Giant’s Bread · Book III · I · Chapter 3 1 1

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.

“I’ve fixed it up, Jane,” he said. “Radmaager is coming here to see you some time tomorrow. He prefers to do that, it seems.”

“ ‘Come, tell me how you live, he cried,’ ” quoted Jane. “Well, I’m living very nicely and respectably, entirely alone! Do you want something to eat, Sebastian?”

“If there is anything?”

“There are scrambled eggs and mushrooms, anchovy toast and black coffee if you’ll sit here peaceably while I get them.”

She put the cigarette box and the matches beside him and left the room. In a quarter of an hour, the meal was ready.

“I like coming to see you, Jane,” said Sebastian. “You never treat me as a bloated young Jew to whom only the flesh pots of the Savoy would make appeal.”

Jane smiled without speaking.

Presently she said: “I like your girl, Sebastian.”

“Joe?”

“Yes, Joe.”

Sebastian said gruffly: “What⁠—what do you really think of her?”

Again Jane paused before answering.

“So young,” she said at last. “So terribly young.”

Sebastian chuckled.

“She’d be very angry if she heard you.”

“Probably.” After a minute she said: “You care for her very much, don’t you, Sebastian?”

“Yes. It’s odd, isn’t it, Jane, how little all the things you’ve got matter? I’ve 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 doesn’t make a bit of difference! What’s the difference between Joe and a hundred other girls? Very little. And yet she’s the only thing in the world that matters to me just now.”

“Partly because you can’t get her.”

“Perhaps. But I don’t think that’s so entirely.”

“Neither do I.”

“What do you think of Vernon?” asked Sebastian, after a pause.

Jane changed her position, shading her face from the fire.

“He’s interesting,” she said slowly, “partly, I think, because he is so completely unambitious.”

“Unambitious, do you think?”

“Yes. He wants things made easy.”

“If so, he’ll never do anything in music. You want driving power for that.”

“Yes, you want driving power. But music will be the power that drives him!”

Sebastian looked up, his face alight and appreciative.

“Do you know, Jane?” he said. “I believe you’re right!”

She smiled but made no answer.

“I wish I knew what to make of the girl he’s engaged to,” said Sebastian.

“What is she like?”

“Pretty. Some people might call it lovely⁠—but I’d call it pretty. She does the things that other people do, and does them very sweetly. She’s not a cat. I’m afraid⁠—yes, I am afraid now, that she definitely cares for Vernon.”

“You needn’t be afraid. Your pet genius won’t be turned aside or held down. That doesn’t happen. I’m more than ever sure, every day I live, that that doesn’t happen.”

“Nothing would turn you aside, Jane, but then you have got driving power.”

“And yet, do you know, Sebastian, I believe I should be more easily ‘turned aside’ as you call it, than your Vernon? I know what I want and go for it⁠—he doesn’t know what he wants, or rather doesn’t want it, but it goes for him.⁠ ⁠… And that It whatever It is, will be served⁠—no matter at what cost.”

“Cost to whom?”

“Ah! I wonder.⁠ ⁠…”

Sebastian rose.

“I must go. Thanks for feeding me, Jane.”

“Thank you for what you’ve done for me with Radmaager. You’re a very good friend, Sebastian. And I don’t think success will ever spoil you.”

“Oh! success⁠ ⁠…” He held out his hand.

She laid both hands on his shoulders and kissed him.

“My dear, I hope you will get your Joe. But if not I am quite sure you will get everything else!”