Shegave lessons all day on Saturday, but on Sunday
she was free. When they hadmet at the door, the light was behind him and she could
not see hiseyes. Natural perhaps, but it hurt her, allthe same. Very well,then meet
me at the Auditorium for lunch, and Ill write a chequefor it.
It was a terrible look; anguish and despair, and
somethinglike entreaty. He was difficult about everything, and he madecriticisms
that hurt ones feelings.
He struck her as terribly selfish andvain, and
jealous of the man he called Clement.
She was frightened as she went upin the elevator,
and tried not to think at all. It was from Sebastian, asking whether she could meet
him for tea atthe Auditorium at five oclock.
He disappeared with Giuseppe, and Lucy sat down in
the chair shehad quitted.
Mockford was already in, and Lucy thought he needed
noencouragement.
Things took on their right relation, the trivialand
disturbing shut out. There were not a great many people there, and inthe dusky light
she easily found Sebastian. She drew back and would have run away if she
could.
The basses, too; most of them Germans and
Swedes.
There was a kind of fascination about Mockford,
Lucy thought. But wont you comeout to dinner with me tonight, if youve no other
engagement? It was a farce, that she should beplaying for Sebastian; just how had
she ever got in for it?
Now, my dear, whatever did you mean by flying off
like that thismorning? One evening Giuseppe knocked at her door,bringing a note from
Sebastian. Not to have wrapped up and sent home, certainly;where would she put them?
He had clung to a secret belief thathe would pick it up again, somewhere. While she
was there the weather changed and a sullen winter rainset in.
But she felt sure that things were not like that
with themnow. She had heard him explain over the telephone, to afriend just arrived
from the Orient, that Mrs. Lucy found herself at the door with her hand on the knob.
Itwas as if they were on the lonely spur of a mountain, enveloped
bymist.
He came back, came and stood before her, but she
could not look upuntil she heard her name. He happened to have no out-of-town
engagement, so he was inChicago, in his studio.
We shall be gone eight days ormore; two oratorios
and three recitals. Like spring, it was, to one coming in out ofthe wintry streets.
I am happywhenever I think about you, and so are lots of people.
Themornings used to be dull and heavy
here.
The telephone began to buzz, and she heard himbuild
up the rest of his day and his evening.
I shouldnt bother you on Sunday, should
I?
His spirits were high, and his vanityhad been
flattered; he found Lucy Gayheart amusing.
Hetook the hand on his sleeve and held it between
both his own.
And had he, in his uncanny way, sensedthat
something went wrong yesterday? You eat a good breakfast today, I
expect?
Yearsago if I had seen that thing in brutal type, I
would have lain downand cried like a boy.