michael-第14部分

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re；　or　what　your　flag　is。　You　fly　no　flag；　you　proclaim　no　identity。　　You　may　be　a　crossing…　sweeper；　or　a　grocer；　or　a　marquis　for　all　I　know。　　Of　course；　that　matters　very　little；　but　what　does　matter　is　that　never　for　a　moment　have　you　shown　me　not　what　you　happen　to　be；　but　what　you　are。　　I've　got　the　impression　that　you　are　something；　that　there's　a　real　'you'　in　your　inside。　　But　you　don't　let　me　see　it。　　You　send　a　polite　servant　to　the　door　when　I　knock。　　Probably　this　sounds　very　weird　and　un…English　to　you。　　But　to　my　mind　it　is　much　more　weird　to　behave　as　you　are　behaving。　　Come　out；　can't　you。　Let's　look　at　you。〃

It　was　exactly　thatthat　brusque；　unsentimental　appealthat　Michael　needed。　　He　saw　himself　at　that　moment；　as　Falbe　saw　him；　a　shelled　and　muffled　figure；　intangible　and　withdrawn；　but　observing；　as　it　were；　through　eye…holes；　and　giving　nothing　in　exchange　for　what　he　saw。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　quite　true　what　you　tell　me。　　I'm　like　that。　　But　it　really　has　never　struck　me　that　anybody　cared　to　know。〃

Falbe　ceased　digging　his　excavation　in　the　pine…needles　and　looked　up　on　Michael。

〃Good　Lord；　man！〃　he　said；　〃people　care　if　you'll　only　allow　them　to。　　The　indifference　of　other　people　is　a　false　term　for　the　secretiveness　of　oneself。　　How　can　they　care；　unless　you　let　them　know　what　there　is　to　care　for？〃

〃But　I'm　completely　uninteresting；〃　said　Michael。

〃Yes；　I'll　judge　of　that；〃　said　Falbe。


Slowly；　and　with　diffident　pauses；　Michael　began　to　speak　of　himself；　feeling　at　first　as　if　he　was　undressing　in　public。　　But　as　he　went　on　he　became　conscious　of　the　welcome　that　his　story　received；　though　that　welcome　only　expressed　itself　in　perfectly　unemotional　monosyllables。　　He　might　be　undressing；　but　he　was　undressing　in　front　of　a　fire。　　He　knew　that　he　uncovered　himself　to　no　icy　blast　or　contemptuous　rain；　as　he　had　felt　when；　so　few　days　before；　he　had　spoken　of　himself　and　what　he　was　to　his　father。　　There　was　here　the　common　land　of　music　to　build　upon；　whereas　to　Lord　Ashbridge　that　same　soil　had　been；　so　to　speak；　the　territory　of　the　enemy。　　And　even　more　than　that；　there　was　the　instinct；　the　certain　conviction　that　he　was　telling　his　tale　to　sympathetic　ears；　to　which　the　mere　fact　that　he　was　speaking　of　himself　presupposed　a　friendly　hearing。　　Falbe；　he　felt；　wanted　to　know　about　him；　regardless　of　the　nature　of　his　confessions。　　Had　he　said　that　he　was　an　undetected　kleptomaniac；　Falbe　would　have　liked　to　know；　have　been　pleased　at　any　tidings；　provided　only　they　were　authentic。　　This　seemed　to　reveal　itself　to　him　even　as　he　spoke；　it　had　been　there　waiting　for　him　to　claim　it；　lying　there　as　in　a　poste　restante；　only　ready　for　its　owner。

At　the　end　Falbe　gave　a　long　sigh。

〃And　why　the　devil　didn't　you　give　me　any　hint　of　it　before？〃　he　asked。

〃I　didn't　think　it　mattered；〃　said　Michael。

〃Well；　then；　you　are　amazingly　wrong。　　Good　Lord；　it's　about　the　most　interesting　thing　I've　ever　heard。　　I　didn't　know　anybody　could　escape　from　that　awful　sort　of　prison…house　in　which　ourI'm　English　nowin　which　our　upper　class　immures　itself。　　Yet　you've　done　it。　　I　take　it　that　the　thing　is　done　now？〃

〃I'm　not　going　back　into　the　prison…house　again；　if　you　mean　that；〃　said　Michael。

〃And　will　your　father　cut　you　off？〃　asked　he。

〃Oh；　I　haven't　the　least　idea；〃　said　Michael。

〃Aren't　you　going　to　inquire？〃

Michael　hesitated。

〃No；　I'm　sure　I'm　not；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can't　do　that。　　It's　his　business。　　I　couldn't　ask　about　what　he　had　done；　or　meant　to　do。　It's　a　sort　of　pride；　I　suppose。　　He　will　do　as　he　thinks　proper；　and　when　he　has　thought；　perhaps　he　will　tell　me　what　he　intends。〃

〃But；　then；　how　will　you　live？〃　asked　Falbe。

〃Oh；　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that。　　I've　got　some　money；　quite　a　lot；　I　mean；　from　my　grandmother。　　In　some　ways　I　rather　wish　I　hadn't。　It　would　have　been　a　proof　of　sincerity　to　have　become　poor。　　That　wouldn't　have　made　the　smallest　difference　to　my　resolution。〃

Falbe　laughed。

〃And　so　you　are　rich；　and　yet　go　second…class；〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　were　rich　I　would　make　myself　exceedingly　comfortable。　　I　like　things　that　are　good　to　eat　and　soft　to　touch。　　But　I'm　bound　to　say　that　I　get　on　quite　excellently　without　them。　　Being　poor　does　not　make　the　smallest　difference　to　one's　happiness；　but　only　to　the　number　of　one's　pleasures。〃

Michael　paused　a　moment；　and　then　found　courage　to　say　what　for　the　last　two　days　he　had　been　longing　to　give　utterance　to。

〃I　know；　but　pleasures　are　very　nice　things；〃　he　said。　　〃And　doesn't　it　seem　obvious　now　that　you　are　coming　to　Munich　with　me？　It's　a　purely　selfish　suggestion　on　my　part。　　After　being　with　you　it　will　be　very　stupid　to　be　alone　there。　　But　it　would　be　so　delightful　if　you　would　come。〃

Falbe　looked　at　him　a　moment　without　speaking；　but　Michael　saw　the　light　in　his　eyes。

〃And　what　if　I　have　my　pride　too？〃　he　said。　　〃Then　I　shall　apologise　for　having　made　the　proposal；〃　said　Michael　simply。

For　just　a　second　more　Falbe　hesitated。　　Then　he　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　thank　you　most　awfully；〃　he　said。　　〃I　accept　with　the　greatest　pleasure。〃

Michael　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。

〃I　am　glad；〃　he　said。　　〃So　that's　settled。　　It's　really　nice　of　you。〃

The　heat　of　the　day　was　passing　off；　and　over　the　sun…bleached　plain　the　coolness　of　evening　was　beginning　to　steal。　　Overhead　the　wind　stirred　more　resonantly　in　the　pines；　and　in　the　bushes　birds　called　to　each　other。　　Presently　after；　they　rose　from　where　they　had　lain　all　the　afternoon　and　strolled　along　the　needled　slope　to　where；　through　a　vista　in　the　trees；　they　looked　down　on　the　lake　and　the　hamlet　that　clustered　near　it。　　Down　the　road　that　wound　through　the　trees　towards　it　passed　labourers　going　homeward　from　their　work；　with　cheerful　guttural　cries　to　each　other　and　a　herd　of　cows　sauntered　by　with　bells　melodiously　chiming；　taking　leisurely　mouthfuls　from　the　herbage　of　the　wayside。　　In　the　village；　lying　low　in　the　clear　dusk；　scattered　lights　began　to　appear；　the　smoke　of　evening　fires　to　ascend；　and　the　aromatic　odour　of　the　burning　wood　strayed　towards　them　up　the　wind。

Falbe；　whose　hand　lay　in　the　crook　of　Michael's　arm；　pointed　downwards　to　the　village　that　lay　there　sequestered　and　rural。

〃That's　Germany；〃　he　said；　〃it's　that　which　lies　at　the　back　of　every　German　heart。　　There　lie　the　springs　of　the　Rhine。　　It's　out　of　that　originally　that　there　came　all　that　Germany　stands　for；　its　music；　its　poetry；　its　philosophy；　its　kultur。　　All　flowed　from　these　quiet　uplands。　　It　was　here　that　the　nation　began　to　think　and　to　dream。　　To　dreamt！　　It's　out　of　dreams　that　all　has　sprung。〃

He　laughed。

〃And　then　next　week　when　we　go　to　Munich；　you　will　find　me　saying　that　this；　this　Athens　of　a　town；　with　its　museums　and　its　galleries　and　its　music；　is　Germany。　　I　shall　be　right；　too。　　Out　of　much　dreaming　comes　the　need　to　make。　　It　is　when　the　artist's　head　and　heart　are　full　of　his　dreams　that　his　hands　itch　for　the　palette　or　the　piano。　　Nuremberg！　　Cannot　we　stop　a　few　hours；　at　least；　in　Nuremberg；　and　see　the　meadow　by　the　Pegnitz　where　the　Meistersingers　held　their　contest　of　song　and　the　wooden；　gabled　house　where　Albrecht　Durer　lived？　　That　will　teach　you　Germany；　too。　　The　bud　of　their　dream　was　opening　then；　and　what　flower；　even　in　the　magnificence　of　its　full…blowing；　is　so　lovely？　Albrecht　Durer；　with　his　deep；　patient　eyes；　and　his　patient　hands　with　their　unerring　stroke；　or　Bach；　with　the　fugue　flowing　from　his　brain　through　his　quick　fingers；　making　starsstars　fixed　forever　in　the　heaven　of　harmony！　　Don't　tell　me　that　there　is　anything　in　the　world　more　wonderful！　　We　may　have　invented　a　few　more　instruments；　we　may　have　experimented　with　a　few　more　combinations　of　notes；　but　in　the　B　minor　Mass；　or　in　the　music　of　the　Passion；　all　is　said。　　And　all　that　came　from　the　woods　and　the　country　and　the　quiet　life　in　little　towns；　when　the　artist　did　his　work　because　he　loved　it；　and　cared　not　one　jot　about　what　anybody　else　thought　about　it。　　We　are　a　nation　of　thinkers　and　dreamers。〃

Michael　hesitated　a　moment。

〃But　you　said　not　long　ago　that　you　were　also　the　most　practical　nation；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　a　nation　of　soldiers；　also。〃

〃And　who　would　not　willingly　give　himself　for　such　a　Fatherland？〃　said　Falbe。　　〃If　need　be；　we　will　lay　our　lives　down　for　that；　and　die　more　willingly　than　we　have　lived。　　God　grant　that　the　need　comes　not。　　But　should　it　come　we　are　ready。　　We　are　bound　to　be　ready；　it　would　be　a　crime　not　to　be　readya　crime　against　the　Fatherland。　　We　love　peace；　but　the　peace…lovers　are　just　those　who　in　war　are　most　terrible。　　For　who　are　the　backbone　of　war　when　war　comes？　　The　women　of　the　country；　my　friend；　not　the　ministers；　not　the　generals　and　the　admirals。　　I　don't　say　they　make　war；　but　when　war　is　made　they　are　the　spirit　of　it；　because；　more　than　men；　they　love　their　homes。　　There　is　not　a　woman　in　Germany　who　will　not　send　forth　brother　and　husband　and　father　and　child；　should　the　day　come。　　But　it　will　not　come　from　our　seeking。〃

He　turned　to　Michael；　his　face　illuminated　by　the　red　glow　of　the　sinking　sun。

〃Germany　will　rise　as　one　man　if　she's　told　to；〃　he　said；　〃for　that　is　what　her　unity　and　her　discipline　mean。　　She　is　patient　and　peaceful；　but　she　is　obedient。〃

He　pointed　northwards。

〃It　is　from　there；　from　Prussia；　from　Berlin；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　word　will　come；　if　they　who　rule　and　govern　us；　and　in　whose　hands　are　all　organisation　and　equipment；　tell　us　that　our　national　existence　compels　us　to　fight。　　They　rule。　　The　Prussians　rule；　there　is　no　doubt　of　that。　　From　Germany　have　come　the　arts；　the　sciences；　the　philosophies　of　the　world；　and　not　from　there。　　But　they　guard　our　national　life。　　It　is　they　who　watch　by　the　Rhine　for　us；　patient　and　awake。　　Should　they　beckon　us　one　night；　on　some　peaceful　August　night　like　this；　when　all　seems　so　tranquil；　so　secure；　we　shall　go。　　The　silent　beckoning　finger　will　be　obeyed　from　one　end　of　the　land　to　the　other；　from　Poland　on　the　east　to　France　on　the　west。〃

He　turned　away　quickly。

〃It　does　not　bear　thinking　of；〃　he　said；　〃and　yet　there　are　many；　oh；　so　many；　who　night　and　day　concern　t