'Mendelssohn is my favourite composer,' she replied. 'He's so full of soul.'
'Ah, yes,' murmured Mr. Dryland. 'His heart seems to throb through all his music. It's strange that he should have been a Jew.'
'But then Our Lord was a Jew, wasn't He?' said Mary.
'Yes, one is so apt to forget that.'
Mary turned the leaves, and finding another piece which was familiar to her, set about it. It was a satisfactory thing to listen to her performance. In Mary's decided touch one felt all the strength of her character, with its simple, unaffected candour and its eminent sense of propriety. In her execution one perceived the high purpose which animated her whole conduct; it was pure and wholesome, and thoroughly English. And her piano-playing served also as a moral lesson, for none could listen without remembering that life was not an affair to be taken lightly, but a strenuous endeavour: the world was a battlefield (this one realised more particularly when Mary forgot for a page or so to take her foot off the pedal); each one of us had a mission to perform, a duty to do, a function to fulfil.
Meanwhile, James was trying to make conversation with Mrs. Clibborn.
'How well Mary plays!'
'D'you think so? I can't bear amateurs. I wish they wouldn't play.'
James looked at Mrs. Clibborn quickly. It rather surprised him that she, the very silliest woman he had ever known, should say the only sensible things he had heard that day. Nor could he forget that she had done her best to prevent his engagement.
'I think you're a very wonderful woman,' he said.
'Oh, Jamie!'
Mrs. Clibborn smiled and sighed, slipping forward her hand for him to take; but James was too preoccupied to notice the movement.
'I'm beginning to think you really like me,' murmured Mrs. Clibborn, cooing like an amorous dove.
Then James was invited to sing, and refused.
'Please do, Jamie!' cried Mary, smiling. 'For my sake. You used to sing so nicely!'
He still tried to excuse himself, but finding everyone insistent, went at last, with very bad grace, to the piano. He not only sang badly, but knew it, and was irritated that he should be forced to make a fool of himself. Mr. Dryland sang badly, but perfectly satisfied with himself, needed no pressing when his turn came. He made a speciality of old English songs, and thundered out in his most ecclesiastical manner a jovial ditty entitled, 'Down Among the Dead Men.'
The afternoon was concluded by an adjournment to the dining-room to play bagatelle, the most inane of games, to which the billiard-player goes with contempt, changed quickly to wrath when he cannot put the balls into absurd little holes. Mary was an adept, and took pleasure in showing James how the thing should be done. He noticed that she and the curate managed the whole affair between them, arranging partners and advising freely. Mrs. Clibborn alone refused to play, saying frankly it was too idiotic a pastime.
At last the party broke up, and in a group bade their farewells.
'I'll walk home with you, Mary, if you don't mind,' said James, 'and smoke a pipe.'
Mary suddenly became radiant, and Colonel Parsons gave her a happy little smile and a friendly nod.... At last James had his opportunity. He lingered while Mary gathered together her music, and waited again to light his pipe, so that when they came out of the Vicarage gates the rest of the company were no longer in sight. The day had become overcast and sombre; on the even surface of the sky floated little ragged black clouds, like the fragments cast to the wind of some widowed, ample garment. It had grown cold, and James, accustomed to a warmer air, shivered a little. The country suddenly appeared cramped and circumscribed; in the fading light a dulness of colour came over tree and hedgerow which was singularly depressing. They walked in silence, while James looked for words. All day he had been trying to find some manner to express himself, but his mind, perplexed and weary, refused to help him. The walk to Mary's house could not take more than five minutes, and he saw the distance slipping away rapidly. If he meant to say anything it must be said at once; and his mouth was dry, he felt almost a physical inability to speak. He did not know how to prepare the way, how to approach the subject; and he was doubly tormented by the absolute necessity of breaking the silence.
But it was Mary who spoke first.
'D'you know, I've been worrying a little about you, Jamie.'
'Why?'
'I'm afraid I hurt your feelings yesterday. Don't you remember, when we were visiting my patients--I think I spoke rather harshly. I didn't mean to. I'm very sorry.'
'I had forgotten all about it,' he said, looking at her. 'I have no notion what you said to offend me.'
'I'm glad of that,' she answered, smiling, 'but it does me good to apologise. Will you think me very silly if I say something to you?'
'Of course not!'
'Well, I want to say that if I ever do anything you don't like, or don't approve of, I wish you would tell me.'
After that, how could he say immediately that he no longer loved her, and wished to be released from his engagement?
'I'm afraid you think I'm a very terrifying person,' answered James.
Her words had made his announcement impossible; another day had gone, and weakly he had let it pass.
'What shall I do?' he murmured under his breath. 'What a coward I am!'
They came to the door of the Clibborns' house and Mary turned to say good-bye. She bent forward, smiling and blushing, and he quickly kissed her.
