michael-第46部分

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　that　England　should　go　to　war；　was　that　she　should　not。　　The　consciousness　of　national　honour；　the　thing　which；　with　religion；　Englishmen　are　most　shy　of　speaking　about；　suddenly　asserted　itself；　and　he　found　on　the　moment　that　it　was　bigger　than　anything　else　in　the　world。

〃I　think　we　shall　go　to　war；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　see　personally　how　we　can　exist　any　more　as　a　nation　if　we　don't。　　Wewe　shall　be　damned　if　we　don't；　damned　for　ever　and　ever。　　It's　moral　extinction　not　to。〃

She　kindled　at　that。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　she　said；　〃that's　what　I　have　been　telling　myself；　but；　oh；　Mike；　there's　some　dreadful　cowardly　part　of　me　that　won't　listen　when　I　think　of　Hermann；　and　。　。　。〃

She　broke　off　a　moment。

〃Michael；〃　she　said；　〃what　will　you　do；　if　there　is　war？〃

He　took　up　her　hand　that　lay　on　the　arm　of　his　chair。

〃My　darling；　how　can　you　ask？〃　he　said。　　〃Of　course　I　shall　go　back　to　the　army。〃

For　one　moment　she　gave　way。

〃No；　no；〃　she　said。　　〃You　mustn't　do　that。〃

And　then　suddenly　she　stopped。

〃My　dear；　I　ask　your　pardon；〃　she　said。　　〃Of　course　you　will。　　I　know　that　really。　　It's　only　this　stupid　cowardly　part　of　me　that　that　interrupted。　　I　am　ashamed　of　it。　　I'm　not　as　bad　as　that　all　through。　　I　don't　make　excuses　for　myself；　but；　ah；　Mike；　when　I　think　of　what　Germany　is　to　me；　and　what　Hermann　is；　and　when　I　think　what　England　is　to　me；　and　what　you　are！　　It　shan't　appear　again；　or　if　it　does；　you　will　make　allowance；　won't　you？　　At　least　I　can　agree　with　you　utterly；　utterly。　　It's　the　flesh　that's　weak；　or；　rather；　that　is　so　strong。　　But　I've　got　it　under。〃

She　sat　there　in　silence　a　little；　mopping　her　eyes。

〃How　I　hate　girls　who　cry！〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　so　dreadfully　feeble！　Look；　Mike；　there　are　some　roses　on　that　tree　from　which　I　plucked　the　one　you　didn't　think　much　of。　　Do　you　remember？　　You　crushed　it　up　in　my　hand　and　made　it　bleed。〃

He　smiled。

〃I　have　got　some　faint　recollection　of　it；〃　he　said。

Sylvia　had　got　hold　of　her　courage　again。

〃Have　you？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　a　wonderful　memory。　　And　that　quiet　evening　out　here　next　day。　　Perhaps　you　remember　that　too。　　That　was　real：　that　was　a　possession　that　we　shan't　ever　part　with。〃

She　pointed　with　her　finger。

〃You　and　I　sat　there；　and　Hermann　there；〃　she　said。　　〃And　mother　satwhy；　there　she　is。　　Mother　darling；　let's　have　tea　out　here；　shall　we？　　I　will　go　and　tell　them。〃

Mrs。　Falbe　had　drifted　out　in　her　usual　thistledown　style；　and　shook　hands　with　Michael。

〃What　an　upset　it　all　is；〃　she　said；　〃with　all　these　dreadful　rumours　going　about　that　we　shall　be　at　war。　　I　fell　asleep；　I　think；　a　little　after　lunch；　when　I　could　not　attend　to　my　book　for　thinking　about　war。〃

〃Isn't　the　book　interesting？〃　asked　Michael。

〃No；　not　very。　　It　is　rather　painful。　　I　do　not　know　why　people　write　about　painful　things　when　there　are　so　many　pleasant　and　interesting　things　to　write　about。　　It　seems　to　me　very　morbid。〃

Michael　heard　something　cried　in　the　streets；　and　at　the　same　moment　he　heard　Sylvia's　step　quickly　crossing　the　studio　to　the　side　door　that　opened　on　to　it。　　In　a　minute　she　returned　with　a　fresh　edition　of　an　evening　paper。

〃They　are　preparing　to　cross　the　Rhine；〃　she　said。

Mrs。　Falbe　gave　a　little　sigh。

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　she　said；　〃what　you　are　in　such　a　state　about；　Sylvia。　　Of　course　the　Germans　want　to　get　into　France　the　easiest　and　quickest　way；　at　least　I'm　sure　I　should。　　It　is　very　foolish　of　Belgium　not　to　give　them　leave；　as　they　are　so　much　the　strongest。〃

〃Mother　darling；　you　don't　understand　one　syllable　about　it；〃　said　Sylvia。

〃Very　likely　not；　dear；　but　I　am　very　glad　we　are　an　island；　and　that　nobody　can　come　marching　here。　　But　it　is　all　a　dreadful　upset；　LordI　mean　Michael；　what　with　Hermann　in　Germany；　and　the　concert　tour　abandoned。　　Still；　if　everything　is　quiet　again　by　the　middle　of　October；　as　I　daresay　it　will　be；　it　might　come　off　after　all。　　He　will　be　on　the　spot；　and　you　and　Michael　can　join　him；　though　I'm　not　quite　sure　if　that　would　be　proper。　　But　we　might　arrange　something：　he　might　meet　you　at　Ostend。〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　doesn't　look　very　likely；〃　remarked　Michael　mildly。

〃Oh；　and　are　you　pessimistic　too；　like　Sylvia？　　Pray　don't　be　pessimistic。　　There　is　a　dreadful　pessimist　in　my　book；　who　always　thinks　the　worst　is　going　to　happen。〃

〃And　does　it？〃　asked　Michael。

〃As　far　as　I　have　got；　it　does；　which　makes　it　all　the　worse。　　Of　course　I　am　very　anxious　about　Hermann；　but　I　feel　sure　he　will　come　back　safe　to　us。　　I　daresay　France　will　give　in　when　she　sees　Germany　is　in　earnest。〃

Mrs。　Falbe　pulled　the　shattered　remnants　of　her　mind　together。　　In　her　heart　of　hearts　she　knew　she　did　not　care　one　atom　what　might　happen　to　armies　and　navies　and　nations；　provided　only　that　she　had　a　quantity　of　novels　to　read；　and　meals　at　regular　hours。　　The　fact　of　being　on　an　island　was　an　immense　consolation　to　her；　since　it　was　quite　certain　that；　whatever　happened；　German　armies　（or　French　or　Soudanese；　for　that　matter）　could　not　march　here　and　enter　her　sitting…room　and　take　her　books　away　from　her。　　For　years　past　she　had　asked　nothing　more　of　the　world　than　that　she　should　be　comfortable　in　it；　and　it　really　seemed　not　an　unreasonable　request；　considering　at　how　small　an　outlay　of　money　all　the　comfort　she　wanted　could　be　secured　to　her。　　The　thought　of　war　had　upset　her　a　good　deal　already：　she　had　been　unable　to　attend　to　her　book　when　she　awoke　from　her　after…lunch　nap；　and　now；　when　she　hoped　to　have　her　tea　in　peace；　and　find　her　attention　restored　by　it；　she　found　the　general　atmosphere　of　her　two　companions　vaguely　disquieting。　　She　became　a　little　more　loquacious　than　usual；　with　the　idea　of　talking　herself　back　into　a　tranquil　frame　of　mind；　and　reassuring　to　herself　the　promise　of　a　peaceful　future。

〃Such　a　blessing　we　have　a　good　fleet；〃　she　said。　　〃That　will　make　us　safe；　won't　it？　　I　declare　I　almost　hate　the　Germans；　though　my　dear　husband　was　one　himself；　for　making　such　a　disturbance。　　The　papers　all　say　it　is　Germany's　fault；　so　I　suppose　it　must　be。　　The　papers　know　better　than　anybody；　don't　they；　because　they　have　foreign　correspondents。　　That　must　be　a　great　expense！〃

Sylvia　felt　she　could　not　endure　this　any　longer。　　It　was　like　having　a　raw　wound　stroked。　。　。　。

〃Mother；　you　don't　understand；〃　she　said。　　〃You　don't　appreciate　what　is　happening。　　In　a　day　or　two　England　will　be　at　war　with　Germany。〃

Mrs。　Falbe's　book　had　slipped　from　her　knee。　　She　picked　it　up　and　flapped　the　cover　once　or　twice　to　get　rid　of　dust　that　might　have　settled　there。

〃But　what　then？〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　very　dreadful；　no　doubt；　to　think　of　dear　Hermann　being　with　the　German　army；　but　we　are　getting　used　to　that；　are　we　not？　　Besides；　he　told　me　it　was　his　duty　to　go。　　I　do　not　think　for　a　moment　that　France　will　be　able　to　stand　against　Germany。　　Germany　will　be　in　Paris　in　no　time；　and　I　daresay　Hermann's　next　letter　will　be　to　say　that　he　has　been　walking　down　the　boulevards。　　Of　course　war　is　very　dreadful；　I　know　that。　　And　then　Germany　will　be　at　war　with　Russia；　too；　but　she　will　have　Austria　to　help　her。　　And　as　for　Germany　being　at　war　with　England；　that　does　not　make　me　nervous。　　Think　of　our　fleet；　and　how　safe　we　feel　with　that！　　I　see　that　we　have　twice　as　many　boats　as　the　Germans。　　With　two　to　one　we　must　win；　and　they　won't　be　able　to　send　any　of　their　armies　here。　　I　feel　quite　comfortable　again　now　that　I　have　talked　it　over。〃

Sylvia　caught　Michael's　eye　for　a　moment　over　the　tea…urn。　　She　felt　he　acquiesced　in　what　she　was　intending　to　say。

〃That　is　good；　then；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　glad　you　feel　comfortable　about　it；　mother　dear。　　Now；　will　you　read　your　book　out　here？　　Why　not；　if　I　fetch　you　a　shawl　in　case　you　feel　cold？〃

Mrs。　Falbe　turned　a　questioning　eye　to　the　motionless　trees　and　the　unclouded　sky。

〃I　don't　think　I　shall　even　want　a　shawl；　dear；〃　she　said。　〃Listen；　how　the　newsboys　are　calling！　is　it　something　fresh；　do　you　think？〃

A　moment's　listening　attention　was　sufficient　to　make　it　known　that　the　news　shouted　outside　was　concerned　only　with　the　result　of　a　county　cricket　match；　and　Michael；　as　well　as　Sylvia；　was　conscious　of　a　certain　relief　to　know　that　at　the　immediate　present　there　was　no　fresh　clang　of　the　bell　that　was　beating　out　the　seconds　of　peace　that　still　remained。　　Just　for　now；　for　this　hour　on　Saturday　afternoon；　there　was　a　respite：　no　new　link　was　forged　in　the　intolerable　sequence　of　events。　　But；　even　as　he　drew　breath　in　that　knowledge；　there　came　the　counter…stroke　in　the　sense　that　those　whose　business　it　was　to　disseminate　the　news　that　would　cause　their　papers　to　sell；　had　just　a　cricket　match　to　advertise　their　wares。　　Now；　when　the　country　and　when　Europe　were　on　the　brink　of　a　bloodier　war　than　all　the　annals　of　history　contained；　they；　who　presumably　knew　what　the　public　desired　to　be　informed　on；　thought　that　the　news　which　would　sell　best　was　that　concerned　with　wooden　bats　and　leather　balls；　and　strong　young　men　in　flannels。　　Michael　had　heard　with　a　sort　of　tender　incredulity　Mrs。　Falbe's　optimistic　reflections；　and　had　been　more　than　content　to　let　her　rest　secure　in　them；　but　was　the　country；　the　heart　of　England；　like　her？　　Did　it　care　more　for　cricket　matches；　as　she　for　her　book；　than　for　the　maintenance　of　the　nation's　honour；　whatever　that　championship　might　cost？　。　。　。　　And　the　cry　went　on　past　the　garden…walk。　　〃Fine　innings　by　Horsfield！　　Result　of　the　Oval　match！〃

And　yet　he　had　just　had　his　tea　as　usual；　and　eaten　a　slice　of　cake；　and　was　now　smoking　a　cigarette。　　It　was　natural　to　do　that；　not　to　make　a　fuss　and　refuse　food　and　drink；　and　it　was　natural　that　people　should　still　be　interested　in　cricket。　　And　at　the　moment　his　attitude　towards　Mrs。　Falbe　changed。　　Instead　of　pity　and　irritation　at　her　normality；　he　was　suddenly　taken　with　a　sense　of　gratitude　to　her。　　It　was　restful　to　suspense　and　jangled　nerves　to　see　someone　who　went　on　as　usual。　　The　sun　shone；　the　leaves　of　the　plane…trees　did　not　wither；　Mrs。　Falbe　read　her　book；　the　evening　paper　was　full　of　cricket　news。　。　。　。　　And　then　the　reaction　from　that　seized　him　again。　　Supposing　all