michael-第23部分

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t　bachelors　always　have　the　best　of　everything。　　Now　tell　me　about　your　visit　to　Germany。　　Which　was　the　point　where　we　partedBaireuth；　wasn't　it？　I　would　not　go　to　Baireuth　with　anybody！〃

〃I　went　with　Mr。　Falbe；〃　said　Michael。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Falbe　has　not　asked　me　yet。　　I　may　have　to　revise　what　I　say；〃　said　Aunt　Barbara　daringly。

〃I　didn't　ask　Michael；〃　said　Hermann。　　〃I　got　into　his　carriage　as　the　train　was　moving；　and　my　luggage　was　left　behind。〃

〃I　was　left　behind；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃which　was　worse。　　But　I　sent　Hermann's　luggage。〃

〃So　expeditiously　that　it　arrived　the　day　before　we　left　for　Munich；〃　remarked　Hermann。

〃And　that's　all　the　gratitude　I　get。　　But　in　the　interval　you　lived　upon　Lord　Comber。〃

〃I　do　still　in　the　money　I　earn　by　giving　him　music　lessons。　　Mike；　have　you　finished　the　Variations　yet？〃

〃Variationswhat　are　Variations？〃　asked　Aunt　Barbara。

〃Yes；　two　days　ago。　　Variations　are　all　the　things　you　think　about　on　the　piano；　Aunt　Barbara；　when　you　are　playing　a　tune　made　by　somebody　else。〃

〃Should　I　like　them？　　Will　Mr。　Falbe　play　them　to　me？〃　asked　she。

〃I　daresay　he　will　if　he　can。　　But　I　thought　you　loathed　music。〃

〃It　certainly　depends　on　who　makes　it；〃　said　Aunt　Barbara。　　〃I　don't　like　ordinary　music；　because　the　person　who　made　it　doesn't　matter　to　me。　　But　if；　so　to　speak；　it　sounds　like　somebody　I　know；　it　is　a　different　matter。〃

Michael　turned　to　Sylvia。

〃I　want　to　ask　your　leave　for　something　I　have　already　done；〃　he　said。

〃And　if　I　don't　give　it　you？〃

〃Then　I　shan't　tell　you　what　it　is。〃

Sylvia　looked　at　him　with　her　candid　friendly　eyes。　　Her　brother　always　told　her　that　she　never　looked　at　anybody　except　her　friends；　if　she　was　engaged　in　conversation　with　a　man　she　did　not　like；　she　looked　at　his　shirt…stud　or　at　a　point　slightly　above　his　head。

〃Then；　of　course；　I　give　in；〃　she　said。　　〃I　must　give　you　leave　if　otherwise　I　shan't　know　what　you　have　done。　　But　it's　a　mean　trick。　Tell　me　at　once。〃

〃I've　dedicated　the　Variations　to　you；〃　he　said。

Sylvia　flushed　with　pleasure。

〃Oh；　but　that's　absolutely　darling　of　you；〃　she　said。　　〃Have　you；　really？　　Do　you　mean　it？〃

〃If　you'll　allow　me。〃

〃Allow　you？　　Hermann；　the　Variations　are　mine。　　Isn't　it　too　lovely？〃

It　was　at　this　moment　that　Aunt　Barbara　happened　to　glance　at　Michael；　and　it　suddenly　struck　her　that　it　was　a　perfectly　new　Michael　whom　she　looked　at。　　She　knew　and　was　secretly　amused　at　the　fiasco　that　always　attended　the　introduction　of　amiable　young　ladies　to　Ashbridge；　and　had　warned　her　sister…in…law　that　Michael；　when　he　chose　the　girl　he　wanted；　would　certainly　do　it　on　his　own　initiative。　　Now　she　felt　sure　that　Michael；　though　he　might　not　be　aware　of　it　himself；　was；　even　if　he　had　not　chosen；　beginning　to　choose。　　There　was　that　in　his　eyes　which　none　of　the　importations　to　Ashbridge　had　ever　seen　there；　that　eager　deferential　attention；　which　shows　that　a　young　man　is　interested　because　it　is　a　girl　he　is　talking　to。　　That；　she　knew；　had　never　been　characteristic　of　Michael；　indeed；　it　would　not　have　been　far　from　the　truth　to　say　that　the　fact　that　he　was　talking　to　a　girl　was　sufficient　to　make　his　countenance　wear　an　expression　of　polite　boredom。　　Then　for　a　while；　as　dinner　progressed；　she　doubted　the　validity　of　her　conclusion；　for　the　Michael　who　was　entertaining　her　to…night　was　wholly　different　from　the　Michael　she　had　known　and　liked　and　pitied。　　She　felt　that　she　did　not　know　this　new　one　yet；　but　she　was　certain　that　she　liked　him；　and　equally　sure　that　she　did　not　pity　him　at　all。　　He　had　found　his　place；　he　had　found　his　work；　he　evidently　fitted　into　his　life；　which；　after　all；　is　the　surest　ground　of　happiness；　and　it　might　be　that　it　was　only　general　joy；　so　to　speak；　that　kindled　that　pleasant　fire　in　his　face。　　And　then　once　more　she　went　back　to　her　first　conclusion；　for　talking　to　Michael　herself　she　saw；　as　a　woman　so　infallibly　sees；　that　he　gave　her　but　the　most　superficial　attentionsufficient；　indeed；　to　allow　him　to　answer　intelligently　and　laugh　at　the　proper　places；　but　his　mind　was　not　in　the　least　occupied　with　her。　　If　Sylvia　moved　his　glance　flickered　across　in　her　direction：　it　was　she　who　gave　him　his　alertness。　　Aunt　Barbara　felt　that　she　could　have　told　him　truthfully　that　he　was　in　love　with　her；　and　she　rather　thought　that　it　would　be　news　to　him；　probably　he　did　not　know　it　yet　himself。　　And　she　wondered　what　his　father　would　say　when　he　knew　it。

〃And　then　Munich；〃　she　said；　violently　recalling　Michael's　attention　towards　her。　　〃Munich　I　could　have　borne　better　than　Baireuth；　and　when　Mr。　Falbe　asks　me　there　I　shall　probably　go。　Your　Uncle　Tony　was　in　Germany　then；　by　the　way；　he　went　over　at　the　invitation　of　the　Emperor　to　the　manoeuvres。〃

〃Did　he？　　The　Emperor　came　to　Munich　for　a　day　during　them。　　He　was　at　the　opera；〃　said　Michael。

〃You　didn't　speak　to　him；　I　suppose？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　he　sent　for　me；　and　talked　a　lot。　　In　fact；　he　talked　too　much；　because　I　didn't　hear　a　note　of　the　second　act。〃

Aunt　Barbara　became　infinitely　more　interested。

〃Tell　me　all　about　it；　Michael；〃　she　said。　　〃What　did　he　talk　about？〃

〃Everything；　as　far　as　I　can　remember；　England；　Ashbridge；　armies；　navies；　music。　　Hermann　says　he　cast　pearls　before　swine〃

〃And　his　tone；　his　attitude？〃　she　asked。

〃Towards　us？towards　England？　　Immensely　friendly；　and　most　inquisitive。　　I　was　never　asked　so　many　questions　in　so　short　a　time。〃

Aunt　Barbara　suddenly　turned　to　Falbe。

〃And　you？〃　she　asked。　　〃Were　you　with　Michael？〃

〃No；　Lady　Barbara。　　I　had　no　pearls。〃

〃And　are　you　naturalised　English？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　I　am　German。〃

She　slid　swiftly　off　the　topic。

〃Do　you　wonder　I　ask；　with　your　talking　English　so　perfectly？〃　she　said。　　〃You　should　hear　me　talking　French　when　we　are　entertaining　Ambassadors　and　that　sort　of　persons。　　I　talk　it　so　fast　that　nobody　can　understand　a　word　I　say。　　That　is　a　defensive　measure；　you　must　observe；　because　even　if　I　talked　it　quite　slowly　they　would　understand　just　as　little。　　But　they　think　it　is　the　pace　that　stupefies　them；　and　they　leave　me　in　a　curious；　dazed　condition。　　And　now　Miss　Falbe　and　I　are　going　to　leave　you　two。　Be　rather　a　long　time；　dear　Michael；　so　that　Mr。　Falbe　can　tell　you　what　he　thinks　of　me；　and　his　sister　shall　tell　me　what　she　thinks　of　you。　　Afterwards　you　and　I　will　tell　each　other；　if　it　is　not　too　fearful。〃

This　did　not　express　quite　accurately　Lady　Barbara's　intentions；　for　she　chiefly　wanted　to　find　out　what　she　thought　of　Sylvia。

〃And　you　are　great　friends；　you　three？〃　she　said　as　they　settled　themselves　for　the　prolonged　absence　of　the　two　men。

Sylvia　smiled；　she　smiled；　Aunt　Barbara　noticed；　almost　entirely　with　her　eyes；　using　her　mouth　only　when　it　came　to　laughing；　but　her　eyes　smiled　quite　charmingly。

〃That's　always　rather　a　rash　thing　to　pronounce　on；〃　she　said。　　〃I　can　tell　you　for　certain　that　Hermann　and　I　are　both　very　fond　of　him；　but　it　is　presumptuous　for　us　to　say　that　he　is　equally　devoted　to　us。〃

〃My　dear；　there　is　no　call　for　modesty　about　it；〃　said　Barbara。　〃Between　youfor　I　imagine　it　is　you　who　have　done　itbetween　you　you　have　made　a　perfectly　different　creature　of　the　boy。　　You've　made　him　flower。〃

Sylvia　became　quite　grave。

〃Oh；　I　do　hope　he　likes　us；〃　she　said。　　〃He　is　so　likable　himself。〃

Barbara　nodded

〃And　you've　had　the　good　sense　to　find　that　out；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　astonishing　how　few　people　knew　it。　　But　then；　as　I　said；　Michael　hadn't　flowered。　　No　one　understood　him；　or　was　interested。　　Then　he　suddenly　made　up　his　mind　last　summer　what　he　wanted　to　do　and　be；　and　immediately　did　and　was　it。〃

〃I　think　he　told　Hermann；〃　said　she。　　〃His　father　didn't　approve；　did　he？〃

〃Approve？　　My　dear；　if　you　knew　my　brother　you　would　know　that　the　only　things　he　approves　of　are　those　which　Michael　isn't。〃

Sylvia　spread　her　fine　hands　out　to　the　blaze；　warming　them　and　shading　her　face。

〃Michael　always　seems　to　us〃　she　began。　　〃Ah；　I　called　him　Michael　by　mistake。〃

〃Then　do　it　on　purpose　next　time；〃　remarked　Barbara。　　〃What　does　Michael　seem？〃

〃Ah；　but　don't　let　him　know　I　called　him　Michael；〃　said　Sylvia　in　some　horror。　　〃There　is　nothing　so　awful　as　to　speak　of　people　formally　to　their　faces；　and　intimately　behind　their　backs。　　But　Hermann　is　always　talking　of　him　as　Michael。〃

〃And　Michael　always　seems〃

〃Oh；　yes；　he　always　seems　to　me　to　have　been　part　of　us；　of　Hermann　and　me；　for　years。　　He's　THERE；　if　you　know　what　I　mean；　and　so　few　people　are　there。　　They　walk　about　your　life；　and　go　in　and　out；　so　to　speak；　but　Michael　stops。　　I　suppose　it's　because　he　is　so　natural。〃

Aunt　Barbara　had　been　a　diplomatist　long　before　her　husband；　and　fearful　of　appearing　inquisitive　about　Sylvia's　impression　of　Michael；　which　she　really　wanted　to　inquire　into；　instantly　changed　the　subject。

〃Ah；　everybody　who　has　got　definite　things　to　do　is　natural；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　only　the　idle　people　who　have　leisure　to　look　at　themselves　in　the　glass　and　pose。　　And　I　feel　sure　that　you　have　definite　things　to　do　and　plenty　of　them；　my　dear。　　What　are　they？〃

〃Oh；　I　sing　a　little；〃　said　Sylvia。

〃That　is　the　first　unnatural　thing　you　have　said。　　I　somehow　feel　that　you　sing　a　great　deal。〃

Aunt　Barbara　suddenly　got　up。

〃My　dear；　you　are　not　THE　Miss　Falbe；　are　you；　who　drove　London　crazy　with　delight　last　summer。　　Don't　tell　me　you　are　THE　Miss　Falbe？〃

Sylvia　laughed。

〃Do　you　know；　I'm　afraid　I　must　be；〃　she　said。　　〃Isn't　it　dreadful　to　have　to　say　that　after　your　description？〃

Aunt　Barbara　sat　down　again；　in　a　sort　of　calm　despair。

〃If　there　are　any　more　shocks　coming　for　me　to…night；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　I　had　better　go　home。　　I　have　encountered　a　perfectly　new　nephew　Michael。　　I　have　dressed　myself　like　a　suburban　housekeeper　to　meet　a　Poiret；　so　don't　deny　it；　and　having　humourously　told　Michael　I　wished　to　see　a　prima　donna　and　a　pianist；　he　takes　me　at　my　word　and　produces　THE　Miss　Falbe。　　I'm　glad　I　knew　that　in　time；　I　should　infallibly　have　asked　you　to　sing；　and　if　you　had　done　so　you　are　probably　good…natured　enough　to　have　done　even　thatI　should　have　given　the　drawing…room　gasp　at　th