CHAPTER V

ItwillbegenerallyadmittedthatBeethoven’sFifthSymphonyisthemostsublimenoisethathaseverpenetratedintotheearofman.Allsortsandconditionsaresatisfiedbyit.WhetheryouarelikeMrs.Munt,andtapsurreptitiouslywhenthetunescome—ofcourse,notsoastodisturbtheothers—orlikeHelen,whocanseeheroesandshipwrecksinthemusic’sfloodorlikeMargaret,whocanonlyseethemusicorlikeTibby,whoisprofoundlyversedincounterpoint,andholdsthefullscoreopenonhiskneeorliketheircousin,FrauleinMosebach,whoremembersallthetimethatBeethovenisechtDeutschorlikeFrauleinMosebach’syoungman,whocanremembernothingbutFrauleinMosebach:inanycase,thepassionofyourlifebecomesmorevivid,andyouareboundtoadmitthatsuchanoiseischeapattwoshillings.Itischeap,evenifyouhearitintheQueen’sHall,dreariestmusic-roominLondon,thoughnotasdrearyastheFreeTradeHall,Manchesterandevenifyousitontheextremeleftofthathall,sothatthebrassbumpsatyoubeforetherestoftheorchestraarrives,itisstillcheap. “WhomisMargarettalkingto?”saidMrs.Munt,attheconclusionofthefirstmovement.ShewasagaininLondononavisittoWickhamPlace. Helenlookeddownthelonglineoftheirparty,andsaidthatshedidnotknow. “Woulditbesomeyoungmanorotherwhomshetakesaninterestin?” “Iexpectso,”Helenreplied.Musicenwrappedher,andshecouldnotenterintothedistinctionthatdividesyoungmenwhomonetakesaninterestinfromyoungmenwhomoneknows. “Yougirlsaresowonderfulinalwayshaving—Ohdear!onemustn’ttalk.” FortheAndantehadbegun—verybeautiful,butbearingafamilylikenesstoalltheotherbeautifulAndantesthatBeethovenhadwritten,and,toHelen’smind,ratherdisconnectingtheheroesandshipwrecksofthefirstmovementfromtheheroesandgoblinsofthethird.Sheheardthetunethroughonce,andthenherattentionwandered,andshegazedattheaudience,ortheorgan,orthearchitecture.MuchdidshecensuretheattenuatedCupidswhoencircletheceilingoftheQueen’sHall,incliningeachtoeachwithvapidgesture,andcladinsallowpantaloons,onwhichtheOctobersunlightstruck.“HowawfultomarryamanlikethoseCupids!”thoughtHelen.HereBeethovenstarteddecoratinghistune,sosheheardhimthroughoncemore,andthenshesmiledatherCousinFrieda.ButFrieda,listeningtoClassicalMusic,couldnotrespond.HerrLiesecke,too,lookedasifwildhorsescouldnotmakehiminattentivetherewerelinesacrosshisforehead,hislipswereparted,hispince-nezatrightanglestohisnose,andhehadlaidathick,whitehandoneitherknee.AndnexttoherwasAuntJuley,soBritish,andwantingtotap.Howinterestingthatrowofpeoplewas!Whatdiverseinfluenceshadgonetothemaking!HereBeethoven,afterhummingandhawingwithgreatsweetness,said“Heigho,”andtheAndantecametoanend.Applause,andaroundof“wunderschoning”andprachtvolleyingfromtheGermancontingent.MargaretstartedtalkingtohernewyoungmanHelensaidtoheraunt:“Nowcomesthewonderfulmovement:firstofallthegoblins,andthenatrioofelephantsdancing”andTibbyimploredthecompanygenerallytolookoutforthetransitionalpassageonthedrum. “Onthewhat,dear?” “Onthedrum,AuntJuley.” “Nolookoutforthepartwhereyouthinkyouhavedonewiththegoblinsandtheycomeback,”breathedHelen,asthemusicstartedwithagoblinwalkingquietlyovertheuniverse,fromendtoend.Othersfollowedhim.TheywerenotaggressivecreaturesitwasthatthatmadethemsoterribletoHelen.Theymerelyobservedinpassingthattherewasnosuchthingassplendourorheroismintheworld.Aftertheinterludeofelephantsdancing,theyreturnedandmadetheobservationforthesecondtime.Helencouldnotcontradictthem,for,onceatallevents,shehadfeltthesame,andhadseenthereliablewallsofyouthcollapse.Panicandemptiness!Panicandemptiness!Thegoblinswereright.Herbrotherraisedhisfingeritwasthetransitionalpassageonthedrum. For,asifthingsweregoingtoofar,Beethoventookholdofthegoblinsandmadethemdowhathewanted.Heappearedinperson.Hegavethemalittlepush,andtheybegantowalkinamajorkeyinsteadofinaminor,andthen—heblewwithhismouthandtheywerescattered!Gustsofsplendour,godsanddemigodscontendingwithvastswords,colourandfragrancebroadcastonthefieldofbattle,magnificentvictory,magnificentdeath!Oh,itallburstbeforethegirl,andsheevenstretchedoutherglovedhandsasifitwastangible.Anyfatewastitanicanycontestdesirableconquerorandconqueredwouldalikebeapplaudedbytheangelsoftheutmoststars. Andthegoblins—theyhadnotreallybeenthereatall?Theywereonlythephantomsofcowardiceandunbelief?Onehealthyhumanimpulsewoulddispelthem?MenliketheWilcoxes,orex-PresidentRoosevelt,wouldsayyes.Beethovenknewbetter.Thegoblinsreallyhadbeenthere.Theymightreturn—andtheydid.Itwasasifthesplendouroflifemightboiloverandwastetosteamandfroth.Initsdissolutiononeheardthete