The Penn's Grove record., 1884-01-05

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which we, by so great sacrifices, have.
succeeded in collecting"
But, others, too, had something to
say In the matter. Innumerable little
touches or generosity were mentioned
which had distinguished these days Of
charitable pleasure-hunting.
Mademoi5elle Louison's dearest friend
an insignificant lady, who sat near the
foot of the table, told, in spite of
Louison's protest, how she had asked
three poor seamstresses up to her own
apartments, and had set them to sew
the whole night before in the bazaar in
the Hippodrome, and had given them
supper and breakfast with coffee, as
well as their ordinary pay.
Mademoiselle Louison became at once
an important parsonage at the table,
and the journalist began to pay her par
ticular attention.
The many beautiful touches of
benevolence, together with Louison's
swimming eyes produced in the whole
company a quiet, ~contented and philan-
thropic frame of mind, which was
eminently soothing after the exertion
of dining.
And this luxurious feeling rose
several degrees higher when the party
had sunk into the soft chairs in the cool
salon.
There was no light but that from the
bright fire. The red glow fell upon the
English carpets, upon the gold rings of
the hangings, shOne upon a gilded pic
ture frame, upon the piano which stood
opposite, and here and there upon a
face further back in the darkness. For
the rest, nothing was visible but the
red ends of cigars and cigarettes.
The conversation died away; only a
whisper was heard now and then, or the
sound of a ~coffee-cup being laid on the
table. They all seemed inclined for the
undisturbed enjoyment of quiet diges-
ton and their philanthropic frame of
mind. Even Monsieur Anatole forgot
his t%ruftles, and he stretched himself in
the low chair close to the sofa, where
Mademoiselle Adele had taken her
place.
vii no n give us a little music2"
asked Senior de Silvis from his chair.
"You are always so obliging, Mademoi-
selle Adele"
"Oh no, no." cried Mademoiselle;
mot after dinner" And she lay back
on the sofa, drew in her feet and folded
her hands in quiet satisfaction.
But the stranger, the Irishman, rose
from his corner and went up to the in
strument.
"Ah, will you play us something ? A
thousand thanks, monsieur - Inn ~
Senior de Silvis had forgotten his name;
he had not untrequently forgotten the
names of his guests.
81 told you-he's a musician" said
Mademoiselle Adele to her friend.
Anatole grunted his wonder at her
penetration.
1t needed no great penetration how
ever. Every one got the same impress
sion from the way he took his seat, and
without any preparations struck up a
few chords here and there, as if to wake
up the instrument.
Then he began to play, sportive,
light, frivolous music, suited to the
situation.
Melodies of the day whirled out and
in among scraps of waltzes and shatches
of songs-he wove together cleverly and
lovingly all the trifles which Paris
huns for a week and forgets.
The ladies gave little cries of admit
ration, hummed a few bars here and
there, and beat time with their feet.
The whole party followed the music
with eager interest; he had hit the
mood of the moment and carried them
all with him from the beginning. Only
der liebe Doctor'' listened with his
Sedan smile; it was altogether too light
for him.
But soon came something for the
German, too; he nodded now and again
with a sort of appreciation.
A scrap of Chopin gucked up and
fitted m~arvelOusly into the situation
the piquant perfume which filled the
air, the pretty women, these men, all
strangers to each other, yet 50 open and
unconstrained. hidden III the twilight
of tire richly furnished salon, each fol-
lowing his own most secret thoughts,
borne on the stream OF the mysterious
hiatt. clear music, while the glow from
the fire rose and fell, making every
piece of gliding shine out through the
darkness.
And there came more aud yet more
for the doctor. From time to time he
turned toward de Silyis and noted when
there came "Anklange," of ''unser
SCuulIldIll, uIlScI DcCIlOftH, VI
even of ''unser famosen Richard"
Meanwhile tie stranger played on,
evenly and without exertion, leaning
lightly to the left so rs to get power
into the bass. 1t seemed as if he had
twenty fingers, all of steel; he knew how
to gather together the swarming sounds,
and give the instrument a concentrated,
powerful tone. Without a pause, with
out marking the transitions, by means
of ever new surprises, hints and bril-
liant combinations, he kept the inter-
est so that ever the least musical of his
hearers followed with rapt attention.
But imperceptibly the music changed
color. The musician began more and
more to use the lower octaves of the
piano, bending more owe to the left,
and there began to De a wonderful I'M
rest in the bass. The "Anabaptists"
from lie Prophetic" marched on with
heavy steps a horseman, from the
ILLUMINATION de Faustn came tearing
up from the depth in a limping, des-
rerate Internal gallop.
The rumbling down in the depths
grew stronger and stronger, and Mon
sieur Anatole began once more to feel
| Ille IrulHeS tIOuDliIlS him. NiauchAoA
selle Adele sat up on the sofa; the mu-
sic would not let her lie in peace.
Here and there the fire shone upon a
pair of black eyes gazing at the player.
| He had enticed them ON, and now they
could not escape ; he carried them ever
downward, to where there was dull and
dead mumbling as of threats and en-
treaties.
'Erfuhrt me famose linke Hand, "
said the doctor.
But de Silvis did not listen to him
he sat, like all the rest, in breathless
excitement.
A dim, oppressive terror, passed out
of the music and descended upon them
all. The musician seemed, with his
left hand, to bind a knot which never
could be loosed, while his right hand
ran lightly, like tongues of flame, up
and down the keyboard. 1t sounded
as if something terrible was being pre-
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