Page 352 - sons-and-lovers

ply trust to the future.
So in May she asked him to come to Willey Farm and
meet Mrs. Dawes. There was something he hankered after.
She saw him, whenever they spoke of Clara Dawes, rouse
and get slightly angry. He said he did not like her. Yet he was
keen to know about her. Well, he should put himself to the
test. She believed that there were in him desires for high-
er things, and desires for lower, and that the desire for the
higher would conquer. At any rate, he should try. She forgot
that her ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ were arbitrary.
He was rather excited at the idea of meeting Clara at
Willey Farm. Mrs. Dawes came for the day. Her heavy,
dun-coloured hair was coiled on top of her head. She wore
a white blouse and navy skirt, and somehow, wherever she
was, seemed to make things look paltry and insignificant.
When she was in the room, the kitchen seemed too small
and mean altogether. Miriam’s beautiful twilighty parlour
looked stiff and stupid. All the Leivers were eclipsed like
candles. They found her rather hard to put up with. Yet she
was perfectly amiable, but indifferent, and rather hard.
Paul did not come till afternoon. He was early. As he
swung off his bicycle, Miriam saw him look round at the
house eagerly. He would be disappointed if the visitor had
not come. Miriam went out to meet him, bowing her head
because of the sunshine. Nasturtiums were coming out
crimson under the cool green shadow of their leaves. The
girl stood, dark-haired, glad to see him.
‘Hasn’t Clara come?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ replied Miriam in her musical tone. ‘She’s read-

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