Part 22 (1/2)
”But the risk is hers.”
Thayer untied his necktie with a long, deliberate pull, and made a second attempt to arrange it to his liking. At length he turned from the mirror and faced Arlt.
”Would you be willing to allow Katarina to take such a risk?”
”No,” Arlt answered honestly, after an interval.
Neither man spoke for some time. Arlt was unwilling to continue the subject, and Thayer knew from experience the uselessness of trying to force him to talk when he was minded to keep silence. It was Arlt, however, who finally broke the silence, and his subject was one utterly remote from Lorimer.
”I have heard from the mother, to-day,” he said suddenly.
”Good news, I hope.” Thayer's tone was as hearty as if he had felt no pa.s.sing annoyance at the boy's stubborn reticence.
”The best that can be for them. An old cousin has died, and they are his heirs.”
”Good! Is it much?”
”Enough so they can live in comfort, whatever happens to me.”
”And enough so that you can live in comfort, without anxiety for them,”
Thayer supplemented kindly.
”Without anxiety; I can do without the comfort,” Arlt replied. ”I have worried sometimes.”
Crossing the room, Thayer laid his hand on the boy's shoulder.
”And you have borne the worry very pluckily, too, Arlt. It has been hard for you, this first year in America, with the double care for them and for yourself. I hope things are going to be easier now.”
”It will be a help in my work,” he a.s.sented. Then he added, with a sudden effort which showed how dear the subject was to his heart, ”I think I shall now have a few more lessons in counterpoint.”
”More?” Thayer said interrogatively.
”Yes; I had already studied for two years.”
”And you want to compose?”
”When I know enough. Not till then.”
”It takes something besides the knowing, to make a composer, Arlt,”
Thayer said warningly.
”I know. But I think I have something to say, when I am ready,” the boy answered, with simple directness.
”But, if you wanted to study counterpoint, why didn't you say so? You knew I would lend you the money.”
”Yes, you would give me everything; but I could never accept this.”
”Why not?”
Arlt looked up, and even Thayer, well as he knew him, was surprised at the sudden concentration of character in the boy's face.