English
Thesilencethatensuedwasbrokenbythevoiceofthemusicalyounglady,whohadseatedherselfnearus,andwasconversingwithoneofthenewly-arrivedguests.
“Well!”shesaidinatoneofscornfulsurprise.Wearetohavesomethingnewinthewayofmusic,itappears!”
Ilookedroundforanexplanation,andwasnearlyasmuchastonishedasthespeakerherself:itwasSylviewhomLadyMurielwasleadingtothepiano!
“Dotryit,mydarling!”shewassaying.“I’msureyoucanplayverynicely!”
Sylvielookedroundatme,withtearsinhereyes.
Itriedtogiveheranencouragingsmile,butitwasevidentlyagreatstrainonthenervesofachildsowhollyunusedtobemadeanexhibitionof,andshewasfrightenedandunhappy.
Yetherecameouttheperfectsweetnessofherdisposition:Icouldseethatshewasresolvedtoforgetherself,anddoherbesttogivepleasuretoLadyMurielandherfriends.
Sheseatedherselfattheinstrument,andbeganinstantly.
Timeandexpression,sofarasonecouldjudge,wereperfect:buthertouchwasoneofsuchextraordinarylightnessthatitwasatfirstscarcelypossible,throughthehumofconversationwhichstillcontinued,tocatchanoteofwhatshewasplaying.
Butinaminutethehumhaddiedawayintoabsolutesilence,andweallsat,entrancedandbreathless,tolistentosuchheavenlymusicasnonethenpresentcouldeverforget.
Hardlytouchingthenotesatfirst,sheplayedasortofintroductioninaminorkey—likeanembodiedtwilight;onefeltasthoughthelightsweregrowingdim,andamistwerecreepingthroughtheroom.
Thenthereflashedthroughthegatheringgloomthefirstfewnotesofamelodysolovely,sodelicate,thatoneheldone’sbreath,fearfultoloseasinglenoteofit.
Everandagainthemusicdroppedintothepatheticminorkeywithwhichithadbegun,and,eachtimethatthemelodyforceditsway,sotospeak,throughtheenshroudinggloomintothelightofday,itwasmoreentrancing,moremagicallysweet.
Undertheairytouchofthechild,theinstrumentactuallyseemedtowarble,likeabird.
“Riseup,mylove,myfairone,”itseemedtosing,“andcomeaway!
Forlothewinterispast,therainisoverandgone;theflowersappearontheearth,thetimeofthesingingofbirdsiscome!”
Onecouldfancyoneheardthetinkleofthelastfewdrops,shakenfromthetreesbyapassinggust—thatonesawthefirstglitteringraysofthesun,breakingthroughtheclouds.
TheCounthurriedacrosstheroomingreatexcitement.
“Icannotremembermyself”,heexclaimed,“ofthenameofthissocharminganair!Itisofanoperamostsurely.
Yetnotevenwilltheoperaremindhisnametome!Whatyoucallhim,dearchild?”
Sylvielookedroundathimwitharaptexpressionofface.
Shehadceasedplaying,butherfingersstillwanderedfitfullyoverthekeys.
Allfearandshynesshadquitepassedawaynow,andnothingremainedbutthepurejoyofthemusicthathadthrilledourhearts.
“Thetitleofit!”theCountrepeatedimpatiently.“Howcallyoutheopera?”
“Idon’tknowwhatanoperais,”Sylviehalf-whispered.
“How,then,callyoutheair?”
“Idon’tknowany,nameforit,”Sylviereplied,assherosefromtheinstrument.
“Butthisismarvellous!”exclaimedtheCount,followingthechild,andaddressinghimselftome,asifIweretheproprietorofthismusicalprodigy,andsomustknowtheoriginofhermusic.
“Youhaveheardherplaythis,sooner—Iwouldsay‘beforethisoccasion’?Howcallyoutheair?”
Ishookmyhead:butwassavedfrommorequestionsbyLadyMuriel,whocameuptopetitiontheCountforasong.
TheCountspreadouthishandsapologetically,andduckedhishead.
“But,Milady,Ihavealreadyrespected—Iwouldsayprospected—allyoursongs;andthereshallbenonefittedtomyvoice!Theyarenotforbassovoices!”
“Wo’n’tyoulookatthemagain?”LadyMurielimplored.
“Let’shelphim!”BrunowhisperedtoSylvie.“Let’sgethim—youknow!”
Sylvienodded.“Shallwelookforasongforyou?shesaidsweetlytotheCount.
“Maisoui!”thelittlemanexclaimed.
“Ofcoursewemay!”saidBruno,while,eachtakingahandofthedelightedCount,theyledhimtothemusic-stand.
“Thereisstillhope!”saidLadyMurieloverhershoulder,asshefollowedthem.
Iturnedto“MeinHerr”,hopingtoresumeourinterruptedconversation.
“Youwereremarking—”Ibegan:butatthismomentSylviecametocallBrunowhohadreturnedtomyside,lookingunusuallyserious“Docome,Bruno!”sheentreated.“Youknowwe’venearlyfoundit!”
Then,inawhisper,“Thelocket’sinmyhand,now.
Icouldn’tgetitoutwhiletheywerelooking!”
ButBrunodrewback.“Themancalledmenames,”hesaidwithdignity.
“Whatnames?”Ienquiredwithsomecuriosity.
“Iaskedhim”,saidBruno,“whichsortofsongheliked.
Andhesaid‘Asongofaman,notofalady’.
AndIsaid‘ShallSylvieandmefindyouthesongofMisterTottlesAndhesaid‘Wait,eel!’AndI’mnotaneel,ooknow!”
“I’msurehedidn’tmeanit!”Sylviesaidearnestly.“It’ssomethingFrench—youknowheca’n’ttalkEnglishsowellas—”
Brunorelentedvisibly.“Courseheknowsnobetter,he’sFlench!FlenchmennevercanspeakEnglishgoodlyasus!”AndSylvieledhimaway,awillingcaptive.
“Nicechildren!”saidtheoldman,takingoffhisspectaclesandrubbingthemcarefully.
Thenheputthemonagain,andwatchedwithanapprovingsmile,whilethechildrentossedovertheheapofmusic,andwejustcaughtSylvie’sreprovingwords,“We’renotmakinghay,Bruno!”
“Thishasbeenalonginterruptiontoourconversation,”Isaid.“Prayletusgoon!”
“Willingly!”repliedthegentleoldman.
“Iwasmuchinterestedinwhatyou—”Hepausedamoment,andpassedhishanduneasilyacrosshisbrow.“Oneforgets,”hemurmured.“WhatwasIsaying?Oh!Somethingyouweretotellme.Yes.
Whichofyourteachersdoyouvaluethemosthighly,thosewhosewordsareeasilyunderstood,orthosewhopuzzleyouateveryturn?”
Ifeltobligedtoadmitthatwegenerallyadmiredmosttheteacherswecouldn’tquiteunderstand.
“Justso,”saidMeinHerr.“That’sthewayitbegins.
Well,wewereatthatstagesomeeightyyearsago—orwasitninety?
Ourfavouriteteachergotmoreobscureeveryyear;andeveryyearweadmiredhimmore—justasyourArt-fancierscallmistthefairestfeatureinalandscape,andadmireaviewwithfranticdelightwhentheycanseenothing!NowI’lltellyouhowitended.
ItwasMoralPhilosophythatouridollecturedon.
Well,hispupilscouldn’tmakeheadortailofit,buttheygotitallbyheart;and,whenExamination-timecametheywroteitdown;andtheExaminerssaid‘Beautiful!Whatdepth!’”
“Butwhatgoodwasittotheyoungmenafterwards?”
“Why,don’tyousee?”repliedMeinHerr.
“Theybecameteachersintheirturn,andtheysaidallthesethingsoveragain;andtheirpupilswroteitalldown;andtheExaminersacceptedit;andnobodyhadtheghostofanideawhatitallmeant!”
“Andhowdiditend?”
“Itendedthisway.Wewokeuponefineday,andfoundtherewasnooneintheplacethatknewanythingaboutMoralPhilosophy.
Soweabolishedit,teachers,classes,examiners,andall.
Andifanyonewantedtolearnanythingaboutit,hehadtomakeitoutforhimself,andafteranothertwentyyearsorsotherewereseveralmenthatreallyknewsomethingaboutit!Nowtellmeanotherthing.
Howlongdoyouteachayouthbeforeyouexaminehim,inyourUniversities?”
Itoldhimthreeorfouryears.
“Justso,justwhatwedid!”heexclaimed.
“Wetaughtthemabit,and,justastheywerebeginningtotakeitin,tookitalloutagain!
Wepumpedourwellsdrybeforetheywereaquarterfull—westrippedourorchardswhiletheappleswerestillinblossom—weappliedtheseverelogicofarithmetictoourchickens,whilepeacefullyslumberingintheirshells!
Doubtlessit’stheearlybirdthatpicksuptheworm—butifthebirdgetsupsooutrageouslyearlythatthewormisstilldeepunderground,whatthenisitschanceofabreakfast?”
Notmuch,Iadmitted.
“Nowseehowthatworks!”hewentoneagerly.“Ifyouwanttopumpyourwellssosoon—andIsupposeyoutellmethatiswhatyoumustdo?”
“Wemust,”Isaid.“Inanover-crowdedcountrylikethis,nothingbutCompetitiveExaminations—”
MeinHerrthrewuphishandswildly.“What,again?”hecried.
“Ithoughtitwasdead,fiftyyearsago!
OhthisUpastreeofCompetitiveExaminations!
Beneathwhosedeadlyshadealltheoriginalgenius,alltheexhaustiveresearch,alltheuntiringlife-longdiligencebywhichourfore-fathershavesoadvancedhumanknowledge,mustslowlybutsurelywitheraway,andgiveplacetoasystemofCookery,inwhichthehumanmindisasausage,andallweaskis,howmuchindigestiblestuffcanbecrammedintoit!”
Always,aftertheseburstsofeloquence,heseemedtoforgethimselfforamoment,andonlytoholdontothethreadofthoughtbysomesingleword.“Yes,crammed,”herepeated.
‘’Wewentthroughallthatstageofthedisease—haditbad,Iwarrantyou!
Ofcourse,astheExaminationwasallinall,wetriedtoputinjustwhatwaswanted—andthegreatthingtoaimatwas,thattheCandidateshouldknowabsolutelynothingbeyondtheneedsoftheExamination!
Idon’tsayitwaseverquiteachieved:butoneofmyownpupils(pardonanoldman’segotism)cameverynearit.
AftertheExamination,hementionedtomethefewfactswhichheknewbuthadnotbeenabletobringin,andIcanassureyoutheyweretrivial,Sir,absolutelytrivial!”
Ifeeblyexpressedmysurpriseanddelight.
Theoldmanbowed,withagratifiedsmile,andproceeded.
“Atthattime,noonehadhitonthemuchmorerationalplanofwatchingfortheindividualscintillationsofgenius,andrewardingthemastheyoccurred.
Asitwas,wemadeourunfortunatepupilintoaLeyden-jar,chargedhimuptotheeyelids—thenappliedtheknobofaCompetitiveExamination,anddrewoffonemagnificentspark,whichveryoftencrackedthejar!Whatmatteredthat?
Welabeledit‘FirstClassSpark’,andputitawayontheshelf.”
“Butthemorerationalsystem—?”Isuggested.
“Ah,yes!thatcamenext.
Insteadofgivingthewholerewardoflearninginonelump,weusedtopayforeverygoodanswerasitoccurred.
HowwellIrememberlecturinginthosedays,withaheapofsmallcoinsatmyelbow!Itwas‘Averygoodanswer,Mr.Jones!’(thatmeantashilling,mostly).‘Bravo,Mr.Robinson!’(thatmeanthalf-a-crown).NowI’lltellyouhowthatworked.
Notonesinglefactwouldanyofthemtakein,withoutafee!
Andwhenacleverboycameupfromschool,hegotpaidmoreforlearningthanwegotpaidforteachinghim!Thencamethewildestcrazeofall.”
“What,anothercraze?”Isaid.
“It’sthelastone,”saidtheoldman.“Imusthavetiredyououtwithmylongstory.
EachCollegewantedtogetthecleverboys:soweadoptedasystemwhichwehadheardwasverypopularinEngland:theCollegescompetedagainsteachother,andtheboysletthemselvesouttothehighestbidder!Whatgeesewewere!
Why,theywereboundtocometotheUniversitysomehow.Weneedn’thavepaid‘em!
AndallourmoneywentingettingcleverboystocometooneCollegeratherthananother!
Thecompetitionwassokeen,thatatlastmeremoney-paymentswerenotenough.
AnyCollege,thatwishedtosecuresomespeciallycleveryoungman,hadtowaylayhimattheStation,andhunthimthroughthestreets.
Thefirstwhotouchedhimwasallowedtohavehim.”
“Thathunting-downofthescholars,astheyarrived,musthavebeenacuriousbusiness,”Isaid.“Couldyougivemesomeideaofwhatitwaslike?”
“Willingly!”saidtheoldman.
“IwilldescribetoyoutheverylastHuntthattookplace,beforethatformofSport(foritwasactuallyreckonedamongtheSportsoftheday:wecalledit‘Cub-Hunting’)wasfinallyabandoned.
Iwitnesseditmyself,asIhappenedtobepassingbyatthemoment,andwaswhatwecalled‘inatthedeath’.Icanseeitnow!”
hewentoninanexcitedtone,gazingintovacancywiththoselargedreamyeyesofhis“Itseemslikeyesterday;andyetithappened—”Hecheckedhimselfhastily,andtheremainingwordsdiedawayintoawhisper.
“Howmanyyearsagodidyousay?”Iasked,muchinterestedintheprospectofatlastlearningsomedefinitefactinhishistory.
“Manyyearsago,”hereplied.“ThesceneattheRailway-Stationhadbeen(sotheytoldme)oneofwildexcitement.
EightornineHeadsofCollegeshadassembledatthegates(noonewasallowedinside),andtheStation-Masterhaddrawnalineonthepavement,andinsistedontheirallstandingbehindit.Thegateswereflungopen!
Theyoungmandartedthroughthem,andfledlikelightningdownthestreet,whiletheHeadsofCollegesactuallyyelledwithexcitementoncatchingsightofhim!
TheProctorgavetheword,intheoldstatutoryform,’Semel!Bis!Ter!Currite!’,andtheHuntbegan!Oh,itwasafinesight,believeme!
AtthefirstcornerhedroppedhisGreekLexicon:furtheron,hisrailway-rug:thenvarioussmallarticles:thenhisumbrella:lastlywhatIsupposeheprizedmost,hishand-bag;butthegamewasup:thesphericalPrincipalof—of—”
“OfwhichCollege?”Isaid.
“—ofoneoftheColleges”,heresumed,“hadputintooperationtheTheory—hisowndiscovery—ofAcceleratedVelocity,andcapturedhimjustoppositetowhereIstood.
Ishallneverforgetthatwildbreathlessstruggle!Butitwassoonover.
Onceinthosegreatbonyhands;escapewasimpossible!”
“MayIaskwhyyouspeakofhimasthe’spherical’Principal?”Isaid.
“Theepithetreferredtohisshape,whichwasaperfectsphere.
Youareawarethatabullet,anotherinstanceofaperfectsphere,whenfallinginaperfectlystraightline,moveswithAcceleratedVelocity?”
Ibowedassent.
“Well,mysphericalfriend(asIamproudtocallhim)sethimselftoinvestigatethecausesofthis.Hefoundthemtobethree.One;thatitisaperfectsphere.Twothatitmovesinastraightline.
Three;thatitsdirectionisnotupwards.
Whenthesethreeconditionsarefulfilled,yougetAcceleratedVelocity.”
“Hardly,”Isaid:“ifyouwillexcusemydifferingfromyou.Supposeweapplythetheorytohorizontalmotion.Ifabulletisfiredhorizontally,it—”
“—itdoesnotmoveinastraightline,”hequietlyfinishedmysentenceforme.
“Iyieldthepoint,”Isaid.“Whatdidyourfrienddonext?”
“Thenextthingwastoapplythetheory,asyourightlysuggest,tohorizontalmotion.
Butthemovingbody,evertendingtofall,needsconstantsupport,ifitistomoveatruehorizontalline.
‘What,then,’heaskedhimself,willgiveconstantsupporttoamovingbody?’Andhisanswerwas’Humanlegs!’
Thatwasthediscoverythatimmortalizedhisname!”
“Hisnamebeing?”Isuggested.
“Ihadnotmentionedit,”wasthegentlereplyofmymostunsatisfactoryinformant.“Hisnextstepwasanobviousone.
Hetooktoadietofsuet-dumplings,untilhisbodyhadbecomeaperfectsphere.
Thenhewentoutforhisfirstexperimentalrun—whichnearlycosthimhislife!”
“Howwasthat?”
“Well,yousee,hehadnoideaofthetremendousnewforceinNaturethathewascallingintoplay.Hebegantoofast.
Inaveryfewminuteshefoundhimselfmovingatahundredmilesanhour!
And,ifhehadnothadthepresenceofmindtochargeintothemiddleofahaystack(whichhescatteredtothefourwinds)therecanbenodoubtthathewouldhaveleftthePlanethebelongedto,andgonerightawayintoSpace!”
“AndhowcamethattobethelastoftheCub-Hunts?”Ienquired.
“Well,yousee,itledtoaratherscandalousdisputebetweentwooftheColleges.
AnotherPrincipalhadlaidhishandontheyoungone,sonearlyatthesamemomentasthesphericalone,thattherewasnoknowingwhichhadtouchedhimfirst.
Thedisputegotintoprint,anddidusnocredit,and,inshort,Cub-Huntscametoanend.
NowI’lltellyouwhatcuredusofthatwildcrazeofours,thebiddingagainsteachother,forthecleverscholars,justasiftheywerearticlestobesoldbyauction!
Justwhenthecrazehadreacheditshighestpoint,andwhenoneoftheCollegeshadactuallyadvertisedaScholarshipofonethousandpoundsperannum,oneofourtouristsbroughtusthemanuscriptofanoldAfricanlegend—Ihappentohaveacopyofitinmypocket.ShallItranslateitforyou?”
“Praygoon,”Isaid,thoughIfeltIwasgettingverysleepy.
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