It pleased the men to see this battle between them.

But Miriam was tortured.
Paul could choose the lesser in place of the higher, she saw.

He could be unfaithful to himself, unfaithful to the real, deep Paul Morel.
There was a danger of his becoming frivolous, of his running after his satisfaction like any Arthur, or like his father.

It made Miriam bitter to think that he should throw away his soul for this flippant traffic of triviality with Clara.

She walked in bitterness and silence, while the other two rallied each other, and Paul sported.
And afterwards, he would not own it, but he was rather ashamed of himself, and prostrated himself before Miriam.