michael-第38部分

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d　his　mother　strolled　about　in　the　warm　sunshine　before　lunch；　keeping　carefully　in　the　background；　just　ready　to　come　if　she　was　wanted。　　But　indeed　it　seemed　as　if　no　such　precautions　were　necessary；　for　never　had　Lady　Ashbridge　been　more　amenable；　more　blissfully　content　in　her　son's　companionship。　　The　vernal　hour；　that　first　smell　of　the　rejuvenated　earth；　as　it　stirred　and　awoke　from　its　winter　sleep　had　reached　her　no　less　than　it　had　reached　the　springing　grass　and　the　heart　of　buried　bulbs；　and　never　perhaps　in　all　her　life　had　she　been　happier　than　on　that　balmy　morning　of　early　March。　　Here　the　stir　of　spring　that　had　crept　across　miles　of　smoky　houses　to　the　gardens　behind　Curzon　Street；　was　more　actively　effervescent；　and　the　〃bare；　leafless　choirs〃　of　the　trees；　which　had　been　empty　of　song　all　winter；　were　once　more　resonant　with　feathered　worshippers。　　Through　the　tussocks　of　the　grey　grass　of　last　year　were　pricking　the　vivid　shoots　of　green；　and　over　the　grove　of　young　birches　and　hazel　the　dim；　purple　veil　of　spring　hung　mistlike。　　Down　by　the　water…edge　of　the　Penn　ponds　they　strayed；　where　moor…hens　scuttled　out　of　rhododendron　bushes　that　overhung　the　lake；　and　hurried　across　the　surface　of　the　water；　half　swimming；　half　flying；　for　the　shelter　of　some　securer　retreat。　There；　too；　they　found　a　plantation　of　willows；　already　in　bud　with　soft　moleskin　buttons；　and　a　tortoiseshell　butterfly；　evoked　by　the　sun　from　its　hibernation；　settled　on　one　of　the　twigs；　opening　and　shutting　its　diapered　wings；　and　spreading　them　to　the　warmth　to　thaw　out　the　stiffness　and　inaction　of　winter。　　Blackbirds　fluted　in　the　busy　thickets；　a　lark　shot　up　near　them　soaring　and　singing　till　it　became　invisible　in　the　luminous　air；　a　suspended　carol　in　the　blue；　and　bold　male　chaffinches；　seeking　their　mates　with　twittered　songs；　fluttered　with　burr　of　throbbing　wings。　　All　the　promise　of　spring　was　theredim；　fragile；　but　sure；　on　this　day　of　days；　this　pearl　that　emerged　from　the　darkness　and　the　stress　of　winter；　iridescent　with　the　tender　colours　of　the　dawning　year。

They　lunched　in　the　open　motor；　Miss　Baker　again　obligingly　removing　herself　to　the　box　seat；　and　spreading　rugs　on　the　grass　sat　in　the　sunshine；　while　Lady　Ashbridge　talked　or　silently　watched　Michael　as　he　smoked；　but　always　with　a　smile。　　The　one　little　note　of　sadness　which　she　had　sounded　when　she　said　she　was　frightened　lest　everything　should　break；　had　not　rung　again；　and　yet　all　day　Michael　heard　it　echoing　somewhere　dimly　behind　the　song　of　the　wind　and　the　birds；　and　the　shoots　of　growing　trees。　It　lurked　in　the　thickets；　just　eluding　him；　and　not　presenting　itself　to　his　direct　gaze；　but　he　felt　that　he　saw　it　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　only　to　lose　it　when　he　looked　at　it。　　And　yet　for　weeks　his　mother　had　never　seemed　so　well：　the　cloud　had　lifted　off　her　this　morning；　and；　but　for　some　vague　presage　of　trouble　that　somehow　haunted　his　mind；　refusing　to　be　disentangled；　he　could　have　believed　that；　after　all；　medical　opinion　might　be　at　fault；　and　that；　instead　of　her　passing　more　deeply　into　the　shadows　as　he　had　been　warned　was　inevitable；　she　might　at　least　maintain　the　level　to　which　she　had　returned　to…day。　　All　day　she　had　been　as　she　was　before　the　darkness　and　discontent　of　those　last　weeks　had　come　upon　her：　he　who　knew　her　now　so　well　could　certainly　have　affirmed　that　she　had　recovered　the　serenity　of　a　month　ago。　　It　was　so　much；　so　tremendously　much　that　she　should　do　this；　and　if　only　she　could　remain　as　she　had　been　all　day；　she　would　at　any　rate　be　happy；　happier；　perhaps；　than　she　had　consciously　been　in　all　the　stifled　years　which　had　preceded　this。　Nothing　else　at　the　moment　seemed　to　matter　except　the　preservation　to　her　of　such　content；　and　how　eagerly　would　he　have　given　all　the　service　that　his　young　manhood　had　to　offer；　if　by　that　he　could　keep　her　from　going　further　into　the　bewildering　darkness　that　he　had　been　told　awaited　her。

There　was　some　little　trouble；　though　no　more　than　the　shadow　of　a　passing　cloud；　when　at　last　he　said　that　they　must　be　getting　back　to　town；　for　the　afternoon　was　beginning　to　wane。　　She　besought　him　for　five　minutes　more　of　sitting　here　in　the　sunshine　that　was　still　warm；　and　when　those　minutes　were　over；　she　begged　for　yet　another　postponement。　　But　then　the　quiet　imposition　of　his　will　suddenly　conquered　her；　and　she　got　up。

〃My　dear；　you　shall　do　what　you　like　with　me；〃　she　said；　〃for　you　have　given　me　such　a　happy　day。　　Will　you　remember　that；　Michael？　It　has　been　a　nice　day。　　And　might　we；　do　you　think；　ask　Miss　Falbe　to　come　to　tea　with　us　when　we　get　back？　　She　can　but　say　'no；'　and　if　she　comes；　I　will　be　very　good　and　not　vex　her。〃

As　she　got　back　into　the　motor　she　stood　up　for　a　moment；　her　vague　blue　eyes　scanning　the　sky；　the　trees；　the　stretch　of　sunlit　park。

〃Good…bye；　lake；　happy　lake　and　moor…hens；〃　she　said。　　〃Good…bye；　trees　and　grass　that　are　growing　green　again。　　Good…bye；　all　pretty；　peaceful　things。〃


Michael　had　no　hesitation　in　telephoning　to　Sylvia　when　they　got　back　to　town；　asking　her　if　she　could　come　and　have　tea　with　his　mother；　for　the　gentle；　affectionate　mood　of　the　morning　still　lasted；　and　her　eagerness　to　see　Sylvia　was　only　equalled　by　her　eagerness　to　be　agreeable　to　her。　　He　was　greedy；　whenever　it　could　be　done；　to　secure　a　pleasure　for　his　mother；　and　this　one　seemed　in　her　present　mood　a　perfectly　safe　one。　　Added　to　that　impulse；　in　itself　sufficient；　there　was　his　own　longing　to　see　her　again；　that　thirst　that　never　left　him；　and　soon　after　they　had　got　back　to　Curzon　Street　Sylvia　was　with　them；　and；　as　before；　in　preparation　for　a　long　visit；　she　had　taken　off　her　hat。　　To…day　she　divested　herself　of　it　without　any　suggestion　on　Lady　Ashbridge's　part；　and　this　immensely　pleased　her。

〃Look；　Michael；〃　she　said。　　〃Miss　Falbe　means　to　stop　a　long　time。　That　is　sweet　of　her；　is　it　not？　　She　is　not　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　away　today。　　Sugar；　Miss　Falbe？　　Yes；　I　remember　you　take　sugar　and　milk；　but　no　cream。　　Well；　I　do　think　this　is　nice！〃

Sylvia　had　seen　neither　mother　nor　son　for　a　couple　of　weeks；　and　her　eyes　coming　fresh　to　them　noticed　much　change　in　them　both。　　In　Lady　Ashbridge　this　change；　though　marked；　was　indefinable　enough：　she　seemed　to　the　girl　to　have　somehow　gone　much　further　off　than　she　had　been　before；　she　had　faded；　become　indistinct。　　It　was　evident　that　she　found；　except　when　she　was　talking　to　Michael；　a　far　greater　difficulty　in　expressing　herself；　the　channels　of　communication；　as　it　were；　were　getting　choked。　。　。　。　　With　Michael；　the　change　was　easily　stated；　he　looked　terribly　tired；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　strain　of　these　weeks　was　telling　heavily　on　him。　　And　yet；　as　Sylvia　noticed　with　a　sudden　sense　of　personal　pride　in　him；　not　one　jot　of　his　patient　tenderness　for　his　mother　was　abated。　　Tired　as　he　was；　nervous；　on　edge；　whenever　he　dealt　with　her；　either　talking　to　her；　or　watching　for　any　little　attention　she　might　need；　his　face　was　alert　with　love。　　But　she　noticed　that　when　the　footman　brought　in　tea；　and　in　arranging　the　cups　let　a　spoon　slip　jangling　from　its　saucer；　Michael　jumped　as　if　a　bomb　had　gone　off；　and　under　his　breath　said　to　the　man；　〃You　clumsy　fool！〃　　Little　as　the　incident　was；　she；　knowing　Michael's　courtesy　and　politeness；　found　it　significant；　as　bearing　on　the　evidence　of　his　tired　face。　　Then；　next　moment　his　mother　said　something　to　him；　and　instantly　his　love　transformed　and　irradiated　it。

To…day；　more　than　ever　before；　Lady　Ashbridge　seemed　to　exist　only　through　him。　　As　Sylvia　knew；　she　had　been　for　the　last　few　weeks　constantly　disagreeable　to　him；　but　she　wondered　whether　this　exacting；　meticulous　affection　was　not　harder　to　bear。　　Yet　Michael；　in　spite　of　the　nervous　strain　which　now　showed　itself　so　clearly；　seemed　to　find　no　difficulty　at　all　in　responding　to　it。　It　might　have　worn　his　nerves　to　tatters；　but　the　tenderness　and　love　of　him　passed　unhampered　through　the　frayed　communications；　for　it　was　he　himself　who　was　brought　into　play。　　It　was　of　that　Michael；　now　more　and　more　triumphantly　revealed；　that　Sylvia　felt　so　proud；　as　if　he　had　been　a　possession；　an　achievement　wholly　personal　to　her。　　He　was　her　Michaelit　was　just　that　which　was　becoming　evident；　since　nothing　else　would　account　for　her　claim　of　him；　unconsciously　whispered　by　herself　to　herself。

It　was　not　long　before　Lady　Ashbridge's　nurse　appeared；　to　take　her　upstairs　to　rest。　　At　that　her　patient　became　suddenly　and　unaccountably　agitated：　all　the　happy　content　of　the　day　was　wiped　off　her　mind。　　She　clung　to　Michael。

〃No；　no；　Michael；〃　she　said；　〃they　mustn't　take　me　away。　　I　know　they　are　going　to　take　me　away　from　you　altogether。　　You　mustn't　leave　me。〃

Nurse　Baker　came　towards　her。

〃Now；　my　lady；　you　mustn't　behave　like　that；〃　she　said。　　〃You　know　you　are　only　going　upstairs　to　rest　as　usual　before　dinner。　　You　will　see　Lord　Comber　again　then。〃

She　shrank　from　her；　shielding　herself　behind　Michael's　shoulder。

〃No；　Michael；　no！〃　she　repeated。　　〃I'm　going　to　be　taken　away　from　you。　　And　look；　Missah；　my　dear；　I　have　forgotten　your　name　look；　she　has　got　no　hat　on。　　She　was　going　to　stop　with　me　a　long　time。　　Michael；　must　I　go？〃

Michael　saw　the　nurse　looking　at　her；　watching　her　with　that　quiet　eye　of　the　trained　attendant。

Then　she　spoke　to　Michael。

〃Well；　if　Lord　Comber　will　just　step　outside　with　me；〃　she　said；　〃we'll　see　if　we　can　arrange　for　you　to　stop　a　little　longer。〃

〃And　you'll　come　back；　Michael；〃　said　she。

Michael　saw　that　the　nurse　wanted　to　say　something　to　him；　and　with　infinite　gentleness　disentangled　the　clinging　of　Lady　Ashbridge's　hand。

〃Why；　of　course　I　will；〃　he　said。　　〃And　won't　you　give　Miss　Falbe　another　cup　of　tea？〃

Lady　Ashbridge　hesitated　a　moment。

〃Yes；　I'll　do　that；〃　she　said。　　〃And　by　the　time　I've　done　that　you　will　be　back　again；　won't　you？〃

Michael　followed　the　nurse　from　the　room；　who　closed　the　door　without　shutting　it。

〃There's　something　I　don't　like　about　her　this　evening；〃　she　said。　〃All　day　I　have　been　rather　anxious。　　She　must　be　watched　very　carefully。　　Now　I　want　you　to　get　her　to　come　upstairs；　and　I'll　t