don or for a provincial tour? I have
reason to think that the season will be particularly brilliant. And I can
now offer advantages----"

"But, Mr. Shinner, when I last saw you, and it isn't so very long ago, you
told me that my husband was not a concert-player, which was exactly what I
had heard in Paris."

"I didn't go quite so far as that, surely, did I?" Mr. Shinner softly
insinuated. He might have been pouring honey from his mouth. "Surely I
didn't say quite that? And perhaps I had been too much influenced by
Paris."

"Yes, you said he wasn't a concert-player and never would be----"

"Don't rub it in, madam," said Mr. Shinner merrily. "_Peccavi_."

"What's that?"

"Nothing, nothing, madam," he disclaimed.

"And you said there were far too many violinists on the market, and that it
was useless for a French player to offer himself to the London musical
public. And I don't know what you didn't say."

"But I didn't know then that your husband would have such a success in
Germany."

"What difference does that make?"

"Madam," said Mr. Shinner, "it makes every difference."

"But England and Germany hate each other. At least they despise each other.
And what's more, nearly everybody in Germany was talking about going to war
this summer. I was told they are all ready to invade England after they
have taken Paris and Calais. We heard it everywhere."

"I don't know anything about any war," said Mr. Shinner with tranquillity.
"But I do know that the London musical public depends absolutely on
Germany. The only first-class instrumentalist that England has ever
produced had no success here until he went to Germany and Germanised his
name and himself and announced that he despised England. Then he came back,
and he has caused a furore ever since. So far as regards London, a success
in Karlsruhe, Wiesbaden, Leipzig, Dusseldorf, and so on, is worth far more
than a success in the Queen's Hall. Indeed--can you get a success in the
Queen's Hall without a success in these places first? I doubt it. Your
husband now has London at his feet. Not Paris, though he may capture Paris
after he has captured London. But London certainly. He cannot find a better
agent than myself. All artists like me, because I _understand_. You see, my
mother was harpist to the late Queen."

"But----"

"Your husband is assuredly a genius, madam!" Mr. Shinner stood up in his
enthusiasm, and banged his left fist with his right palm.

"Yes, I kn