the fifth string-第5章

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solemnly；　and　with　no　pretense　of　sophistry；

‘‘is　the　string　of　death；　and　he　who

plays　upon　it　dies　at　once。''



‘‘Thestringofdeath！''　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；　soberly。　‘‘It　is

wrapped　with　strands　of　hair　from　the

first　mother　of　man。''　Impressively　then

he　offered　the　violin　to　Diotti。



‘‘I　dare　not　take　it；''　said　the

perplexed　musician；　‘‘it's　from''



‘‘Yes；　it　is　directly　from　there；　but　I

brought　it　from　heaven　when　II　left；''

said　the　fallen　angel；　with　remorse　in

his　voice。　‘‘It　was　my　constant

companion　there。　But　no　one　in　my

domainnot　I；　myselfcan　play　upon　it

now；　for　it　will　respond　neither　to　our

longing　for　pity；　hope；　love；　joy；　nor

even　death；''　and　sadly　and　retrospectively

Satan　gazed　into　vacancy；　then；

after　a　long　pause：　‘‘Try　the　instrument！''



Diotti　placed　the　violin　in　position

and　drew　the　bow　across　the　string　of

joy；　improvising　on　it。　Almost　instantly

the　birds　of　the　forest　darted　hither　and

thither；　caroling　forth　in　gladsome

strains。　The　devil　alone　was　sad；　and

with　emotion　said：



‘‘It　is　many；　many　years　since　I

have　heard　that　string。''



Next　the　artist　changed　to　the　string

of　pity；　and　thoughts　of　the　world's

sorrows　came　over　him　like　a　pall。



‘‘Wonderful；　most　wonderful！''　said

the　mystified　violinist；　‘‘with　this

instrument　I　can　conquer　the　world！''



‘‘Aye；　more　to　you　than　the　world；''

said　the　tempter；　‘‘a　woman's　love。''



A　woman's　loveto　the　despairing

suitor　there　was　one　and　only　one　in　this

wide；　wide　world；　and　her　words；　burning

their　way　into　his　heart；　had　made

this　temptation　possible：　‘‘No　droop…

ing　Clytie　could　be　more　constant　than

I　to　him　who　strikes　the　chord　that　is

responsive　in　my　soul。''



Holding　the　violin　aloft；　he　cried

exultingly：　‘‘Henceforth　thou　art　mine；

though　death　and　oblivion　lurk　ever

near　thee！''







VII



Perkins；　seated　in　his　office；

threw　the　morning　paper　aside。

‘‘It's　no　use；''　he　said；　turning　to　the

office　boy；　‘‘I　don't　believe　they　ever

will　find　him；　dead　or　alive。　Whoever

put　up　the　job　on　Diotti　was　a　past

grand　master　at　that　sort　of　thing。　The

silent　assassin　that　lurks　in　the　shadow

of　the　midnight　moon　is　an　explosion　of

dynamite　compared　to　the　party　that

made　way　with　Diotti。　You　ask；　why

should　they　kill　him？　My　boy；　you

don't　know　the　world。　They　were

jealous　of　his　enormous　hit；　of　our

dazzling　success。　Jealousy　did　it。''



The　‘‘they''　of　Perkins　comprised

rival　managers；　rival　artists；　newspaper

critics　and　everybody　at　large

who　would　not　concede　that　the

attractions　managed　by　Perkins　were　the

‘‘greatest　on　earth。''



‘‘We'll　never　see　his　like　again

come　in！''　this　last　in　answer　to　a　knock。



Diotti　appeared　at　the　open　door。

Perkins　jumped　like　one　shot　from　a

catapult；　and　rushing　toward　the　silent

figure　in　the　doorway　exclaimed：　‘‘Bless

my　soul；　are　you　a　ghost？''



‘‘A　substantial　one；''　said　Diotti　with

a　smile。



‘‘Are　you　really　here？''　continued

the　astonished　impresario；　using　Diotti's

arm　as　a　pump　handle　and　pinching

him　at　the　same　time。



When　they　were　seated　Perkins　plied

Diotti　with　all　manner　of　questions；

‘‘How　did　it　happen？''　‘‘How　did　you

escape？''　and　the　like；　all　of　which　Diotti

parried　with　monosyllabic　replies；　finally

saying：　‘‘I　was　dissatisfied　with　my

playing　and　went　away　to　study。''



‘‘Do　you　know　that　the　failure　to　fulfill

your　contract　has　cost　me　at　least　ten

thousand　dollars？''　said　the　shrewd

manager；　the　commercial　side　of　his

nature　asserting　itself。



‘‘All　of　which　I　will　pay；''　quietly

replied　the　artist。　‘‘Besides　I　am　ready

to　play　now；　and　you　can　announce　a

concert　within　a　week　if　you　like。''



‘‘If　I　like？''　cried　the　hustling　Perkins。

‘‘Here；　James；''　calling　his　office

boy；　‘‘run　down　to　the　printer's

and　give　him　this；''　making　a　note　of

the　various　sizes　of　‘‘paper''　he　desired；

‘‘and　tell　Mr。　Tompkins　that　Diotti　is

back　and　will　give　a　concert　next　Tuesday。

Tell　Smith　to　prepare　the　newspaper

‘ads'　and　notices　immediately。''



In　an　hour　Perkins　had　the　entire

machinery　of　his　office　in　motion。

Within　twenty…four　hours　New　York

had　several　versions　of　the　disappearance

and　return；　all　leading　to　one

common　pointthat　Diotti　would　give

a　concert　the　coming　Tuesday　evening。



The　announcement　of　the　reappearance

of　the　Tuscan　contained　a　line

to　the　effect　that　the　violinist　would　play

for　the　first　time　his　new　suitea

meditation　on　the　emotions。



He　had　not　seen　Mildred。



As　he　came　upon　the　stage　that　night

the　lights　were　turned　low；　and　naught

but　the　shadowy　outlines　of　player　and

violin　were　seen。　His　reception　by　the

audience　was　not　enthusiastic。　They

evidently　remembered　the　disappointment

caused　by　his　unexpected　disappearance；

but　this　unfriendly　attitude

soon　gave　way　to　evidences　of　kindlier

feelings。



Mildred　was　there；　more　beautiful

than　ever；　and　to　gain　her　love　Diotti

would　have　bartered　his　soul　that　moment。



The　first　movement　of　the　suite　was

entitled　‘‘Pity；''　and　the　music　flowed

like　melodious　tears。　A　subdued　sob

rose　and　fell　with　the　sadness　of　the

theme。



Mildred's　eyes　were　moistened　as

she　fixed　them　on　the　lone　figure　of　the

player。



Now　the　theme　of　pity　changed　to

hope；　and　hearts　grew　brighter　under　the

spell。　The　next　movement　depicted　joy。

As　the　virtuoso's　fingers　darted　here　and

there；　his　music　seemed　the　very　laughter

of　fairy　voices；　the　earth　looked　roses

and　sunshine；　and　Mildred；　relaxing　her

position　and　leaning　forward　in　the　box；

with　lips　slightly　parted；　was　the　picture

of　eager　happiness。



The　final　movement　came。　Its　subject

was　love。　The　introduction　depicted

the　Arcadian　beauty　of　the

trysting　place；　love…lit　eyes　sought　each

other　intuitively　and　a　great　peace

brooded　over　the　hearts　of　all。　Then

followed　the　song　of　the　Passionate　Pilgrim：





‘‘If　music　and　sweet　poetry　agree；

As　they　must　needs；　the　sister　and　the　brother；

When　must　the　love　be　great　'twixt　thee　and　me

Because　thou　lov'st　the　one；　and　I　the　other。



***



Thou　lov'st　to　hear　the　sweet　melodious　sound

That　Phoebus'　lute　（the　queen　of　music）　makes；

And　I　in　deep　delight；　am　chiefly　drown'd

When　as　himself　to　singing　he　betakes。

One　god　is　god　of　both；　as　poets

One　knight　loves　both；　and　both　in　thee　remain。''