auty?"

The musician, eying it keenly, replied: "Yes, it is, but not the kind
of violin I play on."

"Oh, I see," carelessly observed the other, "you refer to that extra
string."

"Yes," answered the puzzled violinist, examining it closely.

"Allow me to explain the peculiar characteristics of this magnificent
instrument," said his satanic majesty. "This string," pointing to the
G, "is the string of pity; this one," referring to the third, "is the
string of hope; this," plunking the A, "is attuned to love, while this
one, the E string, gives forth sounds of joy.

"You will observe," went on the visitor, noting the intense interest
displayed by the violinist, "that the position of the strings is the
same as on any other violin, and therefore will require no additional
study on your part."

"But that extra string?" interrupted Diotti, designating the middle one
on the violin, a vague foreboding rising within him.

"That," said Mephistopheles, solemnly, and with no pretense of
sophistry, "is the string of death, and he who plays upon it dies at
once."

"The--string--of--death!" repeated the violinist almost inaudibly.

"Yes, the string of death," Satan repeated, "and he who plays upon it
dies at once. But," he added cheerfully, "that need not worry you. I
noticed a marvelous facility in your arm work. Your staccato and
spiccato are wonderful. Every form of bowing appears child's play to
you. It will be easy for you to avoid touching the string."

"Why avoid it? Can it not be cut off?"

"Ah, that's the rub. If you examine the violin closely you will find
that the string of death is made up of the extra lengths of the other
four strings. To cut it off would destroy the others, and then pity,
hope, love and joy would cease to exist in the soul of the violin."

"How like life itself," Diotti reflected, "pity, hope, love, joy end in
death, and through death they are born again."

"That's the idea, precisely," said Satan, evidently relieved by
Diotti's logic and quick perception.

The violinist examined the instrument with the practised eye of an
expert, and turning to Satan said: "The four strings are beautifully
white and transparent, but this one is black and odd looking.

"What is it wrapped with?" eagerly inquired Diotti, examining the death
string with microscopic care.

"The fifth string was added after an unfortunate episode in the Garden
of Eden, in which I was somewhat concerned," said Satan, sobe