CHAPTER V.

inaryhearers,andshehadbeenusedtounmingledapplause.Shehadtherareadvantageoflookingalmostprettierwhenshewassingingthanatothertimes,andthatHerrKlesmerwasinfrontofherseemednotdisagreeable.Hersong,determinedonbeforehand,wasafavoriteariaofBelini’s,inwhichshefeltquitesureofherself. “Charming!”saidMr.Arrowpoint,whohadremainednear,andthewordwasechoedaroundwithoutmoreinsinceritythanwerecognizeinabrotherlywayashuman.ButHerrKlesmerstoodlikeastatue—ifastatuecanbeimaginedinspectaclesatleast,hewasasmuteasastatue.Gwendolenwaspressedtokeepherseatanddoublethegeneralpleasure,andshedidnotwishtorefusebutbeforeresolvingtodoso,shemovedalittletowardHerrKlesmer,sayingwithalookofsmilingappeal,“Itwouldbetoocrueltoagreatmusician.Youcannotliketohearpooramateursinging.” “No,trulybutthatmakesnothing,”saidHerrKlesmer,suddenlyspeakinginanodiousGermanfashionwithstaccatoendings,quiteunobservableinhimbefore,andapparentlydependingonachangeofmood,asIrishmenresumetheirstrongestbroguewhentheyarefervidorquarrelsome.“Thatmakesnothing.Itisalwaysacceptabletoseeyousing.” Wasthereeversounexpectedanassertionofsuperiority—atleastbeforethelateTeutonicconquest?Gwendolencoloreddeeply,but,withherusualpresenceofmind,didnotshowanungracefulresentmentbymovingawayimmediatelyandMissArrowpoint,whohadbeennearenoughtooverhear(andalsotoobservethatHerrKlesmer’smodeoflookingatGwendolenwasmoreconspicuouslyadmiringthanwasquiteconsistentwithgoodtaste),nowwiththeutmosttactandkindnesscameclosetoherandsaid, “ImaginewhatIhavetogothroughwiththisprofessor!HecanhardlytolerateanythingweEnglishdoinmusic.Wecanonlyputupwithhisseverity,andmakeuseofittofindouttheworstthatcanbesaidofus.Itisalittlecomforttoknowthatandonecanbearitwheneveryoneelseisadmiring.” “Ishouldbeverymuchobligedtohimfortellingmetheworst,”saidGwendolen,recoveringherself.“IdaresayIhavebeenextremelyilltaught,inadditiontohavingnotalent—onlylikingformusic.”Thiswasverywellexpressedconsideringthatithadneverenteredhermindbefore. “Yes,itistrue:youhavenotbeenwelltaught,”saidHerrKlesmer,quietly.Womanwasdeartohim,butmusicwasdearer.“Still,youarenotquitewithoutgifts.Yousingintune,andyouhaveaprettyfairorgan.Butyouproduceyournotesbadlyandthatmusicwhichyousingisbeneathyou.Itisaformofmelodywhichexpressesapuerilestateofculture—adawdling,canting,see-sawkindofstuff—thepassionandthoughtofpeoplewithoutanybreadthofhorizon.Thereisasortofself-satisfiedfollyabouteveryphraseofsuchmelodynocriesofdeep,mysteriouspassion—noconflict—nosenseoftheuniversal.Itmakesmensmallastheylistentoit.Singnowsomethinglarger.AndIshallsee.” “Oh,notnow—by-and-by,”saidGwendolen,withasinkingofheartatthesuddenwidthofhorizonopenedroundhersmallmusicalperformance.Foraladydesiringtolead,thisfirstencounterinhercampaignwasstartling.Butshewasbentonnotbehavingfoolishly,andMissArrowpointhelpedherbysaying,“Yes,by-and-by.IalwaysrequirehalfanhourtogetupmycourageafterbeingcriticisedbyHerrKlesmer.Wewillaskhimtoplaytousnow:heisboundtoshowuswhatisgoodmusic.” TobequitesafeonthispointHerrKlesmerplayedacompositionofhisown,afantasiacalledFreudvoll,Leidvoll,Gedankenvoll—anextensivecommentaryonsomemelodicideasnottoogrosslyevidentandhecertainlyfetchedasmuchvarietyanddepthofpassionoutofthepianoasthatmoderatelyresponsiveinstrumentlendsitselfto,havinganimperiousmagicinhisfinger