gone through so much by that time that I had no spirit left, and so had
no desire but to be let alone.
I do not wish to suggest that the rest of the people there were like me,
for, indeed, they were not. Whether it was that they naturally liked
that noise, or whether it was that they had learned to like it by
getting used to it, I did not at that time know; but they did like
it—this was plain enough. While it was going on they sat and looked rapt
and grateful as cats do when one strokes their backs; and whenever the
curtain fell they rose to their feet, in one solid mighty multitude, and
the air was snowed thick with waving handkerchiefs, and hurricanes of
applause swept the place. This was not comprehensible to me. Of course,
there were many people there who were not under compulsion to stay; yet
the tiers were as full at the close as they had been at the beginning.
This showed that the people liked it....
I suppose there are two kinds of music—one kind which one feels, just as
an oyster might, and another sort which requires a higher faculty, a
faculty which must be assisted and developed by teaching. Yet if base
music gives certain of us wings, why should we want any other? But we
do. We want it because the higher and better like it. But we want it
without giving it the necessary time and trouble; so we climb into that
upper tier, that dress circle, by a lie; we _pretend_ we like it. I know
several of that sort of people—and I propose to be one of them myself
when I get home with my fine European education.
MIDNIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
At last all sleepiness forsook me. I recognized the fact that I was
hopelessly and permanently wide-awake. Wide-awake, and feverish and
thirsty. When I had lain tossing there as long as I could endure it, it
occurred to me that it would be a good idea to dress and go out in the
great square and take a refreshing wash in the fountain, and smoke and
reflect there until the remnant of the night was gone.
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