Volume I Part 13 (1/2)
”So it is”
”And some tenor or other”
”Mr Newton, I daresay; he leads all the others”
”I think it was And you, Charles, he wishes to take, for he says your alto voice is very beautiful You will do your best, I know”
”I would do _anything_ to hear a great violin-player”
And full of the novel notion, I fell asleep much sooner than I did (as a child) when no excitement was beforeessentially an unworldly person, had, I think, given up the cherished idea of reat mercantile character, and even the expectation that I should take kindly to the prospective partnershi+p with Fred; for certainly she allowed me to devote more time to my reat deal to that sister of mine, and particularly the early acquaintance I ht ured basses a little, to read elementary books, and to write upon a ruled slate simple studies in harmony
Hardly conscious who helped me on, I was helped very far indeed Other uided in the first toneless symbols and effects of tone by the hand, the voice, the brain of woenerally been fairl NeverI was in progress, said nome himself, and indeed it was unnecessary I was certainly rather surprised at my mother's permission for me to accompany him to the Redferns', first and chiefly because I had never visited any house she did not frequent herself, and she had never been even introduced to this fae pew at church, and I was rather fond of watching theentry For all the while I conceived I should be a visitor, and that each of us would be on the sa to accompany Davy, I should have becoreat party met at a fashi+onable house; but as it was, it did but conceal for lorious unknown, and I exulted while I trembled a little at my secret heart
But I went to my master as he had requested, and he let ain that delicious tea, and it exhilarated me as on the first occasion Upstairs, in the little room, was Miss Benette
She was dressed as usual, but I thought she had never worn anything yet so beco as that plain black silk frock The beautiful china was upon the table, now placed for three; and child as I was, I could not but feel most exquisitely the loveliness of that si and so convenient the association of three ages so incongruous
There are few girls of fourteen who are wonity that appertains to wohest development, and there are feomen who retain the perfu around Clara in every lance; and _those_ adorned her as with regality,--a regality to which one is born, not hich one has been invested She did not make tea for Davy, nor did she interfere with his little arrangements; but she sat by me and talked to me spontaneously, while she only spoke when he questioned, or listened while he spoke
There was perfect serenity upon her face,--yes! just the serenity of a cloudless heaven; and had I been older, I should have whispered to myself that her peace of soul was all safe, so far as he was concerned But I did not think about it, though I ht naturally have done so, for I was romantic to intensity, even as a boy
”How is Miss Lemark?” I suddenly inquired, while Davy was in the other little rooot to mention that my surmise ell founded,--he _had_ no servant
”She is much better, thank you, or I should not have come here The flowers look very fresh to-day, and she lies where she can see theet up?”
”I have persuaded her to reets up they will h for that yet”
Davy here returned, and we began to sing We had a delicious hour In that small room Clara's voice was no ht in its entrance to a tiny cell,--that glory which itself is the day of heaven She sang with the most rarefied softness, and I quite realized how infinitely she was my superior in art no less than by nature
What we chiefly worked upon were glees, single quartet pieces, and an anthem; but last of all, Davy produced two duets for soprano and alto,--one from Purcell, the other fro one of the Ha Kaiser, which ourwith us in all the four-parted pieces, sir?” I ventured to ask during the symphony of this last
”Yes, certainly; and I shall accos do not be afraid, nor trouble yourselves the least about singing in coh roo is so difficult as to sing in a small room like this”
”I do not find it so difficult, sir,” said Clara, gravely
”That is because, Miss Benette, you have already had your voice under perfect control for months You have been accustomed to practise nine hours a day without an instru as such necessity”
”Yes, sir, it is very good, but not so char with your sweet piano”