the fifth string-第7章

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Diotti　in　person。''



‘‘That　is　entirely　unnecessary；''　he

replied。



‘‘It　is　my　desire；''　and　the　girl　led

the　unwilling　parent　back　of　the　scenes

and　into　Diotti's　dressing…room。



Mildred　introduced　Diotti　to　her

father；　who　after　a　few　commonplaces

lapsed　into　silence。　The　daughter's

enthusiastic　interest　in　Diotti's　performance

and　her　tender　solicitude　for　his

weariness　after　the　efforts　of　the　evening；

quickly　attracted　the　attention　of

Mr。　Wallace　and　irritated　him　exceedingly。



When　father　and　daughter　were

seated　in　their　carriage　and　were　hurriedly

driving　home；　he　said：　‘‘Mildred；

I　prefer　that　you　have　as　little　to　say　to

that　man　as　possible。''



‘‘What　do　you　object　to　in　him？''

she　asked。



‘‘Everything。　Of　what　use　is　a　man

who　dawdles　away　his　time　on　a　fiddle；

of　what　benefit　is　he　to　mankind？　Do

fiddlers　build　cities？　Do　they　delve　into

the　earth　for　precious　metals？　Do　they

sow　the　seed　and　harvest　the　grain？

No；　no；　they　are　dronesthe　barnacles

of　society。''



‘‘Father；　how　can　you　advance　such

an　argument？　Music's　votaries　offer　no

apologies　for　their　art。　The　husbandman

places　the　grain　within　the　breast

of　Mother　Earth　for　man's　material

welfare；　God　places　music　in　the　heart　of

man　for　his　spiritual　development。　In

man's　spring　time；　his　bridal　day；　music

means　joy。　In　man's　winter　time；

his　burial　day；　music　means　comfort。

The　heaven…born　muse　has　added　to　the

happiness　of　the　world。　Diotti　is　a

great　genius。　His　art　brings　rest　and

tranquillity　to　the　wearied　and　despairing；''

and　she　did　not　speak　again　until

they　had　reached　the　house。



The　lights　were　turned　low　when

father　and　daughter　went　into　the

drawing…room。　Mr。　Wallace　felt　that

he　had　failed　to　convince　Mildred　of　the

utter　worthlessness　of　fiddlers；　big　or

little；　and　as　one　dissatisfied　with　the

outcome　of　a　contest；　re…entered　the

lists。



‘‘He　has　visited　you？''



‘‘Yes；　father。''



‘‘Often？''



‘‘Yes；　father；''　spoken　calmly。



‘‘Often？''　louder　and　more　imperiously

repeated　the　father；　as　if　there

must　be　some　mistake。



‘‘Quite　often；''　and　she　sat　down；

knowing　the　catechizing　would　be　likely

to　continue　for　some　minutes。



‘‘How　many　times；　do　you　think？''



She　rose；　walked　into　the　hallway；

took　the　card　basket　from　the　table；

returned　and　seated　herself　beside　her

father；　emptying　its　contents　into　her

lap。　She　picked　up　a　card。　It　read

‘‘Angelo　Diotti；''　and　she　called　the

name　aloud。　She　took　up　another　and

again　her　lips　voiced　the　beloved　name。

‘‘Angelo　Diotti；''　she　continued；　repeating

at　intervals　for　a　minute。　Then

looking　at　her　father：　‘‘He　has　called

thirty…two　times；　there　are　thirty…one

cards　here　and　on　one　occasion　he　forgot

his　card…case。''



‘‘Thirty…two！''　said　the　father；　rising

angrily　and　pacing　the　floor。



‘‘Yes；　thirty…two。　I　remember　all

of　them　distinctly。''



Her　father　came　over　to　her；　half

coaxingly；　half　seriously。　‘‘Mildred；　I

wish　his　visits　to　cease；　people　will

imagine　there　is　a　romantic　attachment

between　you。''



‘‘There　is；　father；''　out　it　came；　‘‘he

loves　me　and　I　love　him。''



‘‘What！''　shouted　Mr。　Wallace；　and

then　severely；　‘‘this　must　cease　immediately。''



She　rose　quietly　and　led　her　father

over　to　the　mantel。　Placing　a　hand　on

each　of　his　shoulders　she　said：



‘‘Father；　I　will　obey　you　implicitly

if　you　can　name　a　reasonable　objection

to　the　man　I　love。　But　you　can　not。

I　love　him　with　my　whole　soul。　I　love

him　for　the　nobility　of　his　character；

and　because　there　is　none　other　in　the

world　for　him；　nor　for　me。''









IX



Old　Sanders　as　boy　and　man

had　been　in　the　employ　of　the

banking　and　brokerage　firm　of　Wallace

Brothers　for　two　generations。　The　firm

gradually　had　advanced　his　position　until

now　he　was　confidential　adviser　and

general　manager；　besides　having　an

interest　in　the　profits　of　the　business。



He　enjoyed　the　friendship　of　Mr。

Wallace；　and　had　been　a　constant　visitor

at　his　house　from　the　first　days　of

that　gentleman's　married　life。　He　himself

was　alone　in　the　world；　a　confirmed

bachelor。　He　had　seen　Mildred　creep

from　babyhood　into　childhood；　and　bud

from　girlhood　to　womanhood。　To　Mildred

he　was　one　of　that　numerous　army

of　brevet　relations　known　as　‘‘gran…

pop；''　‘‘pop；''　or　‘‘uncle。''　To　her　he

was　Uncle　Sanders。



If　the　old　man　had　one　touch　of　human

nature　in　him　it　was　a　solicitude

for　Mildred's　futurean　authority　arrogated

to　himselfto　see　that　she　married

the　right　man；　but　even　that　was

directed　to　her　material　gain　in　this

world's　goods；　and　not　to　any　sentimental

consideration　for　her　happiness。

He　flattered　himself　that　by　timely

suggestion　he　had　‘‘stumped''　at　least　half

a　dozen　would…be　candidates　for　Mildred's

hand。　He　pooh…poohed　love　as　a

necessity　for　marital　felicity；　and　would

enforce　his　argument　by　quoting　from

the　bard：



‘‘All　lovers　swear　more　performance

than　they　are　able；　and　yet　reserve　an

ability　that　they　never　perform；　vowing

more　than　the　perfection　of　ten；　and

discharging　less　than　the　tenth　part　of　one。''



‘‘You　can　get　at　a　man's　income；''

he　would　say；　‘‘but　not　at　his　heart。

Love　without　money　won't　travel　as　far

as　money　without　love；''　and　many

married　people　whose　bills　were　overdue

wondered　if　the　old　fellow　was

not　right。



He　was　cold…blooded　and　generally

disliked　by　the　men　under　him。　The

more　evil…minded　gossips　in　the　bank

said　he　was　in　league　with　‘‘Old

Nick。''　That；　of　course；　was　absurd；

for　it　does　not　necessarily　follow；

because　a　man　suggests　a　means　looking

to　an　end；　disreputable　though　it　be；

that　he　has　Mephistopheles　for　a　silent

partner。　The　conservative　element

among　the　employees　would　not　openly

venture　so　far；　but　rather　thought　if　his

satanic　majesty　and　old　Sanders　ran　a

race；　the　former　would　come　in　a　bad

second；　if　he　were　not　distanced　altogether。



The　old　man　always　reached　the　office

at　nine。　Mr。　Wallace　usually　arrived　a

half　hour　later；　seldom　earlier；　which　was

so　well　understood　by　Sanders　that　he

was　greatly　surprised　when　he　walked

into　the　president's　office；　the　morning

after　that　gentleman　had　attended

Diotti's　concert；　to　find　the　head　of　the

firm　already　there　and　apparently　waiting　for　him。



‘‘Sanders；''　said　the　banker；　‘‘I

want　your　advice　on　a　matter　of　great

importance　and　concern　to　me。''



Sanders　came　across　the　room　and

stood　beside　the　desk。



‘‘Briefly　as　possible；　I　am　much

exercised　about　my　daughter。''



The　old　man　moved　up　a　chair　and

buried　himself　in　it。　Pressing　his　elbows

tightly　against　his　sides；　he　drew

his　neck　in；　and　with　the　tips　of　his

right　hand　fingers　consorted　and

coquetted　with　their　like　on　the　opposite

hand；　then　he　simply　asked；　‘‘Who　is

the　man？''



‘‘He　is　the　violinist　who　has　created

such　a　sensation　here；　Angelo　Diotti。''



‘‘Yes；　I've　seen　the　name　in　print；''

returned　the　old　man。



‘‘He　has　bewitched　Mildred。　I　never

have　seen　her　show　the　least　interest　in

a　man　before。　She　never　has　appeared

to　me　as　an　impressionable　girl　or　one

that　could　easily　be　won。''



‘‘That　is　very　true；''　ejaculated

Sanders；　‘‘she　always　seemed　tractable　and

open　to　reason　in　all　questions　of　love

and　courting。　I　can　recall　several

instances　where　I　have　set　her　right　by

my　estimation　of　men；　and　invariably

she　has　accepted　my　views。''



‘‘And　mine　until　now；''　said　the

father；　and　then　he　recounted　his

experience　of　the　night　before。　‘‘I　had

hoped　she　would　not　fall　in　love；　but

be　a　prop　and　comfort　to　me　now　that

I　am　alone。　I　am　dismayed　at　the

prospect　before　me。''



Then　the　old　man　mused：　‘‘In　the

chrysalis　state　of　girlhood；　a　parent

arran