One had to sit with folded hands and see it all
go.
She felt as if everything were on the point of
vanishing. He will scarcely get here before he goes back again. A winter in NewYork
would be a fine thing for you. Paul Auerbach seemed as pleased at their meeting as
Lucywas herself. He was full of his own plans, and thefuture looked bright to
him.
Seeing Lucy, he removed his hat and bowed. I dont
like to go awayleaving you up in the air. Shedid not see his face, her eyes were
blind as if she were lookinginto a furnace. And she couldnt breathe in thisother
kind of life.
They had seatedthemselves by an open window and
were finishing the last bottle ofport. She toldherself that she would see Harry
Gordons vacation through and doher best for him.
She had neverthought about it for more than a
moment.
You want to see the world, but youll seeit a lot
better with me.
He came back, came and stood before her, but she
could not look upuntil she heard her name.
He put his hand out ofthe window; it was raining a
little. Shall we go early, or do you want to dress and have mecall for you
later?
She caught her breathand cried aloud:
Giuseppe!
They had turned back toward the carriage, the wet
gravel crushingsoftly under their feet.
All that afternoon Lucy stayed quietly in her room.
This is April;I should think we might be married in May. Sebastian was at the
bookcase behind thepiano, going over a pile of music. Sometimes she listened and
sometimes shedid not.
Ididnt mean to tell anyone, but I cant let you go
on makingplans. And now isnt it about timewe got down to business? They had
seatedthemselves by an open window and were finishing the last bottle ofport. But
anatomy is a fact, he insisted, and facts are at the bottomof everything. Last
yearshe had been glad to go to the opera with Harry.
Lets go out on that balcony and get some fresh
air.
Yetshe knew, too, that it would last a
lifetime.
So there would be no return; only another
departure. And there are plenty more wherethose came from. Next season is going to
be an important one for me.
He considered a moment, then leaned forward and
spokesoftly, in a confident, teasing tone.
Lying there she felt herself drifting again intohis
breathing, into his heart-beats.
So I am going to have a new agent and a
newaccompanist.