ral　shrinking；　sooner　than　give　him　pain！　　The　lessons　must　continue；　for　if　they　did；　he　was　secure。　　And　lighting　his　cigar　at　last；　he　began　trying　to　shape　out　how　to　put　it　to　them　all；　and　explain　this　strange　intimacy；　how　to　veil　and　wrap　it　away　from　the　naked　truth　that　he　could　not　bear　to　be　deprived　of　the　sight　of　beauty。　　Ah！　Holly！　　Holly　was　fond　of　her；　Holly　liked　her　lessons。　　She　would　save　himhis　little　sweet！　　And　with　that　happy　thought　he　became　serene；　and　wondered　what　he　had　been　worrying　about　so　fearfully。　He　must　not　worry；　it　left　him　always　curiously　weak；　and　as　if　but　half　present　in　his　own　body。
  That　evening　after　dinner　he　had　a　return　of　the　dizziness；　though　he　did　not　faint。　　He　would　not　ring　the　bell；　because　he　knew　it　would　mean　a　fuss；　and　make　his　going　up　on　the　morrow　more　conspicuous。　When　one　grew　old；　the　whole　world　was　in　conspiracy　to　limit　freedom；　and　for　what　reason？just　to　keep　the　breath　in　him　a　little　longer。　　He　did　not　want　it　at　such　cost。　　Only　the　dog　Balthasar　saw　his　lonely　recovery　from　that　weakness；　anxiously　watched　his　master　go　to　the　sideboard　and　drink　some　brandy；　instead　of　giving　him　a　biscuit。　　When　at　last　old　Jolyon　felt　able　to　tackle　the　stairs　he　went　up　to　bed。　　And；　though　still　shaky　next　morning；　the　thought　of　the　evening　sustained　and　strengthened　him。　　It　was　always　such　a　pleasure　to　give　her　a　good　dinnerhe　suspected　her　of　undereating　when　she　was　alone；　and；　at　the　opera　to　watch　her　eyes　glow　and　brighten；　the　unconscious　smiling　of　her　lips。　　She　hadn't　much　pleasure；　and　this　was　the　last　time　he　would　be　able　to　give　her　that　treat。　　But　when　he　was　packing　his　bag　he　caught　himself　wishing　that　he　had　not　the　fatigue　of　dressing　for　dinner　before　him；　and　the　exertion；　too；　of　telling　her　about　June's　return。
  The　opera　that　evening　was　'Carmen；'　and　he　chose　the　last　entr'acte　to　break　the　news；　instinctively　putting　it　off　till　the　latest　moment。
  She　took　it　quietly；　queerly；　in　fact；　he　did　not　know　how　she　had　taken　it　before　the　wayward　music　lifted　up　again　and　silence　became　necessary。　　The　mask　was　down　over　her　face；　that　mask　behind　which　so　much　went　on　that　he　could　not　see。　　She　wanted　time　to　think　it　over；　no　doubt！　　He　would　not　press　her；　for　she　would　be　coming　to　give　her　lesson　to…morrow　afternoon；　and　he　should　see　her　then　when　she　had　got　used　to　the　idea。　　In　the　cab　he　talked　only　of　the　Carmen；　he　had　seen　better　in　the　old　days；　but　this　one　was　not　bad　at　all。　　When　he　took　her　hand　to　say　good…night；　she　bent　quickly　forward　and　kissed　his　forehead。
  〃Good…bye；　dear　Uncle　Jolyon；　you　have　been　so　sweet　to　me。〃
  〃To…morrow　then；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…night。　　Sleep　well。〃　　She　echoed　softly：　〃Sleep　welll〃　and　from　the　cab　window；　already　moving　away；　he　saw　her　face　screwed　round　towards　him；　and　her　hand　put　out　in　a　gesture　which　seemed　to　linger。
  He　sought　his　room　slowly。　　They　never　gave　him　the　same；　and　he　could　not　get　used　to　these　'spick…and…spandy'　bedrooms　with　new　furniture　and　grey…green　carpets　sprinkled　all　over　with　pink　roses。　He　was　wakeful　and　that　wretched　Habanera　kept　throbbing　in　his　head。
  His　French　had　never　been　equal　to　its　words；　but　its　sense　he　knew；　if　it　had　any　sense；　a　gipsy　thingwild　and　unaccountable。　　Well；　there　was　in　life　something　which　upset　all　your　care　and　plans　something　which　made　men　and　women　dance　to　its　pipes。　　And　he　lay　staring　from　deep…sunk　eyes　into　the　darkness　where　the　unaccountable　held　sway。　　You　thought　you　had　hold　of　life；　but　it　slipped　away　behind　you；　took　you　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　forced　you　here　and　forced　you　there；　and　then；　likely　as　not；　squeezed　life　out　of　you！　It　took　the　very　stars　like　that；　he　shouldn't　wonder；　rubbed　their　noses　together　and　flung　them　apart；　it　had　never　done　playing　its　pranks。　　Five　million　people　in　this　great　blunderbuss　of　a　town；　and　all　of　them　at　the　mercy　of　that　Life…Force；　like　a　lot　of　little　dried　peas　hopping　about　on　a　board　when　you　struck　your　fist　on　it。　Ah；　well！　Himself　would　not　hop　much　longera　good　long　sleep　would　do　him　good！
  How　hot　it　was　up　here！how　noisy！　His　forehead　burned；　she　had　kissed　it　just　where　he　always　worried；　just　thereas　if　she　had　known　the　very　place　and　wanted　to　kiss　it　all　away　for　him。　　But；　instead；　her　lips　left　a　patch　of　grievous　uneasiness。　　She　had　never　spoken　in　quite　that　voice；　had　never　before　made　that　lingering　gesture　or　looked　back　at　him　as　she　drove　away。
  He　got　out　of　bed　and　pulled　the　curtains　aside；　his　room　faced　down　over　the　river。　　There　was　little　air；　but　the　sight　of　that　breadth　of　water　flowing　by；　calm；　eternal；　soothed　him。　　'The　great　thing；'　he　thought　'is　not　to　make　myself　a　nuisance。　　I'll　think　of　my　little　sweet；　and　go　to　sleep。'　　But　it　was　long　before　the　heat　and　throbbing　of　the　London　night　died　out　into　the　short　slumber　of　the　summer　morning。　　And　old　Jolyon　had　but　forty　winks。
  When　he　reached　home　next　day　he　went　out　to　the　flower　garden；　and　with　the　help　of　Holly；　who　was　very　delicate　with　flowers；　gathered　a　great　bunch　of　carnations。　　They　were；　he　told　her；　for　'the　lady　in　grey'a　name　still　bandied　between　them；　and　he　put　them　in　a　bowl　in　his　study　where　he　meant　to　tackle　Irene　the　moment　she　came；　on　the　subject　of　June　and　future　lessons。　　Their　fragrance　and　colour　would　help。　　After　lunch　he　lay　down；　for　he　felt　very　tired；　and　the　carriage　would　not　bring　her　from　the　station　till　four　o'clock。　　But　as　the　hour　approached　he　grew　restless；　and　sought　the　schoolroom；　which　overlooked　the　drive。　　The　sun…blinds　were　down；　and　Holly　was　there　with　Mademoiselle　Beauce；　sheltered　from　the　heat　of　a　stifling　July　day；　attending　to　their　silkworms。　　Old　Jolyon　had　a　natural　antipathy　to　these　methodical　creatures；　whose　heads　and　colour　reminded　him　of　elephants；　who　nibbled　such　quantities　of　holes　in　nice　green　leaves；　and　smelled；　as　he　thought；　horrid。　　He　sat　down　on　a　chintz…covered　windowseat　whence　he　could　see　the　drive；　and　get　what　air　there　was；　and　the　dog　Balthasar　who　appreciated　chintz　on　hot　days；　jumped　up　beside　him。　　Over　the　cottage　piano　a　violet　dust…sheet；　faded　almost　to　grey；　was　spread；　and　on　it　the　first　lavender；　whose　scent　filled　the　room。　　In　spite　of　the　coolness　here；　perhaps　because　of　that　coolness　the　beat　of　life　vehemently　impressed　his　ebbed…down　senses。　　Each　sunbeam　which　came　through　the　chinks　had　annoying　brilliance；　that　dog　smelled　very　strong；　the　lavender　perfume　was　overpowering；　those　silkworms　heaving　up　their　grey…green　backs　seemed　horribly　alive；　and　Holly's　dark　head　bent　over　them　had　a　wonderfully　silky　sheen。　　A　marvellous　cruelly　strong　thing　was　life　when　you　were　old　and　weak；　it　seemed　to　mock　you　with　its　multitude　of　forms　and　its　beating　vitality。　　He　had　never；　till　those　last　few　weeks；　had　this　curious　feeling　of　being　with　one　half　of　him　eagerly　borne　along　in　the　stream　of　life；　and　with　the　other　half　left　on　the　bank；　watching　that　helpless　progress。　　Only　when　Irene　was　with　him　did　he　lose　this　double　consciousness。
  Holly　turned　her　head；　pointed　with　her　little　brown　fist　to　the　pianofor　to　point　with　a　finger　was　not　'well…brrred'and　said　slyly：
  〃Look　at　the　'lady　in　grey；'　Gran；　isn't　she　pretty　to…day？〃
  Old　Jolyon's　heart　gave　a　flutter；　and　for　a　second　the　room　was　clouded；　then　it　cleared；　and　he　said　with　a　twinkle：
  〃Who's　been　dressing　her　up？〃
  〃Mam'zelle。〃
  〃Hollee！　Don't　be　foolish！〃
  That　prim　little　Frenchwoman！　　She　hadn't　yet　got　over　the　music　lessons　being　taken　away　from　her。　　That　wouldn't　help。　　His　little　sweet　was　the　only　friend　they　had。　　Well；　they　were　her　lessons。　And　he　shouldn't　budge　shouldn't　budge　for　anything。　　He　stroked　the　warm　wool　on　Balthasar's　head；　and　heard　Holly　say：　〃When　mother's　home；　there　won't　be　any　changes；　will　there？　　She　doesn't　like　strangers；　you　know。〃
  The　child's　words　seemed　to　bring　the　chilly　atmosphere　of　opposition　about　old　Jolyon；　and　disclose　all　the　menace　to　his　new…found　freedom。　　Ah！　He　would　have　to　resign　himself　to　being　an　old　man　at　the　mercy　of　care　and　love；　or　fight　to　keep　this　new　and　prized　companionship；　and　to　fight　tired　him　to　death。　　But　his　thin；　worn　face　hardened　into　resolution　till　it　appeared　all　Jaw。　　This　was　his　house；　and　his　affair；　he　should　not　budge！　　He　looked　at　his　watch；　old　and　thin　like　himself；　he　had　owned　it　fifty　years。　　Past　four　already！　　And　kissing　the　top　of　Holly's　head　in　passing；　he　went　down　to　the　hall。　　He　wanted　to　get　hold　of　her　before　she　went　up　to　give　her　lesson。　　At　the　first　sound　of　wheels　he　stepped　out　into　the　porch；　and　saw　at　once　that　the　victoria　was　empty。
  〃The　train's　in；　sir；　but　the　lady　'asn't　come。〃
  Old　Jolyon　gave　him　a　sharp　upward　look；　his　eyes　seemed　to　push　away　that　fat　chap's　curiosity；　and　defy　him　to　see　the　bitter　disappointment　he　was　feeling。
  〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　and　turned　back　into　the　house。　　He　went　to　his　study　and　sat　down；　quivering　like　a　leaf。　　What　did　this　mean？　She　might　have　lost　her　train；　but　he　knew　well　enough　she　hadn't。　'Good…bye；　dear　Uncle　Jolyon。'　　Why　'Good…bye'　and　not　'Good…night'？　And　that　hand