This was exactly what I wanted, for I had not seen him in the least,--not that I was afraid he had altered, but that I was anxious to encounter him the same. Although still a little one, he had grown more than I expected; his blue eye was the same, the same shrinking lip,--but a great power seemed called out of both. He was exceedingly well formed, muscular, though delicate; his voice was that which I remembered, but he had caught Seraphael's accent, and quite slightly his style,--only not his manner, which no one could approach or imitate. I learned from Starwood, as we sipped our single glass of wine, that the Chevalier had been to Miss Lawrence's that very morning. "He told me where he was going, and left me at the hotel; when he came back he said we were invited for to-night. Miss Lawrence had asked him to spend one evening, and he was engaged for every one but this. She was very sorry, she said, that her father had a party to-day. The Chevalier, however, did not mind, he told her, and should be very happy to come anyhow." "But how does it happen that he is so constantly engaged? It cannot be to concerts every evening?" "Carl, you have no idea how much he is engaged; the rehearsals are to be every other day, and the rest of the evenings he has been worried into accepting invitations. I wish to goodness people would let him alone; if they knew what I know they would." "What, my dear boy?" "That for every evening he spends in company, he sits up half the night. I know it, for I have watched that light under his door, and can hear him make the least little stir when all is so quiet,--at least, I could at Stralenfeld, where he stayed last, for my room was across the landing-place; and since we came to London, he told me he has not slept." "I should think you might entreat him to do otherwise, Starwood, or at least request his friends to do so." "He might have no friends, so far as any influence they have goes. Just try yourself, Carl; and when you see his face, you will not be inclined to do so any more." "You spoke of rehearsals, Star,--what may these be? I have not heard anything." "I only know that he has brought with him two symphonies, three or four quartets, and a great roll of organ fugues, besides the score of his oratorio." "I had no idea of such a thing. An oratorio?" "It is what he wrote in Italy some time ago, and only lately went over and prepared. It is in manuscript." "Shall we hear it?" "It is for the third or fourth week in June, but has been kept very quiet." "How did Miss Lawrence come to know him? She did not use to know him." "She seems to know everybody, and to get her own way in everything. You might ask her; she would tell you, and there would be no fear of her being angry." At last we rose. The lamps were lighted when we returned to the drawing-room; it was nearly ten o'clock, but all was brilliant, festive. I had scarcely found a seat when Seraphael touched my shoulder.