Explore "Riceyman Steps" by Arnold Bennett on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
When Violet awoke the next morning at the appointed time for waking, and heard the familiar muffled sounds of Elsie's activity, she was tempted to stay in bed; she had not had a good night, and she felt quite disturbingly unwell; indeed, her physical sensations, although not those of acute pain, alarmed her by a certain fundamental quality involving the very basis of her vitality. But she resisted the temptation, apprehensive of the results, on herself and on the household organism, of any change of habit. The upset would be terrible if she failed in her daily role; Henry would maintain his calm, but beneath the calm "what a state he would be in! " She knew him (she said to herself). "I shall be better on my feet, and I shall worry less. " So she arose to the cold room and to the cold water. Henry was quite bland and cheerful, and said that he had slept well. It was his custom to get up as soon as Violet had washed. He did not get up.
"Aren't you going to get up? I've finished here. " She was folding the towel.