Sons and Lovers - Daimon Club

"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 sleeping as usual
after her draught. Her mouth had come a bit open.
"Shall we sit up?" said Paul.
"I s'll lie with her as I always do," said Annie. "She might
wake up."
"All right. And call me if you see any difference."
"Yes."
They lingered before the bedroom fire, feeling the night big
and black and snowy outside, their two selves alone in the world.
At last he went into the next room and went to bed.
He slept almost immediately, but kept waking every now and again.
Then he went sound asleep. He started awake at Annie's whispered,
"Paul, Paul!" He saw his sister in her white nightdress, with her
long plait of hair down her back, standing in the darkness.
"Yes?" he whispered, sitting up.
"Come and look at her."