Page 573 - sons-and-lovers

‘Is he beguy! That’s a tidy penny, I’m thinkin’!’
‘Eight guineas.’
‘Eight guineas!’ the miner spoke breathlessly. ‘Well, we
mun find it from somewhere.’
‘I can pay that,’ said Paul.
There was silence between them for some time.
‘She says she hopes you’re getting on all right with Min-
nie,’ Paul said.
‘Yes, I’m all right, an’ I wish as she was,’ answered Mo-
rel. ‘But Minnie’s a good little wench, bless ‘er heart!’ He sat
looking dismal.
‘I s’ll have to be going at half-past three,’ said Paul.
‘It’s a trapse for thee, lad! Eight guineas! An’ when dost
think she’ll be able to get as far as this?’
‘We must see what the doctors say to-morrow,’ Paul
said.
Morel sighed deeply. The house seemed strangely empty,
and Paul thought his father looked lost, forlorn, and old.
‘You’ll have to go and see her next week, father,’ he said.
‘I hope she’ll be a-whoam by that time,’ said Morel.
‘If she’s not,’ said Paul, ‘then you must come.’
‘I dunno wheer I s’ll find th’ money,’ said Morel.
‘And I’ll write to you what the doctor says,’ said Paul.
‘But tha writes i’ such a fashion, I canna ma’e it out,’ said
Morel.
‘Well, I’ll write plain.’
It was no good asking Morel to answer, for he could
scarcely do more than write his own name.
The doctor came. Leonard felt it his duty to meet him

Sons and Lovers