I
Jane Harding had a flat at the top of a block of mansions overlooking the river in Chelsea.
Here, on the evening following the party, came Sebastian Levinne.
тАЬIтАЩve fixed it up, Jane,тАЭ he said. тАЬRadmaager is coming here to see you some time tomorrow. He prefers to do that, it seems.тАЭ
тАЬтАКтАШCome, tell me how you live, he cried,тАЩтАКтАЭ quoted Jane. тАЬWell, IтАЩm living very nicely and respectably, entirely alone! Do you want something to eat, Sebastian?тАЭ
тАЬIf there is anything?тАЭ
тАЬThere are scrambled eggs and mushrooms, anchovy toast and black coffee if youтАЩll sit here peaceably while I get them.тАЭ
She put the cigarette box and the matches beside him and left the room. In a quarter of an hour, the meal was ready.
тАЬI like coming to see you, Jane,тАЭ said Sebastian. тАЬYou never treat me as a bloated young Jew to whom only the flesh pots of the Savoy would make appeal.тАЭ
Jane smiled without speaking.
Presently she said: тАЬI like your girl, Sebastian.тАЭ
тАЬJoe?тАЭ
тАЬYes, Joe.тАЭ
Sebastian said gruffly: тАЬWhatтБатАФwhat do you really think of her?тАЭ
Again Jane paused before answering.
тАЬSo young,тАЭ she said at last. тАЬSo terribly young.тАЭ
Sebastian chuckled.
тАЬSheтАЩd be very angry if she heard you.тАЭ
тАЬProbably.тАЭ After a minute she said: тАЬYou care for her very much, donтАЩt you, Sebastian?тАЭ
тАЬYes. ItтАЩs odd, isnтАЩt it, Jane, how little all the things youтАЩve got matter? IтАЩve got practically all the things I want, except Joe, and Joe is all that matters. I can see what a fool I am, but it doesnтАЩt make a bit of difference! WhatтАЩs the difference between Joe and a hundred other girls? Very little. And yet sheтАЩs the only thing in the world that matters to me just now.тАЭ
тАЬPartly because you canтАЩt get her.тАЭ
тАЬPerhaps. But I donтАЩt think thatтАЩs so entirely.тАЭ
тАЬNeither do I.тАЭ
тАЬWhat do you think of Vernon?тАЭ asked Sebastian, after a pause.
Jane changed her position, shading her face from the fire.
тАЬHeтАЩs interesting,тАЭ she said slowly, тАЬpartly, I think, because he is so completely unambitious.тАЭ
тАЬUnambitious, do you think?тАЭ
тАЬYes. He wants things made easy.тАЭ
тАЬIf so, heтАЩll never do anything in music. You want driving power for that.тАЭ
тАЬYes, you want driving power. But music will be the power that drives him!тАЭ
Sebastian looked up, his face alight and appreciative.
тАЬDo you know, Jane?тАЭ he said. тАЬI believe youтАЩre right!тАЭ
She smiled but made no answer.
тАЬI wish I knew what to make of the girl heтАЩs engaged to,тАЭ said Sebastian.
тАЬWhat is she like?тАЭ
тАЬPretty. Some people might call it lovelyтБатАФbut IтАЩd call it pretty. She does the things that other people do, and does them very sweetly. SheтАЩs not a cat. IтАЩm afraidтБатАФyes, I am afraid now, that she definitely cares for Vernon.тАЭ
тАЬYou neednтАЩt be afraid. Your pet genius wonтАЩt be turned aside or held down. That doesnтАЩt happen. IтАЩm more than ever sure, every day I live, that that doesnтАЩt happen.тАЭ
тАЬNothing would turn you aside, Jane, but then you have got driving power.тАЭ
тАЬAnd yet, do you know, Sebastian, I believe I should be more easily тАШturned asideтАЩ as you call it, than your Vernon? I know what I want and go for itтБатАФhe doesnтАЩt know what he wants, or rather doesnтАЩt want it, but it goes for him.тБатАКтБатАж And that It whatever It is, will be servedтБатАФno matter at what cost.тАЭ
тАЬCost to whom?тАЭ
тАЬAh! I wonder.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Sebastian rose.
тАЬI must go. Thanks for feeding me, Jane.тАЭ
тАЬThank you for what youтАЩve done for me with Radmaager. YouтАЩre a very good friend, Sebastian. And I donтАЩt think success will ever spoil you.тАЭ
тАЬOh! successтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ He held out his hand.
She laid both hands on his shoulders and kissed him.
тАЬMy dear, I hope you will get your Joe. But if not I am quite sure you will get everything else!тАЭ