Page 615 - sons-and-lovers

Sheffield. Dawes came to Paul’s lodgings. His time in the
home was up. The two men, between whom was such a big
reserve, seemed faithful to each other. Dawes depended on
Morel now. He knew Paul and Clara had practically sepa-
rated.
Two days after Christmas Paul was to go back to Not-
tingham. The evening before he sat with Dawes smoking
before the fire.
‘You know Clara’s coming down for the day to-morrow?’
he said.
The other man glanced at him.
‘Yes, you told me,’ he replied.
Paul drank the remainder of his glass of whisky.
‘I told the landlady your wife was coming,’ he said.
‘Did you?’ said Dawes, shrinking, but almost leaving
himself in the other’s hands. He got up rather stiffly, and
reached for Morel’s glass.
‘Let me fill you up,’ he said.
Paul jumped up.
‘You sit still,’ he said.
But Dawes, with rather shaky hand, continued to mix
the drink.
‘Say when,’ he said.
‘Thanks!’ replied the other. ‘But you’ve no business to get
up.’
‘It does me good, lad,’ replied Dawes. ‘I begin to think
I’m right again, then.’
‘You are about right, you know.’
‘I am, certainly I am,’ said Dawes, nodding to him.

1 Sons and Lovers