michael-第47部分

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r　was　full　of　cricket　news。　。　。　。　　And　then　the　reaction　from　that　seized　him　again。　　Supposing　all　the　nation　was　like　that。　　Supposing　nobody　cared。　。　。　。　　And　the　tension　of　suspense　strained　more　tightly　than　ever。

For　the　next　forty…eight　hours；　while　day　and　night　the　telegraph　wires　of　Europe　tingled　with　momentous　questions　and　grave　replies；　while　Ministers　and　Ambassadors　met　and　parted　and　met　again；　rumours　flew　this　way　and　that　like　flocks　of　wild…fowl　driven　backwards　and　forwards；　settling　for　a　moment　with　a　stir　and　splash；　and　then　with　rush　of　wings　speeding　back　and　on　again。　　A　huge　coal　strike　in　the　northern　counties；　fostered　and　financed　by　German　gold；　was　supposed　to　be　imminent；　and　this　would　put　out　of　the　country's　power　the　ability　to　interfere。　　The　Irish　Home　Rule　party；　under　the　same　suasion；　was　said　to　have　refused　to　call　a　truce。　　A　letter　had　been　received　in　high　quarters　from　the　German　Emperor　avowing　his　fixed　determination　to　preserve　peace；　and　this　was　honey　to　Lord　Ashbridge。　　Then　in　turn　each　of　these　was　contradicted。　　All　thought　of　the　coal　strike　in　this　crisis　of　national　affairs　was　abandoned；　the　Irish　party；　as　well　as　the　Conservatives；　were　of　one　mind　in　backing　up　the　Government；　no　matter　what　postponement　of　questions　that　were　vital　a　month　ago；　their　cohesion　entailed；　the　Emperor　had　written　no　letter　at　all。　But　through　the　nebulous　mists　of　hearsay；　there　fell　solid　the　first　drops　of　the　imminent　storm。　　Even　before　Michael　had　left　Sylvia　that　afternoon；　Germany　had　declared　war　on　Russia；　on　Sunday　Belgium　received　a　Note　from　Berlin　definitely　stating　that　should　their　Government　not　grant　the　passage　to　the　German　battalions；　a　way　should　be　forced　for　them。　　On　Monday；　finally；　Germany　declared　war　on　France　also。

The　country　held　its　breath　in　suspense　at　what　the　decision　of　the　Government；　which　should　be　announced　that　afternoon；　should　be。　One　fact　only　was　publicly　known；　and　that　was　that　the　English　fleet；　only　lately　dismissed　from　its　manoeuvres　and　naval　review；　had　vanished。　　There　were　guard　ships；　old　cruisers　and　what　not；　at　certain　ports；　torpedo…boats　roamed　the　horizons　of　Deal　and　Portsmouth；　but　the　great　fleet；　the　swift　forts　of　sea…power；　had　gone；　disappearing　no　one　knew　where；　into　the　fine　weather　haze　that　brooded　over　the　midsummer　sea。　　There　perhaps　was　an　indication　of　what　the　decision　would　be；　yet　there　was　no　certainty。　　At　home　there　was　official　silence；　and　from　abroad；　apart　from　the　three　vital　facts；　came　but　the　quacking　of　rumour；　report　after　report；　each　contradicting　the　other。

Then　suddenly　came　certainty；　a　rainbow　set　in　the　intolerable　cloud。　　On　Monday　afternoon；　when　the　House　of　Commons　met；　all　parties　were　known　to　have　sunk　their　private　differences　and　to　be　agreed　on　one　point　that　should　take　precedence　of　all　other　questions。　　Germany　should　not；　with　England's　consent；　violate　the　neutrality　of　Belgium。　　As　far　as　England　was　concerned；　all　negotiations　were　at　an　end；　diplomacy　had　said　its　last　word；　and　Germany　was　given　twenty…four　hours　in　which　to　reply。　　Should　a　satisfactory　answer　not　be　forthcoming；　England　would　uphold　the　neutrality　she　with　others　had　sworn　to　respect　by　force　of　arms。　And　at　that　one　immense　sigh　of　relief　went　up　from　the　whole　country。　　Whatever　now　might　happen；　in　whatever　horrors　of　long…　drawn　and　bloody　war　the　nation　might　be　involved；　the　nightmare　of　possible　neutrality；　of　England's　repudiating　the　debt　of　honour；　was　removed。　　The　one　thing　worse　than　war　need　no　longer　be　dreaded；　and　for　the　moment　the　future；　hideous　and　heart…rending　though　it　would　surely　be；　smiled　like　a　land　of　promise。


Michael　woke　on　the　morning　of　Tuesday；　the　fourth　of　August；　with　the　feeling　of　something　having　suddenly　roused　him；　and　in　a　few　seconds　he　knew　that　this　was　so；　for　the　telephone　bell　in　the　room　next　door　sent　out　another　summons。　　He　got　straight　out　of　bed　and　went　to　it；　with　a　hundred　vague　shadows　of　expectation　crossing　his　mind。　　Then　he　learned　that　his　mother　was　gravely　ill；　and　that　he　was　wanted　at　once。　　And　in　less　than　half　an　hour　he　was　on　his　way；　driving　swiftly　through　the　serene　warmth　of　the　early　morning　to　the　private　asylum　where　she　had　been　removed　after　her　sudden　homicidal　outburst　in　March。


CHAPTER　XIV


Michael　was　sitting　that　same　afternoon　by　his　mother's　bedside。　He　had　learned　the　little　there　was　to　be　told　him　on　his　arrival　in　the　morning；　how　that　half　an　hour　before　he　had　been　summoned；　she　had　had　an　attack　of　heart　failure；　and　since　then；　after　recovering　from　the　acute　and　immediate　danger；　she　had　lain　there　all　day　with　closed　eyes　in　a　state　of　but　semi…conscious　exhaustion。　　Once　or　twice　only；　and　that　but　for　a　moment　she　had　shown　signs　of　increasing　vitality；　and　then　sank　back　into　this　stupor　again。　　But　in　those　rare　short　intervals　she　had　opened　her　eyes；　and　had　seemed　to　see　and　recognise　him；　and　Michael　thought　that　once　she　had　smiled　at　him。　　But　at　present　she　had　spoken　no　word。　　All　the　morning　Lord　Ashbridge　had　waited　there　too；　but　since　there　was　no　change　he　had　gone　away；　saying　that　he　would　return　again　later；　and　asking　to　be　telephoned　for　if　his　wife　regained　consciousness。　　So；　but　for　the　nurse　and　the　occasional　visits　of　the　doctor；　Michael　was　alone　with　his　mother。

In　this　long　period　of　inactive　waiting；　when　there　was　nothing　to　be　done；　Michael　did　not　seem　to　himself　to　be　feeling　very　vividly；　and　but　for　one　desire；　namely；　that　before　the　end　his　mother　would　come　back　to　him；　even　if　only　for　a　moment；　his　mind　felt　drugged　and　stupefied。　　Sometimes　for　a　little　it　would　sluggishly　turn　over　thoughts　about　his　father；　wondering　with　a　sort　of　blunt；　remote　contempt　how　it　was　possible　for　him　not　to　be　here　too；　but；　except　for　the　one　great　longing　that　his　mother　should　cleave　to　him　once　more　in　conscious　mind；　he　observed　rather　than　felt。　　The　thought　of　Sylvia　even　was　dim。　　He　knew　that　she　was　somewhere　in　the　world；　but　she　had　become　for　the　present　like　some　picture　painted　in　his　mind；　without　reality。　Dim；　too；　was　the　tension　of　those　last　days。　　Somewhere　in　Europe　was　a　country　called　Germany；　where　was　his　best　friend；　drilling　in　the　ranks　to　which　he　had　returned；　or　perhaps　already　on　his　way　to　bloodier　battlefields　than　the　world　had　ever　dreamed　of；　and　somewhere　set　in　the　seas　was　Germany's　arch…foe；　who　already　stood　in　her　path　with　open　cannon　mouths　pointing。　　But　all　this　had　no　real　connection　with　him。　　From　the　moment　when　he　had　come　into　this　quiet；　orderly　room　and　saw　his　mother　lying　on　the　bed；　nothing　beyond　those　four　walls　really　concerned　him。

But　though　the　emotional　side　of　his　mind　lay　drugged　and　insensitive　to　anything　outside；　he　found　himself　observing　the　details　of　the　room　where　he　waited　with　a　curious　vividness。　There　was　a　big　window　opening　down　to　the　ground　in　the　manner　of　a　door　on　to　the　garden　outside；　where　a　smooth　lawn；　set　with　croquet　hoops　and　edged　with　bright　flower…beds；　dozed　in　the　haze　of　the　August　heat。　　Beyond　was　a　row　of　tall　elms；　against　which　a　copper　beech　glowed　metallically；　and　somewhere　out　of　sight　a　mowing…machine　was　being　used；　for　Michael　heard　the　click　of　its　cropping　journey；　growing　fainter　as　it　receded；　followed　by　the　pause　as　it　turned；　and　its　gradual　crescendo　as　it　approached　again。　　Otherwise　everything　outside　was　strangely　silent；　as　the　hot　hours　of　midday　and　early　afternoon　went　by　there　was　no　note　of　bird…music；　nor　any　sound　of　wind　in　the　elm…tops。　　Just　a　little　breeze　stirred　from　time　to　time；　enough　to　make　the　slats　of　the　half…drawn　Venetian　blind　rattle　faintly。　　Earlier　in　the　day　there　had　come　in　from　the　window　the　smell　of　dew…damp　earth；　but　now　that　had　been　sucked　up　by　the　sun。

Close　beside　the　window；　with　her　back　to　the　light　and　facing　the　bed；　which　projected　from　one　of　the　side　walls　out　into　the　room；　sat　Lady　Ashbridge's　nurse。　　She　was　reading；　and　the　rustle　of　the　turned　page　was　regular；　but　regular　and　constant　also　were　her　glances　towards　the　bed　where　her　patient　lay。　　At　intervals　she　put　down　her　book；　marking　the　place　with　a　slip　of　paper；　and　came　to　watch　by　the　bed　for　a　moment；　looking　at　Lady　Ashbridge's　face　and　listening　to　her　breathing。　　Her　eye　met　Michael's　always　as　she　did　this；　and　in　answer　to　his　mute　question；　each　time　she　gave　him　a　little　head…shake；　or　perhaps　a　whispered　word　or　two；　that　told　him　there　was　no　change。　　Opposite　the　bed　was　the　empty　fireplace；　and　at　the　foot　of　it　a　table；　on　which　stood　a　vase　of　roses。　　Michael　was　conscious　of　the　scent　of　these　every　now　and　then；　and　at　intervals　of　the　faint；　rather　sickly　smell　of　ether。　A　Japan　screen；　ornamented　with　storks　in　gold　thread；　stood　near　the　door　and　half…concealed　the　washing…stand。　　There　was　a　chest　of　drawers　on　one　side　of　the　fireplace；　a　wardrobe　with　a　looking…　glass　door　on　the　other；　a　dressing…table　to　one　side　of　the　window；　a　few　prints　on　the　plain　blue　walls；　and　a　dark　blue　drugget　carpet　on　the　floor；　and　all　these　ordinary　appurtenances　of　a　bedroom　etched　themselves　into　Michael's　mind；　biting　their　way　into　it　by　the　acid　of　his　own　suspense。

Finally　there　was　the　bed　where　his　mother　lay。　　The　coverlet　of　blue　silk　upon　it　he　knew　was　somehow　familiar　to　him；　and　after　fitful　gropings　in　his　mind　to　establish　the　association；　he　remembered　that　it　had　been　on　the　bed　in　her　room　in　Curzon　Street；　and　supposed　that　it　had　been　brought　here　with　others　of　her　personal　belongings。　　A　little　core　of　light；　focused　on　one　of　the　brass　balls　at　the　head　of　the　bed；　caught　his　eye；　and　he　saw　that　the　sun；　beginning　to　decline；　came　in　under　the　Venetian　blind。　　The　nurse；　sitting　in　the　window；　noticed　this　also；　and　lowered　it。　　The　thought　of　Sylvia　crossed　his　brain　for　a　moment；　then　he　thought　of　his　father；　but　every　train　of　reflection　dissolved　almost　as　soon　as　it　was　formed；　and　he　came　back　again　and　again　to　his　mother's　face。

It　was　perfectly　peaceful　and　strangely　young…looking；　as　if　the　cool；　soothing　hand　of　death；　which　presently　would　quiet　all　trouble　for　her；　h