Then he answered.
"Both for her sake and for the sake of all of you," he had said, "one hopes that it will be swift." Lord Ashbridge had just telephoned that he was coming round to see Michael, a message that considerably astonished him, since it would have been more in his manner, in the unlikely event of his wishing to see his son, to have summoned him to the house in Curzon Street.

However, he had announced his advent, and thus, waiting for him, and not much concerning himself about that, Michael let the future map itself.

Already it was sharply defined, its boundaries and limits were clear, and though it was yet untravelled it presented to him a familiar aspect, and he felt that he could find his allotted road without fail, though he had never yet traversed it.

It was strongly marked; there could be no difficulty or question about it.

Indeed, a week ago, when first the recognition of his mother's condition, with the symptoms attached to it, was known to him, he had seen the signpost that directed him into the future.
Lord Ashbridge made his usual flamboyant entry, prancing and swinging his elbows.