er them in his young friend's
behoof like a hero. They bored him unspeakably, and the performance
lasted half an hour. When it was all over he beat his withered white
hands together once or twice, and smiled in self-gratulation that his
time of suffering was over.

"Admirably rendered!" cried Ferdinand; "admirably--admirably rendered.
Will you forgive me just a hint, sir?" He addressed Sennacherib. "A
leetle more light and shade! A performance less level in tone."

"P'raps the young man'll show us how to do it," said Sennacherib, in a
dry, mock humility, handing his fiddle and bow towards the critic.

The critic accepted them with a manner charmingly unconscious of the
intended satire, and walked round the table until he came behind Reuben,
when he turned back the music for a leaf or two.

"Here, for example," he said, and tucking the instrument beneath his
chin, played through a score of bars with a certain exaggerated _chic_
which awakened Sennacherib's derision.

"What dost want to writhe i' that fashion for?" he demanded. "Dost find
thine inwards twisted? It's a pretty tone, though," he allowed. "The
young man can fiddle. Strikes me, young master, as thee'dst do better at
the Hopera than the House o' Commons. Tek a fool's advice and try."

Ferdinand smiled with genuine good-humor. This insolent old personage
began to amuse him.

"Really I don't know, sir," he answered. "Perhaps I may do pretty well
in the House of Commons, if you will be good enough to try me. One can't
please everybody, but I promise to do my best."

"The best can do no more," said Fuller, in a mellow, peace-making kind
of murmur; "the best can do no more."

"I've no mind for that theer whisperin' and shout-in' in the course of
a piece of music," said Sennacherib. "Pianner is pianner, and forte is
forte, but theer's no call to strain a man's ears to listen to the one,
nor to drive him deaf with t'other. Same time, if the young gentleman
'ud like to come an' gi'e us a lesson now and then we'd tek it."

"I'm not able to give you lessons, sir," returned Mr. De Blacquaire,
with unshaken good-humor; "but if you'll allow me to take one now and
then by listening, I shall be delighted."

"Nothin' agen that, is theer, Mr. Fuller?" demanded Sennacherib.

"Allays pleased to see the young gentleman," responded Fuller.

"When may I come to listen to you again, gentlemen?" asked Ferdinand.
His manner was full of _bonhomie_ now, and had no trace of