Sons and Lovers - Daimon Club

The boy glanced away. But the smith used to stand behind
the counter and talk to Mr. Pappleworth. His speech was dirty,
with a kind of rottenness. Again he found the youth with his cool,
critical gaze fixed on his face. The smith started round as if he
had been stung.
"What'r yer lookin' at, three hap'orth o' pap?" he snarled.
The boy shrugged his shoulders slightly.
"Why yer---!" shouted Dawes.
"Leave him alone," said Mr. Pappleworth, in that insinuating
voice which means, "He's only one of your good little sops who can't
help it."
Since that time the boy used to look at the man every time
he came through with the same curious criticism, glancing away
before he met the smith's eye. It made Dawes furious. They hated
each other in silence.
Clara Dawes had no children. When she had left her husband the
home had been broken up, and she had gone to live with her mother.
Dawes lodged with his sister. In the same house was a sister-in-law, and
somehow Paul knew that this girl, Louie Travers, was now Dawes's woman.
She was a handsome, insolent hussy, who mocked at the youth, and yet
flushed if he walked along to the station with her as she went home.
The next time he went to see Miriam it was Saturday evening.
She had a fire in the parlour, and was waiting for him. The others,
except her father and mother and the young children, had gone out,
so the two had the parlour together. It was a long, low, warm room.
There were three of Paul's small sketches on the wall, and his photo was
on the mantelpiece. On the table and on the high old
rosewood piano were bowls of coloured leaves. He sat in the armchair,
she crouched on the hearthrug near his feet. The glow was warm
on her handsome, pensive face as she kneeled there like a devotee.
"What did you think of Mrs. Dawes?" she asked quietly.
"She doesn't look very amiable," he replied.
"No, but don't you think she's a fine woman?" she said,
in a deep tone,
"Yes--in stature. But without a grain of taste. I like her
for some things. IS she disagreeable?"