Page 81 - sons-and-lovers

‘Tha can ha’e more than that!’ shouted Morel.
‘Hold your noise, man,’ said Mrs. Morel; ‘and don’t look
so ridiculous.’
‘He’ll look ridiculous before I’ve done wi’ him!’ shouted
Morel, rising from his chair and glaring at his son.
William, who was a tall lad for his years, but very sensi-
tive, had gone pale, and was looking in a sort of horror at
his father.
‘Go out!’ Mrs. Morel commanded her son.
William had not the wit to move. Suddenly Morel
clenched his fist, and crouched.
‘I’ll GI’E him ‘go out’!’ he shouted like an insane thing.
‘What!’ cried Mrs. Morel, panting with rage. ‘You shall
not touch him for HER telling, you shall not!’
‘Shonna I?’ shouted Morel. ‘Shonna I?’
And, glaring at the boy, he ran forward. Mrs. Morel
sprang in between them, with her fist lifted.
‘Don’t you DARE!’ she cried.
‘What!’ he shouted, baffled for the moment. ‘What!’
She spun round to her son.
‘GO out of the house!’ she commanded him in fury.
The boy, as if hypnotised by her, turned suddenly and
was gone. Morel rushed to the door, but was too late. He re-
turned, pale under his pit-dirt with fury. But now his wife
was fully roused.
‘Only dare!’ she said in a loud, ringing voice. ‘Only dare,
milord, to lay a finger on that child! You’ll regret it for
ever.’
He was afraid of her. In a towering rage, he sat down.

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