He had cultivated not a little what gift he had, but it was only a small power, not of production, but of mere reproduction like that of Cornelius, though both finer and stronger in quality.

On his way home he brooded over the delight of having his best songs sung by such a singer as Hester. From that night he fancied he had received a new revelation of what music was and could do, confessing to himself that a similar experience within the next fortnight would send him over head and ears in love with Hester—which must not be! Cornelius went half way with him.

“But why did you never tell me your sister was such a singer?” asked Vavasor

“Do you think so? She ought to feel very flattered! Why I didn’t tell you?—Oh, I don’t know. I never heard her sing like that before. I suppose it was because you were there. A brother’s nobody, you know.”

This flattered Vavasor, as how should it not? So he continued to go as often as he dared—that is, almost every night—to the Raymounts’ lodging. But, as he thought, having discovered and learned thoroughly to understand her special passion, he was careful not to bring any of his own slight windy things of leaf-blowing poems under Hester’s notice. It was not that he thought them such, but that he judged it prudent to postpone the pleasure of her singing them. She would require no small amount of training before she could quite enter into the spirit and special merit of them! He knew a good song, sometimes, when he heard it, and had himself a very tolerable voice and knew not a little about music.

Therefore, it came about by degrees that he found himself, to his satisfaction, relating to her as a pupil to a teacher. Hester gave herself to improving the quality of his singing—his style, his expression, and his tone. The relation between them became one which, had it then lasted, might have soon led to something like genuine intimacy. At least it might have led to some truer notion on the part of each of the kind of being the other was.

But the day of separation arrived first. And it was only on his way back to London that Vavasor began to discover what a hold the sister of his fellow-clerk had taken of his thoughts—indeed, of his heart, the existence of which organ he had never before had any very convincing proof.

—Seven —

Hester and Amy

Hester did not miss Vavasor quite so much as he hoped she might, or as much, perhaps, as he believed she did. She had been interested in him mainly because she found him both receptive and capable of development in the area of music—ready to understand, that is, and willing to be taught. To have such a man listen with respect to every word she said could not fail to be pleasant, even flattering to her. It is unfortunate how often a brother such as Cornelius and his rude behaviour at home will lead a sister such as Hester to place a higher value upon the civility of other men than they deserve. But the nearer persons come to each other in a family setting, the greater is the room and more are the occasions for courtesy.