"Yes," she said. "It is not so long ago, Wolff." And then, almost as though she were afraid of having betrayed some deeper feeling, she added quickly, "Couldn’t you two try over the old duets together? I should so like to hear them, and I am too tired to talk." "Would you like to, Miss Ingestre?" "Very much—only you will find me dreadfully slow and stupid." He hunted amongst an old bundle of music, and having found the required piece, he arranged it on the piano and prepared himself for the task with great gravity. "You must let me have the bass," he said; "then I can thump without being so much noticed. I have a decided military touch. Hildegarde says I treat the notes as though they were recruits." Nora played her part without nervousness, at first because she was convinced of her own superiority and afterwards because he inspired her. His guidance was sure and firm, and when he corrected, it was not as a master but as a comrade seeking to give advice as to a common task. Her shyness and uneasiness with him passed away. Every bar seemed to make him less of a stranger, and once in a long rest she found herself watching the powerful, carefully kept hands on the keyboard with a curious pleasure, as though they typified the man himself—strong, clean, and honest. Thus they played through the whole of the first act, and when the last chord had been struck there was a long silence. It was as though both were listening to the echo of all that had gone before, and it was with an effort that Nora roused herself to speak. "How well you play!" she said under her breath. "And how grand—how wonderful it is!" He turned and looked at her. "Did you understand it?" "Not all. I feel that there are many more wonders to fathom which are yet too deep for me. But I understand enough to know that they are there—and to be glad." "It is the noblest—most perfect expression of love and of the human heart that was ever written or composed," he said. She looked up at him, and their eyes met gravely and steadily for a moment, in which the world was forgotten. "Thank you very much," a quiet voice said from the background. Arnim turned quickly, so quickly that it was almost a start. "Now for your criticism, Hildegarde!" he cried gaily. "I assure you, we are both trembling." Hildegarde shook her head. "I cannot criticise," she said. "You played so well together, much better than when I was able to take my part." She hesitated. "One could hardly believe that you had never practised together before," she added slowly. Nora rose and closed the piano. Without knowing why, the words pained her and the brief silence that followed seemed oppressive. Arnim followed her example. "I have been here a disgraceful time!" he exclaimed, looking at his watch. "And there! I have never even told you what I really came about. I have been passed into the General Staff. What do you think of that? Are you not proud to have such a cousin?"