Arnold Bennett

Name: The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother
Author: Arnold Bennett

The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

Summary

“The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother”, published in 1908, is a work by Arnold Bennett. It explores elements such as Cyril, Constance and smock.

Quotes from The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (Arnold Bennett)

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ He was much more dreamy than Cyril, and much busier. In fact, Constance only saw him at meal-times. He was at Peel's in the day and at the School of Art every night. He would dream during a meal, even; and, without actually saying so, he gave the impression that he was the busiest man in Bursley, wrapped in occupations and preoccupations as in a blanket--a blanket which Constance had difficulty in penetrating.
Constance wanted to please him; she lived for nothing but to please him ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ In the last week he was very loyal to his tailor. Many a young man would have commanded new clothes after, not before, his arrival in London. But Cyril had faith in his creator.
On the day of departure the household, the very house itself, was in a state of excitation. He was to leave early. He would not listen to the project of her accompanying him as far as Knype, where the Loop Line joined the main. She might go to Bursley Station and no further. When she rebelled he disclosed the merest hint of his sullen-churlish side, and she at once yielded. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ Povey had gained his success in open competition with the cleverest young students of the entire kingdom--and in a branch of art which he had but recently taken up; and further, that the Government offered only eight scholarships each year. The name of Cyril Povey passed from lip to lip. And nobody who met Constance, in street or shop, could refrain from informing her that she ought to be a proud mother, to have such a son, but that truly they were not surprised ... ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ The presence of a man in her abode disconcerted Constance at the beginning; but she soon grew accustomed to it, perceiving that a man would behave as a man, and must be expected to do so. This man, in truth, did what he liked in all things. Cyril having always been regarded by both his parents as enormous, one would have anticipated a giant in the new man ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ The sole wall decoration of his studio was a Japanese print, which struck her as being entirely preposterous, considered as a picture. She much preferred his own early drawings of moss-roses and picturesque castles--things that he now mercilessly contemned. Later, he discovered her cutting out another smock. "What's that for?" he inquired. "Well," she said, "you can't manage with one smock. What shall you do when that one has to go to the wash?" "Wash!" he repeated vaguely. "There's no need for it to go to the wash." "Cyril," she replied, "don't try my patience! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ Ten days later, on a Sunday when he chanced not to have gone out with his aristocratic friend Matthew Peel- Swynnerton, he did at length open the box and take out a cigar. "Now," he observed roguishly, cutting the cigar, "we shall see, Mrs. Plover!" He often called her Mrs. Plover, for fun. Though she liked him to be sufficiently interested in her to tease her, she did not like being called Mrs. Plover, and she never failed to say: "I'm not Mrs. Plover." He smoked the cigar slowly, in the rocking-chair, throwing his head back and sending clouds to the ceiling. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ No mother could have a better son. A nice thing, that he should stay all his life in Bursley simply because you don't like being left alone!"
Unfortunately one might as well argue with a mule as with one's soul. Her soul only kept on saying monotonously: "I'm a lonely old woman now. I've nothing to live for any more, and I'm no use to anybody. Once I was young and proud. And this is what my life has come to! This is the end!"
When she reached home, Amy had not touched the breakfast things ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (1908)

“ Apropos of a drinking-cup which he had designed, he had said that the director of the School of Art had suggested that it was good enough to compete for the National, and that as he was otherwise qualified for the competition he might as well send the cup to South Kensington. ”

Arnold Bennett

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Quotes from The Old Wives' Tale — Book II, Chapter VIII: The Proudest Mother (Arnold Bennett)

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