Ecstasy Read Free Page A

know.”
    “That is just what is fine.”
    “No, no! You have to know the names and principles and classifications. You must have that in everything. I shall never learn technique; I can’t do anything.”
    He closed his eyes a moment; a look of sadness flitted across his restless face.
    “You know, a piano is so … so big, such a piece of furniture, isn’t it? But a violin, oh, how delightful! You hold it to you like this, against your neck, almost against your heart; it is almost part of you, and you caress it, like this, you could almost kiss it! You feel the soul of the violin throbbing inside the wood, and then you only have a string or two, which sing everything.
    “Jules …” Amélie began.
    “And, oh, Auntie, a harp! A harp, like this, between your legs, a harp which you embrace with both your arms: a harp is just like an angel, with long golden hair. Ah, I have never yet played on a harp!”
    “Jules, leave off!” cried Amélie, angrily. “You drive me silly with that nonsense! I wonder you are not ashamed, before Mr Quaerts.”
    “Before Taco? Do you think I have anything to be ashamed of, Taco?” said Jules in surprise.
    “Of course not, my boy.”
    The sound of his voice was like a caress. Cecile looked at him, astonished; she would have expected him to make fun of Jules. She did not understand him, but she disliked him very much, so healthy and strong, with his energetic face and his fine expressive mouth, so differentfrom Amélie and Jules and herself.
    “Of course not, my boy.”
    Jules looked up at his mother contemptuously …
    “You see! Taco is a good chap.” He twisted his stool round towards Quaerts, laying his head against his knee.
    “Jules!”
    “Pray let him be, Mevrouw.”
    “Everyone spoils that boy …”
    “Except yourself,” said Jules.
    “I,” cried Amélie, indignantly. “I spoil you out and out! I wish I could send you to the Indies! Then you would be more of a man! But I can’t do it; and your father spoils you too. I don’t know what will become of you!”
    “What is to become of you, Jules?” asked Quaerts.
    “I don’t know. I mustn’t go to college, I am too weak a chap to do much work.”
    “Would you like to go to the Indies someday?”
    “Yes, with you. Not alone; oh, to be alone, always alone! I shall always be alone, it is terrible to be alone!”
    “But, Jules, you are not alone now,” said Cecile.
    “Oh, yes, yes, in myself I am alone, always alone …” he pressed himself against Quaerts’ knee.
    “Jules, don’t talk so stupidly,” cried Amelie, nervously.
    “Yes, yes!” said Jules, with a sudden half sob. “I will hold my tongue! But don’t talk about me!” He locked his hands and implored them, dread in his face. They all stared at him, but he buried his face in Quaerts’ knees, as though deadly frightened of something …

IV
    Anna had played execrably, to Suzette’s despair: she could not even remember the trumps! and Dolf called to his wife:
    “Amélie, do come in for a rubber; at least if Quaerts does not wish to. You can’t give your daughter very many points, but you are not quite so bad!”
    “I would rather stay and talk to Mrs Van Even,” said Quaerts.
    “Go and play without minding me, if you prefer, Mr Quaerts,” said Cecile, in a cold voice, as towards someone she utterly disliked.
    Amélie dragged herself away with an unhappy face. She, too, did not play a brilliant game, and Suzette always lost her temper when she made mistakes.
    “I have so long been hoping to make your acquaintance, Mevrouw, that I should not like to miss the opportunity tonight,” answered Quaerts.
    She looked at him: it troubled her that she could not understand him. She knew him to be somewhat of a
gallant
. There were stories in which the name of a married woman was coupled with his. Did he wish to try his blandishments upon her? She had no hankering for that sort of pastime; she had never cared for flirtations.
    “Why?” she asked,