michael-第31部分

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fectly　suitable；　and　no　doubt　you　have　met　more　in　London。　　I　should　like　to　know　definitely　if　you　have　considered　the　question；　and　if　you　have　not；　I　ask　you　to　set　about　it　at　once。〃

Michael　was　suddenly　aware　that　never　for　a　moment　had　Sylvia　been　away　from　his　mind。　　Even　when　his　mother　was　talking　to　him　last　night　Sylvia　had　sat　at　the　back；　in　the　inmost　place；　throned　and　secure。　　And　now　she　stepped　forward。　　Apart　from　the　impossibility　of　not　acknowledging　her；　he　wished　to　do　it。　　He　wanted　to　wear　her　publicly；　though　she　was　not　his；　he　wanted　to　take　his　allegiance　oath；　though　his　sovereign　heeded　not。

〃I　have　considered　the　question；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have　quite　made　up　my　mind　whom　I　want　to　marry。　　She　is　Miss　Falbe；　Miss　Sylvia　Falbe；　of　whom　you　may　have　heard　as　a　singer。　　She　is　the　sister　of　my　music…master；　and　I　can　certainly　marry　nobody　else。〃

It　was　not　merely　defiance　of　the　dreadful　old　tradition；　which　Lord　Ashbridge　had　announced　in　the　manner　of　Moses　stepping　down　from　Sinai；　that　prompted　this　appalling　statement　of　the　case；　it　was　the　joy　in　the　profession　of　his　love。　　It　had　to　be　flung　out　like　that。　　Lord　Ashbridge　looked　at　him　a　moment　in　dead　silence。

〃I　have　not　the　honour　of　knowing　MissMiss　Falbe；　is　it？〃　he　said；　〃nor　shall　I　have　that　honour。〃

Michael　got　up；　there　was　that　in　his　father's　tone　that　stung　him　to　fury。

〃It　is　very　likely　that　you　will　not；〃　he　said；　〃since　when　I　proposed　to　her　yesterday　she　did　not　accept　me。〃

Somehow　Lord　Ashbridge　felt　that　as　an　insult　to　himself。　　Indeed；　it　was　a　double　insult。　　Michael　had　proposed　to　this　singer；　and　this　singer　had　not　instantly　clutched　him。　　He　gave　his　dreadful　little　treble　giggle。

〃And　I　am　to　bind　up　your　broken　heart？〃　he　asked。

Michael　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height。　　This　was　an　indiscretion；　for　it　but　made　his　father　recognise　how　short　he　was。　　It　brought　farce　into　the　tragic　situation。

〃Oh；　by　no　means；〃　he　said。　　〃My　heart　is　not　going　to　break　yet。　I　don't　give　up　hope。〃

Then；　in　a　flash；　he　thought　of　his　mother's　pale；　anxious　face；　her　desire　that　he　should　not　vex　his　father。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　that　is　the　case。　　I　wishI　wish　you　would　try　to　understand　me。〃

〃I　find　you　incomprehensible；〃　said　Lord　Ashbridge；　and　left　the　room　with　his　high　walk　and　his　swinging　elbows。

Well；　it　was　done　now；　and　Michael　felt　that　there　were　no　new　vexations　to　be　sprung　on　his　father。　　It　was　bound　to　happen；　he　supposed；　sooner　or　later；　and　he　was　not　sorry　that　it　had　happened　sooner　than　he　expected　or　intended。　　Sylvia　so　held　sway　in　him　that　he　could　not　help　acknowledging　her。　　His　announcement　had　broken　from　him　irresistibly；　in　spite　of　his　mother's　whispered　word　to　him　last　night；　〃This　is　our　secret。〃　　It　could　not　be　secret　when　his　father　spoke　like　that。　。　。　。　　And　then；　with　a　flare　of　illumination　he　perceived　how　intensely　his　father　disliked　him。　　Nothing　but　sheer　basic　antipathy　could　have　been　responsible　for　that　miserable　retort；　〃Am　I　to　bind　up　your　broken　heart？〃　　Anger；　no　doubt；　was　the　immediate　cause；　but　so　utterly　ungenerous　a　rejoinder　to　Michael's　announcement　could　not　have　been　conceived；　except　in　a　heart　that　thoroughly　and　rootedly　disliked　him。　　That　he　was　a　continual　monument　of　disappointment　to　his　father　he　knew　well；　but　never　before　had　it　been　quite　plainly　shown　him　how　essential　an　object　of　dislike　he　was。　　And　the　grounds　of　the　dislike　were　now　equally　plainhis　father　disliked　him　exactly　because　he　was　his　father。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　last　twenty…four　hours　had　shown　him　that　his　mother　loved　him　exactly　because　he　was　her　son。　　When　these　two　new　and　undeniable　facts　were　put　side　by　side；　Michael　felt　that　he　was　an　infinite　gainer。

He　went　rather　drearily　to　the　window。　　Far　off　across　the　field　below　the　garden　he　could　see　Lord　Ashbridge　walking　airily　along　on　his　way　to　the　links；　with　his　head　held　high；　his　stick　swinging　in　his　hand；　his　two　retrievers　at　his　heels。　　No　doubt　already　the　soothing　influences　of　Nature　were　at　workNature；　of　course；　standing　for　the　portion　of　trees　and　earth　and　houses　that　belonged　to　himand　were　expunging　the　depressing　reflection　that　his　wife　and　only　son　inspired　in　him。　　And；　indeed；　such　was　actually　the　case：　Lord　Ashbridge；　in　his　amazing　fatuity；　could　not　long　continue　being　himself　without　being　cheered　and　invigorated　by　that　fact；　and　though　when　he　set　out　his　big　white　hands　were　positively　trembling　with　passion；　he　carried　his　balsam　always　with　him。　　But　he　had　registered　to　himself；　even　as　Michael　had　registered；　the　fact　that　he　found　his　son　a　most　intolerable　person。　　And　what　vexed　him　most　of　all；　what　made　him　clang　the　gate　at　the　end　of　the　field　so　violently　that　it　hit　one　of　his　retrievers　shrewdly　on　the　nose；　was　the　sense　of　his　own　impotence。　　He　knew　perfectly　well　that　in　point　of　view　of　determination　（that　quality　which　in　himself　was　firmness；　and　in　those　who　opposed　him　obstinacy）　Michael　was　his　match。　　And　the　annoying　thing　was　that；　as　his　wife　had　once　told　him；　Michael　undoubtedly　inherited　that　quality　from　him。　　It　was　as　inalienable　as　the　estates　of　which　he　had　threatened　to　deprive　his　son；　and　which；　as　he　knew　quite　well；　were　absolutely　entailed。　　Michael；　in　this　regard；　seemed　no　better　than　a　common　but　successful　thief。　　He　had　annexed　his　father's　firmness；　and　at　his　death　would　certainly　annex　all　his　pictures　and　trees　and　acres　and　the　red　roofs　of　Ashbridge。

Michael　saw　the　gate　so　imperially　slammed；　he　heard　the　despairing　howl　of　Robin；　and　though　he　was　sorry　for　Robin；　he　could　not　help　laughing。　　He　remembered　also　a　ludicrous　sight　he　had　seen　at　the　Zoological　Gardens　a　few　days　ago：　two　seals；　sitting　bolt　upright；　quarrelling　with　each　other；　and　making　the　most　absurd　grimaces　and　noises。　　They　neither　of　them　quite　dared　to　attack　the　other；　and　so　sat　with　their　faces　close　together；　saying　the　rudest　things。　　Aunt　Barbara　would　certainly　have　seen　how　inimitably　his　father　and　he　had；　in　their　interview　just　now；　resembled　the　two　seals。

And　then　he　became　aware　that　all　the　time；　au　fond；　he　had　thought　about　nothing　but　Sylvia；　and　of　Sylvia；　not　as　the　subject　of　quarrel；　but　as　just　Sylvia；　the　singing　Sylvia；　with　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。

The　winter　sun　was　warm　on　the　south　terrace　of　the　house；　when；　an　hour　later；　he　strolled　out；　according　to　arrangement；　with　his　mother。　　It　had　melted　the　rime　of　the　night　before　that　lay　now　on　the　grass　in　threads　of　minute　diamonds；　though　below　the　terrace　wall；　and　on　the　sunk　rims　of　the　empty　garden　beds　it　still　persisted　in　outline　of　white　heraldry。　　A　few　monthly　roses；　weak；　pink　blossoms；　weary　with　the　toil　of　keeping　hope　alive　till　the　coming　of　spring；　hung　dejected　heads　in　the　sunk　garden；　where　the　hornbeam　hedge　that　carried　its　russet　leaves　unfallen；　shaded　them　from　the　wind。　　Here；　too；　a　few　bulbs　had　pricked　their　way　above　ground；　and　stood　with　stout；　erect　horns　daintily　capped　with　rime。　　All　these　things；　which　for　years　had　been　presented　to　Lady　Ashbridge's　notice　without　attracting　her　attention；　now　filled　her　with　minute　childlike　pleasure；　they　were　discoveries　as　entrancing　and　as　magical　as　the　first　finding　of　the　oval　pieces　of　blue　sky　that　a　child　sees　one　morning　in　a　hedge…sparrow's　nest。　　Now　that　she　was　alone　with　her　son；　all　her　secret　restlessness　and　anxiety　had　vanished；　and　she　remarked　almost　with　glee　that　her　husband　had　telephoned　from　the　golf　links　to　say　that　he　would　not　be　back　for　lunch；　then；　remembering　that　Michael　had　gone　to　talk　to　his　father　after　breakfast；　she　asked　him　about　the　interview。

Michael　had　already　made　up　his　mind　as　to　what　to　say　here。　Knowing　that　his　father　was　anxious　about　her；　he　felt　it　highly　unlikely　that　he　would　tell　her　anything　to　distress　her；　and　so　he　represented　the　interview　as　having　gone　off　in　perfect　amity。　Later　in　the　day；　on　his　father's　return；　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　propose　a　truce　between　them；　as　far　as　his　mother　was　concerned。　　Whether　that　would　be　accepted　or　not　he　could　not　certainly　tell；　but　in　the　interval　there　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　grieving　her。

A　great　weight　was　lifted　off　her　mind。

〃Ah；　my　dear；　that　is　good；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　anxious。　　So　now　perhaps　we　shall　have　a　peaceful　Christmas。　　I　am　glad　your　Aunt　Barbara　and　Francis　are　coming；　for　though　your　aunt　always　laughs　at　your　father；　she　does　it　kindly；　does　she　not？　　And　as　for　Francismy　dear；　if　God　had　given　me　two　sons；　I　should　have　liked　the　other　to　be　like　Francis。　　And　shall　we　walk　a　little　farther　this　way；　and　see　poor　Petsy's　grave？〃

Petsy's　grave　proved　rather　agitating。　　There　were　doleful　little　stories　of　the　last　days　to　be　related；　and　Petsy　II。　was　tiresome；　and　insisted　on　defying　the　world　generally　with　shrill　barkings　from　the　top　of　the　small　mound；　conscious　perhaps　that　his　helpless　predecessor　slept　below。　　Then　their　walk　brought　them　to　the　band　of　trees　that　separated　the　links　from　the　house；　from　which　Lady　Ashbridge　retreated；　fearful；　as　she　vaguely　phrased　it；　〃of　being　seen；〃　and　by　whom　there　was　no　need　for　her　to　explain。　Then　across　the　field　came　a　group　of　children　scampering　home　from　school。　　They　ceased　their　shouting　and　their　games　as　the　others　came　near；　and　demurely　curtsied　and　took　off　their　caps　to　Lady　Ashbridge。

〃Nice；　well…behaved　children；〃　said　she。　　〃A　merry　Christmas　to　you　all。　　I　hope　you　are　all　good　children　to　your　mothers；　as　my　son　is　to　me。〃

She　pressed　his　arm；　nodded　and　smiled　at　the　children；　and　walked　on　with　him。　　And　Michael　felt　the　lump　in　his　throat。

The　arrival　of　Aunt　Barbara　and　Francis　that　afternoon　did　something；　by　the　mere　addition　of　numbers　to　the　party；　to　relieve　the　tension　of　the　situation。　　Lord　Ashbridge　said　little　but　ate　largely；　and　during　the　intervals　of　empty　plates　directed　an　impartial　gaze　at　the　portraits　of　his　ancestors；　while　wholly　ignoring　his　descendant。　　But　Michael　was　too　wise　to　put　himself　into　places　where　he　could　be　pointedly　ignored；　and　the　resplendent　dinner；　with　its　six　footmen　and　its　silver　servic