In general he was quite alone while eating it; but to-day Alice Rose chose to bear him company.

She watched him with cold severe eye for some time, until he had appeased his languid appetite.

Then she began with the rebuke she had in store for him; a rebuke the motives to which were not entirely revealed even to herself.
'Thou 're none so keen after thy food as common,' she began.

'Plain victuals goes ill down after feastin'.' Philip felt the colour mount to his face; he was not in the mood for patiently standing the brunt of the attack which he saw was coming, and yet he had a reverent feeling for woman and for age.

He wished she would leave him alone; but he only said--'I had nought but a slice o' cold beef for supper, if you'll call that feasting.' 'Neither do godly ways savour delicately after the pleasures of the world,' continued she, unheeding his speech.