michael-第30部分

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〃Oh；　my　dear！〃　she　said。　　〃A　singer！　　That　would　vex　your　father　terribly。　　Fancy　the　daughter　of　a　Miss　Tracy　becoming　a　singer。　And　yet　you　want　herthat　seems　to　me　to　matter　most　of　all。〃

Then　came　a　step　at　the　door；　it　opened　an　inch　or　two；　and　Michael　heard　his　father's　voice。

〃Is　your　mother　with　you；　Michael？〃　he　asked。

At　that　Lady　Ashbridge　got　up。　　For　one　second　she　clung　to　her　son；　and　then；　disengaging　herself；　froze　up　like　the　sudden　congealment　of　a　spring。

〃Yes；　Robert；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　having　a　little　talk　to　Michael。〃

〃May　I　come　in？〃

〃It's　our　secret；〃　she　whispered　to　Michael。

〃Yes；　come　in；　father；〃　he　said。

Lord　Ashbridge　stood　towering　in　the　doorway。

〃Come；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　not　unkindly；　〃it's　time　for　you　to　go　to　bed。〃

She　had　become　the　mask　of　herself　again。

〃Yes；　Robert；〃　she　said。　　〃I　suppose　it　must　be　late。　　I　will　come。　Oh；　there's　Petsy。　　Will　you　ring；　Michael？　then　Fedden　will　come　and　take　him　to　bed。　　He　sleeps　with　Fedden。〃


CHAPTER　IX


Michael；　in　desperate　conversational　efforts　next　morning　at　breakfast；　mentioned　the　fact　that　the　German　Emperor　had　engaged　him　in　a　substantial　talk　at　Munich；　and　had　recommended　him　to　pass　the　winter　at　Berlin。　　It　was　immediately　obvious　that　he　rose　in　his　father's　estimation；　for；　though　no　doubt　primarily　the　fact　that　Michael　was　his　son　was　the　cause　of　this　interest；　it　gave　Michael　a　sort　of　testimonial　also　to　his　respectability。　　If　the　Emperor　had　thought　that　his　taking　up　a　musical　career　was　indelibly　disgracefulas　Lord　Ashbridge　himself　had　donehe　would　certainly　not　have　made　himself　so　agreeable。　　On　anyone　of　Lord　Ashbridge's　essential　and　deep…rooted　snobbishness　this　could　not　fail　to　make　a　certain　effect；　his　chilly　politeness　to　Michael　sensibly　thawed；　you　might　almost　have　detected　a　certain　cordiality　in　his　desire　to　learn　as　much　as　possible　of　this　gratifying　occurrence。

〃And　you　mean　to　go　to　Berlin？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　afraid　I　shan't　be　able　to；〃　said　Michael；　〃my　master　is　in　London。〃

〃I　should　be　inclined　to　reconsider　that；　Michael；〃　said　the　father。　　〃The　Emperor　knows　what　he　is　talking　about　on　the　subject　of　music。〃

Lady　Ashbridge　looked　up　from　the　breakfast　she　was　giving　Petsy　II。　　His　dietary　was　rather　less　rich　than　that　of　the　defunct；　and　she　was　afraid　sometimes　that　his　food　was　not　nourishing　enough。

〃I　remember　the　concert　we　had　here；〃　she　said。　　〃We　had　the　'Song　to　Aegir'　twice。〃

Lord　Ashbridge　gave　her　a　quick　glance。　　Michael　felt　he　would　not　have　noticed　it　the　evening　before。

〃Your　memory　is　very　good；　my　dear；〃　he　said　with　encouragement。

〃And　then　we　had　a　torchlight　procession；〃　she　remarked。

〃Quite　so。　　You　remember　it　perfectly。　　And　about　his　visit　here；　Michael。　　Did　he　talk　about　that？〃

〃Yes；　very　warmly；　also　about　our　international　relations。〃

Lord　Ashbridge　gave　a　little　giggle。

〃I　must　tell　Barbara　that；〃　he　said。　　〃She　has　become　a　sort　of　Cassandra；　since　she　became　a　diplomatist；　and　sits　on　her　tripod　and　prophesies　woe。〃

〃She　asked　me　about　it；〃　said　Michael。　　〃I　don't　think　she　believes　in　his　sincerity。〃

He　giggled　again。

〃That's　because　I　didn't　ask　her　down　for　his　visit；〃　he　said。

He　rose。

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do；　my　dear？〃　he　said　to　his　wife。

She　looked　across　to　Michael。

〃Perhaps　Michael　will　come　for　a　stroll　with　me；〃　she　said。

〃No　doubt　he　will。　　I　shall　have　a　round　of　golf；　I　think；　on　this　fine　morning。　　I　should　like　to　have　a　word　with　you；　Michael；　when　you've　finished　your　breakfast。〃

The　moment　he　had　gone　her　whole　manner　changed：　it　was　suffused　with　the　glow　that　had　lit　her　last　night。

〃And　we　shall　have　another　talk；　dear？〃　she　said。　　〃It　was　tiresome　being　interrupted　last　night。　　But　your　father　was　better　pleased　with　you　this　morning。〃


Michael's　understanding　of　the　situation　grew　clearer。　　Whatever　was　the　change　in　his　mother；　whatever；　perhaps；　it　portended；　it　was　certainly　accompanied　by　two　symptoms；　the　one　the　late　dawning　of　mother…love　for　himself；　the　other　a　certain　fear　of　her　husband；　for　all　her　married　life　she　had　been　completely　dominated　by　him；　and　had　lived　but　in　a　twilight　of　her　own；　now　into　that　twilight　was　beginning　to　steal　a　dread　of　him。　　His　pleasure　or　his　vexation　had　begun　to　affect　her　emotionally；　instead　of　being　as　before；　merely　recorded　in　her　mind；　as　she　might　have　recorded　an　object　quite　exterior　to　herself；　and　seen　out　of　the　window。　Now　it　was　in　the　room　with　her。　　Even　as　Michael　left　her　to　speak　with　him；　the　consciousness　of　him　rose　again　in　her；　making　her　face　anxious。

〃And　you'll　try　not　to　vex　him；　won't　you？〃　she　said。

His　father　was　in　the　smoking…room；　standing　enormously　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　for　the　first　time　the　sense　of　his　colossal　fatuity　struck　Michael。

〃There　are　several　things　I　want　to　tell　you　about；〃　he　said。　〃Your　career；　first　of　all。　　I　take　it　that　you　have　no　intention　of　deferring　to　my　wishes　on　the　subject。〃

〃No；　father；　I　am　afraid　not；〃　said　Michael。

〃I　want　you　to　understand；　then；　that；　though　I　shall　not　speak　to　you　again　about　it；　my　wishes　are　no　less　strong　than　they　were。　It　is　something　to　me　to　know　that　a　man　whom　I　respect　so　much　as　the　Emperor　doesn't　feel　as　I　do　about　it；　but　that　doesn't　alter　my　view。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Michael。

〃The　next　is　about　your　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃Do　you　notice　any　change　in　her？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Michael。

〃Can　you　describe　it　at　all？〃

Michael　hesitated。

〃She　shows　quite　a　new　affection　for　myself；〃　he　said。　　〃She　came　and　talked　to　me　last　night　in　a　way　she　had　never　done　before。〃

The　irritation　which　Michael's　mere　presence　produced　on　his　father　was　beginning　to　make　itself　felt。　　The　fact　that　Michael　was　squat　and　long…armed　and　ugly　had　always　a　side…blow　to　deal　at　Lord　Ashbridge　in　the　reminder　that　he　was　his　father。　　He　tried　to　disregard　thishe　tried　to　bring　his　mind　into　an　impartial　attitude；　without　seeing　for　a　moment　the　bitter　irony　of　considering　impartiality　the　ideal　quality　when　dealing　with　his　son。　　He　tried　to　be　fair；　and　Michael　was　perfectly　conscious　of　the　effort　it　cost　him。

〃I　had　noticed　something　of　the　sort；〃　he　said。　　〃Your　mother　was　always　asking　after　you。　　You　have　not　been　writing　very　regularly；　Michael。　　We　know　little　about　your　life。〃

〃I　have　written　to　my　mother　every　week；〃　said　Michael。

The　magical　effects　of　the　Emperor's　interest　were　dying　out。　　Lord　Ashbridge　became　more　keenly　aware　of　the　disappointment　that　Michael　was　to　him。

〃I　have　not　been　so　fortunate；　then；〃　he　said。

Michael　remembered　his　mother's　anxious　face；　but　he　could　not　let　this　pass。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　never　answered　any　of　my　letters。　　I　thought　it　quite　probable　that　it　displeased　you　to　hear　from　me。〃

〃I　should　have　expressed　my　displeasure　if　I　had　felt　it；〃　said　his　father　with　all　the　pomposity　that　was　natural　to　him。

〃That　had　not　occurred　to　me；〃　said　Michael。　　〃I　am　afraid　I　took　your　silence　to　mean　that　my　letters　didn't　interest　you。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　and　his　rebellion　against　the　whole　of　his　father's　attitude　flared　up。

〃Besides；　I　had　nothing　particular　to　say；〃　he　said。　　〃My　life　is　passed　in　the　pursuit　of　which　you　entirely　disapprove。〃

He　felt　himself　back　in　boyhood　again　with　this　stifling　and　leaden　atmosphere　of　authority　and　disapproval　to　breathe。　　He　knew　that　Francis　in　his　place　would　have　done　somehow　differently；　he　could　almost　hear　Aunt　Barbara　laughing　at　the　pomposity　of　the　situation　that　had　suddenly　erected　itself　monstrously　in　front　of　him。　　The　fact　that　he　was　Michael　Comber　vexed　his　fatherthere　was　no　statement　of　the　case　so　succinctly　true。

Lord　Ashbridge　moved　away　towards　the　window；　turning　his　back　on　Michael。　　Even　his　back；　his　homespun　Norfolk　jacket；　his　loose　knickerbockers；　his　stalwart　calves　expressed　disapproval；　but　when　his　father　spoke　again　he　realised　that　he　had　moved　away　like　that；　and　obscured　his　face　for　a　different　reason。

〃Have　you　noticed　anything　else　about　your　mother？〃　he　asked。

That　made　Michael　understand。

〃Yes；　father；〃　he　said。　　〃I　daresay　I　am　wrong　about　it〃

〃Naturally　I　may　not　agree　with　you；　but　I　should　like　to　know　what　it　is。〃

〃She's　afraid　of　you；〃　said　Michael。

Lord　Ashbridge　continued　looking　out　of　the　window　a　little　longer；　letting　his　eyes　dwell　on　his　own　garden　and　his　own　fields；　where　towered　the　leafless　elms　and　the　red　roofs　of　the　little　town　which　had　given　him　his　own　name；　and　continued　to　give　him　so　satisfactory　an　income。　　There　presented　itself　to　his　mind　his　own　picture；　painted　and　framed　and　glazed　and　hung　up　by　himself；　the　beneficent　nobleman；　the　conscientious　landlord；　the　essential　vertebra　of　England's　backbone。　　It　was　really　impossible　to　impute　blame　to　such　a　fine　fellow。　　He　turned　round　into　the　room　again；　braced　and　refreshed；　and　saw　Michael　thus。

〃It　is　quite　true　what　you　say；〃　he　said；　with　a　certain　pride　in　his　own　impartiality。　　〃She　has　developed　an　extraordinary　timidity　towards　me。　　I　have　continually　noticed　that　she　is　nervous　and　agitated　in　my　presenceI　am　quite　unable　to　account　for　it。　　In　fact；　there　is　no　accounting　for　it。　　But　I　am　thinking　of　going　up　to　London　before　long；　and　making　her　see　some　good　doctor。　　A　little　tonic；　I　daresay；　though　I　don't　suppose　she　has　taken　a　dozen　doses　of　medicine　in　as　many　years。　　I　expect　she　will　be　glad　to　go　up；　for　she　will　be　near　you。　　The　one　delusionfor　it　is　no　less　than　thatis　as　strange　as　the　other。〃

He　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　magnificent　height。

〃I　do　not　mean　that　it　is　not　very　natural　she　should　be　devoted　to　her　son；〃　he　said　with　a　tremendous　air。

What　he　did　mean　was　therefore　uncertain；　and　again　he　changed　the　subject。

〃There　is　a　third　thing；〃　he　said。　　〃This　concerns　you。　　You　are　of　the　age　when　we　Combers　usually　marry。　　I　should　wish　you　to　marry；　Michael。　　During　this　last　year　your　mother　has　asked　half　a　dozen　girls　down　here；　all　of　whom　she　and　I　consider　perfectly　suitable；　and　no　doubt　you　have　met　more　in　London。　　I　should　like　to　know　definitely　if　you