Humorous stories; London (England) -- Fiction; Lucia (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Women -- England -- Fiction
It was in the middle of the morsel that Adele came in and found Lucia
playing Stravinski to Mr. Greatorex. The position seemed to be away,
away beyond her orbit altogether, and she merely waited with
undiminished faith in Lucia, to see what would happen when Lucia became
aware to whom she was playing.... It was a longish morsel, too: more
like a meal than a morsel, and it was also remarkably like a muddle.
Finally, Lucia made an optimistic attempt at the double chromatic scale
in divergent directions which brought it to an end, and laughed gaily.
“My poor fingers,” she said. “Delicious piano, dear Adele. I love a
Bechstein; that was a little morsel of Stravinski. Hectic perhaps, do
you think? But so true to the modern idea: little feverish excursions:
little bits of tunes, and nothing worked out. But I always say that
there is something in Stravinski, if you study him. How I worked at that
little piece, and I’m afraid it’s far from perfect yet.”
Lucia played one more little run with her right hand, while she
cudgelled her brain to remember where she had seen this man before, and
turned round on the music-stool. She felt sure he was an artist of some
kind, and she did not want to ask Adele to introduce him, for that would
look as if she did not know everybody. She tried pictures next.
“In Art I always think that the Stravinski school is represented by the
Post-Cubists,” she said. “They give us pattern in lines, just as
Stravinski gives us patterns in notes, and the modern poet patterns in
words. At Sophy Alingsby’s the other night we had a feast of patterns.
Dear Sophy--what a curious mixture of tastes! She cares only for the
ultra-primitive in music, and the ultra-modern in Art. Just before you
came in, Adele, I was trying to remember the first movement of
Beethoven’s Moonlight, those triplets though they look easy have to be
kept so level. And yet Sophy considers Beethoven a positive decadent. I
ought to have taken her to Diva’s little concert--Diva Dalrymple--for I
assure you really that Stravinski sounded classical compared to the rest
of the programme. It was very creditably played, too. Mr.”--what was his
name?--“Mr. Greatorex.”
She had actually said the word before her brain made the connection. She
gave her little peal of laughter.
“Ah, you wicked people,” she cried. “A plot: clearly a plot. Mr.
Greatorex, how could you? Adele told you to come in here when she heard
me begin my little strummings, and told you to sit down and encourage
me. Don’t deny it, Adele! I know it was like that. I shall tell
everybody how unkind you’ve been, unless Mr. Greatorex sits down
instantly and magically restores to life what I have just murdered.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account