peful. But you must
explain it all to your mother, and--and----" He stopped short, and then
went on resolutely. "I will not be ashamed. It is for my
mother--anything for her. It was only the feeling, my boy--but perhaps
you are too young to understand--the feeling that it was almost like
asking charity."

"I do understand," exclaimed Basil, "and I don't think I need tell
mother _yet_, Herr Wildermann. I don't want to promise again, and
perhaps not keep my promise. I'll just ask for the six lessons, and tell
mother I can't tell her why just yet. And then think how surprised
she'll be if I really do get on;" and the boy's eyes sparkled with
delight. But to Ulric's there came tears of thankfulness.

If Lady Iltyd suspected in part what had worked the change in Basil's
ideas and prompted his request, she was too wise to say so. His petition
for six lessons more was granted willingly, but not lightly.

"Do you really mean to profit by them, Basil?" she asked. "If so, I am
only too willing that you should go on and give yourself a fair trial."

"That is it, mother," said the boy eagerly, "I want to see, to try if I
can't do better. At least that is _partly_ it," he went on, for he had
already told her that he could not explain the whole just yet.

So poor Ulric Wildermann went home with a lighter heart than he had
expected. He hoped much from these six lessons, for it was evident that
Basil meant to put his heart into them.

"I need not tell my mother of my fears," thought Ulric to himself, "for
they may, after all, prove to be only fears, and what would be the use
of making her miserable in such a case?" And he was so bright and
cheerful that evening in the little sitting-room over the grocer's shop,
that even his mother's eyes failed to discover that he had had more than
usual anxiety that day.

One week, two weeks, three weeks passed. It was the day of the last of
the six lessons.

"Mother," said Basil that morning when he was starting for school. "I
have my violin lesson this afternoon when I come home, you know. Herr
Wildermann told me to ask you if you would come in to-day while I am
playing. Not at the beginning, please, but about half-way through. He
wants you to see if I am getting on better," and then, with a very happy
kiss, he was off.

Lady Iltyd had left Basil quite to himself about his violin these last
weeks. She had not _heard_ much of his practising, but she had noticed
that he got his school less