PAGE 2
The World Beyond
by
“That was maybe–just an inspiration from him.” Her face was bright with it. “I’ve tried to bring you up–the way he told me. And what I must tell you now–about tonight, I mean–because I may not live to see it–“
Her breath gave out so that her faint tired voice trailed away.
“What?” he urged. “What is it, Anna? About tonight–“
What a tumult of weird excitement was within him! Surely this was something momentous. His twenty-first birthday. Different, surely, for Lee Anthony than any similar event had ever been for anyone else.
“He promised me–when you were twenty-one–just then–at this time, if he could manage it–that he would come back–“
“Come back, Anna? Here?”
“Yes. To you and me. Because you would be a man–brought up, the best I could do to make you be–like him–because you would be a man who would know the value of love–and kindness–those things that ought to rule this world–but really do not.”
This wild, unreasoning excitement within him…! “You think he will come–tonight, Anna?”
“I really do. I want to live to see him. But now–I don’t know–“
He could only sit in silence, gripping her hand. And again the gay voices of his guests downstairs came up like a roar of intrusion. They didn’t know that she was more than indisposed. She had made him promise not to tell them.
Her eyes had closed, and now she opened them again. “They’re having a good time, aren’t they, Lee? That’s what I wanted–for you and them both. You see, I’ve had to be careful–not to isolate you from life–life as it is. Because your grandfather wanted you to be normal–a healthy, happy–regular young man. Not queer–even though I’ve tried to show you–“
“If he–he’s coming tonight, Anna–we shouldn’t have guests here.”
“When they have had their fun–“
“They have. We’re about finished down there. I’ll get rid of them–tell them you’re not very well–“
She nodded. “Perhaps that’s best–now–“
He was hardly aware of how he broke up the party and sent them away. Then in the sudden heavy silence of the little cottage, here in the grove of trees near the edge of the town, he went quietly back upstairs.
* * * * *
Her eyes were closed. Her white face was placid. Her faint breath was barely discernible. Failing fast now. Quietly he sat beside her. There was nothing that he could do. The doctor had said that very probably she could not live through the night. Poor old Anna. His mind rehearsed the life that she had given him. Always she had been so gentle, so wise, ruling him with kindness.
He remembered some of the things she had reiterated so often that his childish mind had come to realize their inevitable truth. The greatest instinctive desire of every living creature is happiness. And the way to get it was not by depriving others of it. It seemed now as though this old woman had had something of goodness inherent to her–as though she were inspired? And tonight she had said, with her gentle smile as she lay dying, that if that were so–it had been an inspiration from his grandfather.
Something of science which his grandfather had devised, and which had enabled him to–go away. What could that mean? Go where? And why had he gone? To seek an ideal? Because he was dissatisfied with life here? Her half incoherent words had seemed to imply that. And now, because Lee was twenty-one–a man–his grandfather was coming back. Because he had thought that Lee would be able to help him?… Help him to do–what?
He stirred in his chair. It was nearly midnight now. The little cottage–this little second floor bedroom where death was hovering–was heavy with brooding silence. It was awesome; almost frightening. He bent closer to the bed. Was she dead? No, there was still a faint fluttering breath, but it seemed now that there would be no strength for her to speak to him again.