Mirrorscape Read Online Free

succeed.”’
    Mel did not hear the rest of the letter or Fa Theum’s caveat that any apprenticeship depended on the agreement of his parents. He had been in an almost delirious state of excitement ever since, despite hisfather’s odd behaviour. Willem had not spoken another word to his family all day and went to bed without a glance at his wife and son.
    Now, unable to sleep, Mel tossed and turned on his straw pallet. His entire universe had spun on a great, invisible pivot and faced in a totally different direction from before. At breakfast he had been a happy enough boy who was good at drawing and who would grow up to become a tabby weaver like his father. By supper, another magnificent vista had opened up that held the promise of becoming an apprentice and, eventually, an artist who would spend all day, every day, doing what he loved most – making the most wonderful pictures. Mel’s deepest wish, a wish he had scarcely dared to admit even to himself, had actually come true.
    Obviously his parents could not sleep either, and their muffled voices rose and fell in the bedroom. Mel lay there in the darkness until his curiosity got the better of him. He just had to know what they were saying. He rose from his bed and crept towards their room.
    â€˜â€¦ not so loud, you’ll wake Mel,’ he heard his mother say as he placed his ear to the door.
    â€˜But how can you bear to be parted from him? If he went away we might not see him for years on end.’
    â€˜It’s just as hard for me as it is for you, but think of his future. He would get away from here, make something of his life.’
    â€˜And what do you mean by that?’ shot back Mel’s father. ‘Suddenly being a weaver isn’t good enough for him? Let me remind you that weaving puts food on the table. Weaving keeps a roof over our heads. He might go off to Vlam, spend years playing about with paints and never make it as an artist.’
    â€˜Will, you know as well as I do how talented he is. And Fa Theum, he wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble if there was no talent there.’
    â€˜Don’t talk to me about that interfering old priest, after he’s gone behind our backs like that. Why didn’t he discuss it with me first? I could have put an end to this nonsense then and there.’
    â€˜Mel’s shooting up,’ continued his father. ‘Soon his legs will be long enough to reach the treadles. I’ll build him his own loom and he can weave alongside me. Think what a difference that will make. Double thecloth, double the income. Why, we would be able to move out of this place into somewhere larger, with better light. I could buy the Pleasure to make finer cloth, and we could have the things we’ve dreamed of.’
    â€˜You think I would want that rather than Mel’s happiness?’
    His father blew out loudly in exasperation. ‘And then there’s Vlam. Do you know what goes on there? There’s drinking dens and worse. Do you know that?’
    â€˜No, Will, and neither do you. Neither of us has ever been more than ten miles from Kop.’
    â€˜But I’ve heard stories. I’ve got ears.’
    â€˜All I’m asking is that you think about it.’
    â€˜There’s nothing to think about. My mind’s made up.’
    Then the argument seemed to start again from the beginning. Mel stole back to bed. His mother would get her way. She always did. Well, nearly always.
    Eventually he dropped off to sleep and his dreams were full of fabulous hybrids romping about in the most glorious colour. In the morning he awoke with a wonderful feeling of elation and anticipation. Mel alsofelt more than a little guilty at being the cause of his father’s anger and the disharmony between his parents. Was he selfish to want to be an artist, to be so delighted about going away to distant Vlam?
    His father’s black mood lasted all the next day and into the one