Page 604 - sons-and-lovers

Annie.
‘Did she?’
They were silent a minute. Mrs. Morel gulped the little
clean milk.
‘Annie, that draught WAS horrid!’ she said plaintively.
‘Was it, my love? Well, never mind.’
The mother sighed again with weariness. Her pulse was
very irregular.
‘Let US settle you down,’ said Annie. ‘Perhaps nurse will
be so late.’
‘Ay,’ said the mother—‘try.’
They turned the clothes back. Paul saw his mother LIke a
girl curled up in her flannel nightdress. Quickly they made
one half of the bed, moved her, made the other, straightened
her nightgown over her small feet, and covered her up.
‘There,’ said Paul, stroking her softly. ‘There!—now you’ll
sleep.’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I didn’t think you could do the bed so
nicely,’ she added, almost gaily. Then she curled up, with
her cheek on her hand, her head snugged between her
shoulders. Paul put the long thin plait of grey hair over her
shoulder and kissed her.
‘You’ll sleep, my love,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she answered trustfully. ‘Good-night.’
They put out the light, and it was still.
Morel was in bed. Nurse did not come. Annie and Paul
came to look at her at about eleven. She seemed to be sleep-
ing as usual after her draught. Her mouth had come a bit
open.

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