’s a different character. He’s a good deal like his fa-
ther, irresponsible.’
To console his mother, Paul did not go much to Willey
Farm at this time. And in the autumn exhibition of stu-
dents’ work in the Castle he had two studies, a landscape in
water-colour and a still life in oil, both of which had first-
prize awards. He was highly excited.
‘What do you think I’ve got for my pictures, mother?’ he
asked, coming home one evening. She saw by his eyes he
was glad. Her face flushed.
‘Now, how should I know, my boy!’
‘A first prize for those glass jars—-‘
‘H’m!’
‘And a first prize for that sketch up at Willey Farm.’
‘Both first?’
‘Yes.’
‘H’m!’
There was a rosy, bright look about her, though she said
nothing.
‘It’s nice,’ he said, ‘isn’t it?’
‘It is.’
‘Why don’t you praise me up to the skies?’

Sons and Lovers