Page 520 - sons-and-lovers

having to go, as she was, to her mother’s bed. It was strange,
and he could not understand it. And then almost immedi-
ately he fell asleep.
He awoke in the morning with someone speaking to
him. Opening his eyes, he saw Mrs. Radford, big and stately,
looking down on him. She held a cup of tea in her hand.
‘Do you think you’re going to sleep till Doomsday?’ she
said.
He laughed at once.
‘It ought only to be about five o’clock,’ he said.
‘Well,’ she answered, ‘it’s half-past seven, whether or not.
Here, I’ve brought you a cup of tea.’
He rubbed his face, pushed the tumbled hair off his fore-
head, and roused himself.
‘What’s it so late for!’ he grumbled.
He resented being wakened. It amused her. She saw his
neck in the flannel sleeping-jacket, as white and round as a
girl’s. He rubbed his hair crossly.
‘It’s no good your scratching your head,’ she said. ‘It
won’t make it no earlier. Here, an’ how long d’you think I’m
going to stand waiting wi’ this here cup?’
‘Oh, dash the cup!’ he said.
‘You should go to bed earlier,’ said the woman.
He looked up at her, laughing with impudence.
‘I went to bed before YOU did,’ he said.
‘Yes, my Guyney, you did!’ she exclaimed.
‘Fancy,’ he said, stirring his tea, ‘having tea brought to
bed to me! My mother’ll think I’m ruined for life.’
‘Don’t she never do it?’ asked Mrs. Radford.

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