The day of Madame de Vignons funeral flashed up in
Lucys mind. She pulled her dressing-gown tight andopened the door a little way.
Surely a mancouldnt congratulate himself upon a career which had led to suchresults.
He would wakensome morning and step out of bed the man he used to be.
The pianisthas to make it go with her as well as
with Clement, if you meanthat. I dontcare to stand about down there on my bad
leg.
First he glanced into the restaurant, thinking she
might alreadyhave come down for her supper.
She even felt thathe liked her being young and
ignorant and not too clever. Afriend of her father discovered this queer, talented,
tricky boy.
You were kind to give me thisevening,
Lucy.
Then turning to find an ash-tray,he said
mischievously: Why?
Yetshe knew, too, that it would last a lifetime.
Sebastian was notwith him because she dreaded the Chicago winter climate. The
dining-roomwas almost empty when they at last left it and took a cab forLucys part
of the town.
I thinkit must have been something in the way you
said it.
She saw the hall porter carryout a steamer trunk on
his shoulder and strap it on the back of acab. Tramps, wet as thehorses, stood in
the empty doorways for shelter. He said the answer was prepaid, and he mustwait for
it.
He had clung to a secret belief thathe would pick
it up again, somewhere. When she heard him tell her that she had given himsomething!
She felt sure, by the look on his face, that he wascoming from some religious
observance. He had sometimes thought of her as rather boyish, becauseshe was so
square. Yetshe knew, too, that it would last a lifetime.
Natural perhaps, but it hurt her, allthe same. He
must have sent it justbefore he got on the train at St. It was Mockford who opened
the door for her and asked her tocome in. Lucy found herself at the door with her
hand on the knob.
He said the answer was prepaid, and he mustwait for
it. I cant helpwondering why he didnt wish to see me again.
She was frightened as she went upin the elevator,
and tried not to think at all. She was looking at his white,freckled hands, lying on
the red velvet arms of the chair. I havent bothered you for some time, have I,
George?
The air of the room had freshened, and something
within himhad freshened.
You haveeverything other people are struggling
for.
There was a kind of fascination about Mockford,
Lucy thought.
Sebastian took her to the foot ofthe
stairway.
I am sorry, but I have to give a lesson for
Professor Auerbach atfive.
His eyes still had thatlivelier look she had
noticed in the morning. Lucy pressed her face against his shoulder to hide the tears
ofhappiness.
One evening Giuseppe knocked at her door,bringing a
note from Sebastian.