was willing to press this point as far as
possible.

"I had imagined you would stop in London," he said. "Supposing under
these circumstances I refuse to live with you?"

"I should draw my own conclusion as to the sincerity of your profession
of duty towards your mother."

"And practically what would you do?" asked Michael.

"Your mother and I would go to Ashbridge tomorrow all the same."

Another alternative suddenly suggested itself to Michael which he was
almost ashamed of proposing, for it implied that his father put his own
convenience as outweighing any other consideration. But he saw that if
only Lord Ashbridge was selfish enough to consent to it, it had manifest
merits. His mother would be alone with him, free of the presence that so
disconcerted her.

"I propose, then," he said, "that she and I should remain in town, as
you want to be at Ashbridge."

He had been almost ashamed of suggesting it, but no such shame was
reflected in his father's mind. This would relieve him of the perpetual
embarrassment of his wife's presence, and the perpetual irritation of
Michael's. He had persuaded himself that he was making a tremendous
personal sacrifice in proposing that Michael should live with them, and
this relieved him of the necessity.

"Upon my word, Michael," he said, with the first hint of cordiality that
he had displayed, "that is very well thought of. Let us consider; it is
certainly the case that this derangement in your poor mother's mind has
caused her to take what I might almost call a dislike to me. I mentioned
that to Sir James, though it was very painful for me to do so, and he
said that it was a common and most distressing symptom of brain disease,
that the sufferer often turned against those he loved best. Your plan
would have the effect of removing that."

He paused a moment, and became even more sublimely fatuous.

"You, too," he said, "it would obviate the interruption of your work,
about which you feel so keenly. You would be able to go on with it. Of
myself, I don't think at all. I shall be lonely, no doubt, at Ashbridge,
but my own personal feelings must not be taken into account. Yes; it
seems to me a very sensible notion. We shall have to see what your
mother says to it. She might not like me to be away from her, in spite
of her apparent--er--dislike of me. It must all depend on her attitude.
But for my part I think very well of your scheme. Thank you, Michael,
for suggesting it."