michael-第36部分

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　appreciation　was　given　him；　he　stood　with　it　bubbling　and　yellow　in　his　hand；　not　drinking　of　it。


Michael　had　prepared　the　way　of　Sylvia's　coming　by　telling　his　mother　the　identity　of　the　〃nice　young　lady〃　at　the　concert；　he　had　also　impressed　on　her　the　paramount　importance　of　not　saying　anything　with　regard　to　him　that　could　possibly　embarrass　the　nice　young　lady；　and　when　Sylvia　came　to　tea　a　few　days　later；　he　was　quite　without　any　uneasiness；　while　for　himself　he　was　only　conscious　of　that　thirst　for　her　physical　presence；　the　desire；　as　he　had　said　to　Aunt　Barbara；　〃just　to　see　her。〃　　Nor　was　there　the　slightest　embarrassment　in　their　meeting！　it　was　clear　that　there　was　not　the　least　difficulty　either　for　him　or　her　in　being　natural；　which；　as　usually　happens；　was　the　complete　solution。

〃That　is　good　of　you　to　come；〃　he　said；　meeting　her　almost　at　the　door。　　〃My　mother　has　been　looking　forward　to　your　visit。　　Mother　dear；　here　is　Miss　Falbe。〃

Lady　Ashbridge　was　pathetically　eager　to　be　what　she　called　〃good。〃　Michael　had　made　it　clear　to　her　that　it　was　his　wish　that　Miss　Falbe　should　not　be　embarrassed；　and　any　wish　just　now　expressed　by　Michael　was　of　the　nature　of　a　divine　command　to　her。

〃Well；　this　is　a　pleasure；〃　she　said；　looking　across　to　Michael　with　the　eyes　of　a　dog　on　a　beloved　master。　　〃And　we　are　not　strangers　quite；　are　we；　Miss　Falbe？　　We　sat　so　near　each　other　to　listen　to　your　brother；　who　I　am　sure　plays　beautifully；　and　the　music　which　Michael　made。　　Haven't　I　got　a　clever　son；　and　such　a　good　one？〃

Sylvia　was　unerring。　　Michael　had　known　she　would　be。

〃Indeed；　you　have；〃　she　said；　sitting　down　by　her。　　〃And　Michael　mustn't　hear　what　we　say　about　him；　must　he；　or　he'll　be　getting　conceited。〃

Lady　Ashbridge　laughed。

〃And　that　would　never　do；　would　it？〃　she　said；　still　retaining　Sylvia's　hand。　　Then　a　little　dim　ripple　of　compunction　broke　in　her　mind。　　〃Michael；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　only　joking　about　your　getting　conceited。　　Miss　Falbe　and　I　are　only　joking。　　Andand　won't　you　take　off　your　hat；　Miss　Falbe；　for　you　are　not　going　to　hurry　away；　are　you？　　You　are　going　to　pay　us　a　long　visit。〃

Michael　had　not　time　to　remind　his　mother　that　ladies　who　come　to　tea　do　not　usually　take　their　hats　off；　for　on　the　word　Sylvia's　hands　were　busy　with　her　hatpins。

〃I'm　so　glad　you　suggested　that；〃　she　said。　　〃I　always　want　to　take　my　hat　off。　　I　don't　know　who　invented　hats；　but　I　wish　he　hadn't。〃

Lady　Ashbridge　looked　at　her　masses　of　bright　hair；　and　could　not　help　telegraphing　a　note　of　admiration；　as　it　were；　to　Michael。

〃Now；　that's　more　comfortable；〃　she　said。　　〃You　look　as　if　you　weren't　going　away　next　minute。　　When　I　like　to　see　people；　I　hate　their　going　away。　　I'm　afraid　sometimes　that　Michael　will　go　away；　but　he　tells　me　he　won't。　　And　you　liked　Michael's　music；　Miss　Falbe？　　Was　it　not　clever　of　him　to　think　of　all　that　out　of　one　simple　little　tune？　　And　he　tells　me　you　sing　so　nicely。　　Perhaps　you　would　sing　to　us　when　we've　had　tea。　　Oh；　and　here　is　my　sister…in…law。　　Do　you　know　herLady　Barbara？　　My　dear；　what　is　your　husband's　name？〃

Seeing　Sylvia　uncovered；　Lady　Barbara；　with　a　tact　that　was　creditable　to　her；　but　strangely　unsuccessful；　also　began　taking　off　her　hat。　　Her　sister…in…law　was　too　polite　to　interfere；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　did　not　take　much　pleasure　in　the　notion　that　Barbara　was　going　to　stay　a　very　long　time；　too。　　She　was　fond　of　her；　but　it　was　not　Barbara　whom　Michael　wanted。　　She　turned　her　attention　to　the　girl　again。

〃My　husband's　away；〃　she　said；　confidentially；　〃he　is　very　busy　down　at　Ashbridge；　and　I　daresay　he　won't　find　time　to　come　up　to　town　for　many　weeks　yet。　　But；　you　know；　Michael　and　I　do　very　well　without　him；　very　well；　indeed；　and　it　would　never　do　to　take　him　away　from　his　dutieswould　it；　Michael？〃

Here　was　a　shoal　to　be　avoided。

〃No；　you　mustn't　think　of　tempting　him　to　come　up　to　town；〃　said　Michael。　　〃Give　me　some　tea　for　Aunt　Barbara。〃

This　answer　entranced　Lady　Ashbridge；　she　had　to　nudge　Michael　several　times　to　show　that　she　understood　the　brilliance　of　it；　and　put　lump　after　lump　of　sugar　into　Barbara's　cup　in　her　rapt　appreciation　of　it。　　But　very　soon　she　turned　to　Sylvia　again。

〃And　your　brother　is　a　friend　of　Michael's；　too；　isn't　he？〃　she　said。　　〃Some　day　perhaps　he　will　come　to　see　me。　　We　don't　see　many　people；　Michael　and　I；　for　we　find　ourselves　very　well　content　alone。　　But　perhaps　some　day　he　will　come　and　play　his　concert　over　again　to　us；　and　then；　perhaps；　if　you　ask　me；　I　will　sing　to　you。　I　used　to　sing　a　great　deal　when　I　was　younger。　　Michaelwhere　has　Michael　gone？〃

Michael　had　just　left　the　room　to　bring　some　cigarettes　in　from　next　door；　and　Lady　Ashbridge　ran　after　him；　calling　him。　　She　found　him　in　the　hall；　and　brought　him　back　triumphantly。

〃Now　we　will　all　sit　and　talk　for　a　long　time；〃　she　said。　　〃You　one　side　of　me；　Miss　Falbe；　and　Michael　the　other。　　Or　would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　sing　for　us？　　Michael　will　play　for　you；　and　would　it　annoy　you　if　I　came　and　turned　over　the　pages？　　It　would　give　me　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　to　turn　over　for　you；　if　you　will　just　nod　each　time　when　you　are　ready。〃

Sylvia　got　up。

〃Why；　of　course；〃　she　said。　　〃What　have　you　got；　Michael？　　I　haven't　anything　with　me。〃

Michael　found　a　volume　of　Schubert；　and　once　again；　as　on　the　first　time　he　had　seen　her；　she　sang　〃Who　is　Sylvia？〃　while　he　played；　and　Lady　Ashbridge　had　her　eyes　fixed　now　on　one　and　now　on　the　other　of　them；　waiting　for　their　nod　to　do　her　part；　and　then　she　wanted　to　sing　herself；　and　with　some　far…off　remembrance　of　the　airs　and　graces　of　twenty…five　years　ago；　she　put　her　handkerchief　and　her　rings　on　the　top　of　the　piano；　and；　playing　for　herself；　emitted　faint　treble　sounds　which　they　knew　to　be　〃The　Soldier's　Farewell。〃

Then　presently　her　nurse　came　for　her　to　lie　down　before　dinner；　and　she　was　inclined　to　be　tearful　and　refuse　to　go　till　Michael　made　it　clear　that　it　was　his　express　and　sovereign　will　that　she　should　do　so。　　Then　very　audibly　she　whispered　to　him。　　〃May　I　ask　her　to　give　me　a　kiss？〃　she　said。　　〃She　looks　so　kind；　Michael；　I　don't　think　she　would　mind。〃


Sylvia　went　back　home　with　a　little　heartache　for　Michael；　wondering；　if　she　was　in　his　place；　if　her　mother；　instead　of　being　absorbed　in　her　novels；　demanded　such　incessant　attentions；　whether　she　had　sufficient　love　in　her　heart　to　render　them　with　the　exquisite　simplicity；　the　tender　patience　that　Michael　showed。　Well　as　she　knew　him；　greatly　as　she　liked　him；　she　had　not　imagined　that　he；　or　indeed　any　man　could　have　behaved　quite　like　that。　　There　seemed　no　effort　at　all　about　it；　he　was　not　trying　to　be　patient；　he　had　the　sense　of　〃patience's　perfect　work〃　natural　to　him；　he　did　not　seem　to　have　to　remind　himself　that　his　mother　was　ill；　and　thus　he　must　be　gentle　with　her。　　He　was　gentle　with　her　because　he　was　in　himself　gentle。　　And　yet；　though　his　behaviour　was　no　effort　to　him；　she　guessed　how　wearying　must　be　the　continual　strain　of　the　situation　itself。　　She　felt　that　she　would　get　cross　from　mere　fatigue；　however　excellent　her　intentions　might　be；　however　willing　the　spirit。　　And　no　one；　so　she　had　understood　from　Barbara；　could　take　Michael's　place。　　In　his　occasional　absences　his　mother　was　fretful　and　miserable；　and　day　by　day　Michael　left　her　less。　　She　would　sit　close　to　him　when　he　was　practisinga　thing　that　to　her　or　to　Hermann　would　have　rendered　practice　impossibleand　if　he　wrestled　with　one　hand　over　a　difficult　bar；　she　would　take　the　other　into　hers；　would　ask　him　if　he　was　not　getting　tired；　would　recommend　him　to　rest　for　a　little；　and　yet　Michael；　who　last　summer　had　so　stubbornly　insisted　on　leading　his　own　life；　and　had　put　his　determination　into　effect　in　the　teeth　of　all　domestic　opposition；　now　with　more　than　cheerfulness　laid　his　own　life　aside　in　order　to　look　after　his　mother。　　Sylvia　felt　that　the　real　heroisms　of　life　were　not　so　much　the　fine　heady　deeds　which　are　so　obviously　admirable；　as　such　serene　steadfastness；　such　unvarying　patience　as　that　which　she　had　just　seen。

Her　whole　soul　applauded　Michael；　and　yet　below　her　applause　was　this　heartache　for　him；　the　desire　to　be　able　to　help　him　to　bear　the　burden　which　must　be　so　heavy；　though　he　bore　it　so　blithely。　But　in　the　very　nature　of　things　there　was　but　one　way　in　which　she　could　help　him；　and　in　that　she　was　powerless。　　She　could　not　give　him　what　he　wanted。　　But　she　longed　to　be　able　to。


CHAPTER　XI


It　was　a　morning　of　early　March；　and　Michael；　looking　out　from　the　dining…room　window　at　the　house　in　Curzon　Street；　where　he　had　just　breakfasted　alone；　was　smitten　with　wonder　and　a　secret　ecstasy；　for　he　suddenly　saw　and　felt　that　it　was　winter　no　longer；　but　that　spring　had　come。　　For　the　last　week　the　skies　had　screamed　with　outrageous　winds　and　had　been　populous　with　flocks　of　sullen　clouds　that　discharged　themselves　in　sleet　and　snowy　rain；　and　half　last　night；　for　he　had　slept　very　badly；　he　had　heard　the　dashing　of　showers；　as　of　wind…driven　spray；　against　the　window…panes；　and　had　listened　to　the　fierce　rattling　of　the　frames。　　Towards　morning　he　had　slept；　and　during　those　hours　it　seemed　that　a　new　heaven　and　a　new　earth　had　come　into　being；　vitally　and　essentially　the　world　was　a　different　affair　altogether。

At　the　back　of　the　house　on　to　which　these　windows　looked　was　a　garden　of　some　half　acre；　a　square　of　somewhat　sooty　grass；　bounded　by　high　walls；　with　a　few　trees　at　the　further　end。　　Into　it；　too；　had　the　message　that　thrilled　through　his　bones　penetrated；　and　this　little　oasis　of　doubtful　grass　and　blackened　shrubs　had　a　totally　different　aspect　to…day　from　that　which　it　had　worn　all　those　weeks。　　The　sparrows　that　had　sat　with　fluffed…up　feathers　in　corners　sheltered　from　the　gales；　were　suddenly　busy　and　shrilly　vocal；　chirruping　and　dragging　about　straws；　and　flying　from　limb　to　limb　of　the　trees　with　twigs　in　their　beaks。　　For　the　first　time　he　noticed　that　little　verdant　cabochons　of　folded　leaf　had　globed　themselves　on　the　lilac　bushes　below　the　window；　crocuses　had　budded；　and　in　the　garden　beds　had　shot　up　the　pushing　spikes　of　bulbs；　while　in　t