Michael

piano quietly assimilating it, and, without making plans of his own initiative, contemplating the forms into which the future was beginnin

he had guessed all this in that week down at Ashbridge, from which

any doctor as insane. She would have to have a trained attendant, she would live a secluded life, from which must be kept as far as possible anything that could agitate or distress her, and after that there was nothing more that could be done except to wait for the inevitable development of her malady. This might come quickly or slowly; there was no means of forecasting that

ke of all of you," he had said, "

, and thus, waiting for him, and not much concerning himself about that, Michael let the future map itself. Already it was sharply defined, its boundaries and limits were clear, and though it was yet untravelled it presented to him a familiar aspect, and he felt that he could find his allotted road withou

g his elbows. Whatever happened he would still be Lord Ashbridge, wi

mother," he said. "It was in consequence of what he recommended

certain stubbornness and sense of what was due to himself, he let

he said, "I have a f

fact of Michael being his unsatisfactory son,

u a favour," he corrected himself, "but rather

andpoint; he owed it to himself to alleviate the conditions under which his wife must live; he owed it to himself that his son should do his part as a Comber. There was no lo

sit down?

indication of your duty. I do not know if you will see it in the same lig

rtainly had the effect of drawing out in him

t talk of that now,

ntent to your mother. I noticed that at Ashbridge, and, indeed, there has been some trouble with her this morning because I could not take

to speak, the signpost into

at any rate, to ask your permission to do so. It is clear that my

l remained complete

ew of it," he said. "I thin

nobly, and he could not only outwardly disregard, but he inwardly cancelled the

come at once," he said, "if

e, will it? I am taking your mo

r. It was made, as his heart knew, not ungrudgingly only, but eagerly, and if it had been recommended by the doctor that she should go to Ashbridge, he would have entirel

l my work lies in London. I want, naturally, to continue that as far as I can. If you go to

well a little; he appe

nd these months in idleness in town. I have never done such a thing yet, nor, I may say, would our class hold the position they do if we did. We

g schemes and repairs), of a round of golf every afternoon, and of reading the lessons and handing the offertory-box on Sunday. That, at least, was the sum-total as it presented itself to him, and on which he framed his conclusions. But he left out altogeth

s once or twice a week, and get Bailey

e held his he

pletely out of the

r and himself. It was outside it altogether, and concerned only his fat

on," he said. "Supposing under these c

as to the sincerity of your profe

what would you do

uld go to Ashbridge t

ther put his own convenience as outweighing any other consideration. But he saw that if only Lord Ashbridge was selfish enoug

she and I should remain in town,

perpetual embarrassment of his wife's presence, and the perpetual irritation of Michael's. He had persuaded himself that he was

ment in your poor mother's mind has caused her to take what I might almost call a dislike to me. I mentioned that to Sir James, though it was very painful for me to do so, and he sa

and became even mo

doubt, at Ashbridge, but my own personal feelings must not be taken into account. Yes; it seems to me a very sensible notion. We shall have to see what your mother says to it. She might not lik

ould do no good to her, and he had not for her that instinct of love which would make it impossible for him to leave her. He would also be spared the constant irritation of having Michael in the house, and this he expressed to himself by saying that Michael disliked him, and would be far more at his ease without him. Furthermore, Michael would be able to continue his studies . . . of this too, in spite of the fact that he had always done his best to discourage them, he made a self-laudatory

f money. There was no effort of will, no sense of sacrifice about it, it was merely the assertion of a paramount instinct. The life limited his freedom, for, for a great part of the day he was with his mother, and between his music and his attendance on her, he had but little leisure. Occasionally he went out to see his friends, but any prolonged absence o

wn to fetch her upstairs to rest. And then Aunt Barbara surprised Michael, for s

ow that it is always in my mind. You have behaved nobly, Micha

interrup

id. "At least, that's the best way

sed a

living all three of us at Ashbridge. It's be

leave him out. Poor Robert! He and his golf. My dear, your father is a very lud

iled

nt of it. It's-it's such a score to be able to be of use, you know. I can make m

sufferable," remarked Aun

o find the words he searched for-"the thing is I want to be wanted

on the sofa

her brain was failing. And yet that failure doesn't affect the quality of her love. Is it something that shines through the poor tattered fabri

ould have seen him as she had with his mother during the last hour. Lady Ashbridge had insisted on sitting close to him, and holding his hand whenever she could possess herself of it, of plying him with a hundred repeated questions, and never once had sh

she said. "Do you

hinks they have some design of taking her or me away. But she wants to see Sylvia. She knows about-about her and me, and I

a knows about your

't call it arguing-but will try to persuade her to have me. I can't let Sy

s on your mother

re, pondering this, and stretchi

st see her, you know. We settled that the old terms we were on

aby," remarked

r glad you

u tell her. I'll be here too, if you like, if that will do any good.

t on the other side of her? My 'Variations' are going to be played. If they are a success, Hermann tells me I

shall have to lie, as I have another engagement,

clapped her h

the coastguard police caught four men at it-all Germans. They tried to escape as they did before, by rowing down the river, but there was a steam launch below which intercepted them. They had on them a chart of the reach, with soundings, nearly complete; and when they searched their hous

n live in Ashbrid

his hands. I am glad: he should not have laughed at us.

d put her hand o

. I hate music usually; but then I adore Mr. Hermann. I only wish he w

if you had seen him i

is such a degrading emoti

programme next evening, and as the moment for them

ichael. "I shall be so nervous for fear he'll forget them in the m

his hand on

id, "you mustn't talk

ispering. But if you

tch by such nervous agonies; he required just that to make him do full justice to his own personality, and long before he came to the "Variations," Michael felt quite at ease about his success. There was no question about it any more: the whole audience knew that they were listening to a master. In the row immediately behind Michael's party were sitting Sylvia and her mother, who had not

ere," he said. "Hermann wi

f commonplace failed him, and

she said. "Hermann tol

ating his mother, who sat next

would come and see my mother a

friendliness of her smili

ssary to as

nough of her sister-in-law, and wanted him again. She looked ov

he said. "And who is that nice you

how he imagined himself looking on at an old-fashioned dance, and while the dancers moved to the graceful measure of a minuet, or daintily in a gavotte, the tune of "Good King Wenceslas" still rang in his head, or, how in the joy of the sunlight of a spring morning it still haunted him. It lay behind a cascade of foaming wat

f his hand. Twice he bowed, and then, in answer to the demand, just beckoned wit

ave me, my dear, are yo

e back and saw the open door on to the platform confronting him. He felt that no power on earth co

. "Thank the pretty ladies and gen

ith such tenderness, such kindly pity. There were the two most intimately bound into his life, the mother who wanted him, the girl whom he wanted; and by his side was Hermann, who, as Michael always knew, had thrown open the gates of life to him. All the rest, even including Aunt Barbara, seemed of n

ibly 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

almost at the door. "My mother has been looking forw

it clear to her that it was his wish that Miss Falbe should not be embarrassed, and

nd we are not strangers quite, are we, Miss Falbe? We sat so near each other to listen to your brother, who I

ng. Michael had k

her. "And Michael mustn't hear what we say abo

hbridge

n her mind. "Michael," she said, "we are only joking about your getting conceited. Miss Falbe and I are only joking. And-and

who come to tea do not usually take their hats off, fo

"I always want to take my hat off. I don't k

ht hair, and could not help telegraphing a

hael 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 tel

er 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

on't find time to come up to town for many weeks yet. But, you know, Michael and I do very well witho

shoal to

im to come up to town," said Michael

that she understood the brilliance of it, and put lump after lump of sugar into Bar

e, 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 u

om next door, and Lady Ashbridge ran after him, calling him.

uld 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 p

ia g

"What have you got, Michael?

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-fi

ill Michael made it clear that it was his express and sovereign will that she should do so. Then very audibly she whis

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 practising-a thing that to her or to Hermann would have rendered practice

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