Page 582 - sons-and-lovers

yond the sister at Paul. His look was full of fear, mistrust,
hate, and misery. Morel met the swift, dark eyes, and hesi-
tated. The two men were afraid of the naked selves they had
been.
‘Dr. Ansell told me you were here,’ said Morel, holding
out his hand.
Dawes mechanically shook hands.
‘So I thought I’d come in,’ continued Paul.
There was no answer. Dawes lay staring at the opposite
wall.
‘Say ‘Caw!‘ mocked the nurse. ‘Say ‘Caw!’ Jim Crow.’
‘He is getting on all right?’ said Paul to her.
‘Oh yes! He lies and imagines he’s going to die,’ said the
nurse, ‘and it frightens every word out of his mouth.’
‘And you MUST have somebody to talk to,’ laughed Mo-
rel.
‘That’s it!’ laughed the nurse. ‘Only two old men and a
boy who always cries. It is hard lines! Here am I dying to
hear Jim Crow’s voice, and nothing but an odd ‘Caw!’ will
he give!’
‘So rough on you!’ said Morel.
‘Isn’t it?’ said the nurse.
‘I suppose I am a godsend,’ he laughed.
‘Oh, dropped straight from heaven!’ laughed the nurse.
Presently she left the two men alone. Dawes was thin-
ner, and handsome again, but life seemed low in him. As
the doctor said, he was lying sulking, and would not move
forward towards convalescence. He seemed to grudge every
beat of his heart.

1