nder me."

"I suppose you're a Radical. They say you are," Grainger lazily
announced through puffed-out fumes of tobacco.

"I suppose I might be," said Michael, "if I wanted to proclaim myself
anything at all, but I'd much rather watch you sprawling effectively and
proclaiming yourself a supporter of Conservatism. I've really very
little inclination to criticize people like you. It's only in books I
think you're a little boring."

Term wore on, and a pleasurable anticipation was lent to the coming
vacation by a letter which Michael received from his mother.

CARLINGTON ROAD,

November 20th.

Dearest Michael,

I'm so glad you're still enjoying Oxford. I quite agree with you it
would be better for me to wait a little while before I visit you,
though I expect I should behave myself perfectly well. You'll be
glad to hear that I've got rid of this tiresome house. I've sold it
to a retired Colonel--such an objectionable old man, and I'm really
so pleased he's bought it. It has been a most worrying autumn
because the people next door were continually complaining of
Stella's piano, and really Carlington Road has become impossible.
Such an air of living next door, and whenever I look out of the
window the maid is shaking a mat and looking up to see if I'm
interested. We must try to settle on a new house when you're back
in town. We'll stay in a hotel for a while. Stella has had to take
a studio, which I do not approve of her doing, and I cannot bear to
see the piano going continually in and out of the house. There are
so many things I want to talk to you about--money, and whether you
would like to go to Paris during the holidays. I daresay we could
find a house at some other time.

Your loving

Mother.

From Stella about the same time, Michael also received a letter.

My dear old Michael,

I seem to have made really a personal success at my concert, and
I've taken a studio here because the man next door--a most
_frightful_ bounder--said the noise I made went through and through
his wife. As she's nearly as big round as the world, I wasn't
flattered. Mother is getting very fussy, and all sorts of strange
women come to the house and talk about some society for dealing
with Life with a capital letter. I think we're going to be rather
well off, and Mother wants to