reasons were given for his success, no one being willing to
believe that it was due to his merits as a teacher. Some said that he
recognised in a twinkling the weak points of the individual with whom
he had to deal. He humoured foibles, was tender of self-conceit. He
also flattered his pupils by giving them music that was beyond their
powers of execution: those, for instance, who had worked long and with
feeble interest at Czerny, Dussek and Hummel, were dazzled at the
prospect of Liszt and Chopin, which was suddenly thrust beneath their
eyes. Other ill-wishers believed that his chief bait was the musical
SOIREES he gave when a famous pianist came to the town. By virtue of
his journalistic position, he was personally acquainted with all the
great; they visited at his house, and his pupils had thus not merely
the opportunity of getting to know artists like Rubinstein and
d'Albert, and of hearing them play in private, but, what was more to
the point, of themselves taking part in the performance, and perhaps
receiving a golden word from the great man's lips. And though no huge
parchment scroll was forthcoming on the termination of one's studies,
yet Schrievers held the weapon of criticism in his hand, and, at the
first tentative public appearance of the young performer, could make or
mar as he chose. He lived on good terms, too, with his fellow-critics,
so that wire-pulling was easy--incomparably more so than were the
embarrassing visits, open to any snub, which were common if one was
only a pupil of the Conservatorium, and which, in the case of the
ladypupils, included costly bouquets of flowers.

Among those who had deserted Schwarz were some, like Miss Martin,
malcontents, who had flitted from place to place, and from master to
master, in the perpetual hope of discovering that ideal teacher who
would estimate them at their true worth. These were radiantly satisfied
with the change. Miss Martin bore, wherever she went, an octave-study
by Liszt, and flaunted it in the faces of her friends: and Miss Moses,
who had been under Bendel, could not say two sentences without throwing
in: "That Chopin ETUDE I studied last," or: "The Polonaise in E flat
I'm working at;" for, beforehand, she too had been a humble performer
of Haydn and Bertini. James had the prospect of playing a Concerto by
Liszt--forbidden fruit to the pupils of the Conservatorium--in one of
the concerts of the LISZTVEREIN, and was sure, in advance, of being
favou