Page:Ballinger Price--The Happy Venture.djvu/88

74 "It was because it was so much more wonderful than anything that ever happened," he said unsteadily. "And I never can do it."

The musician almost shook him.

"But you can," he said; "you must! How can you help yourself, with those hands? Has no one guessed? How stupid all the world is!"

He pulled Kirk suddenly to the piano, swept him abruptly into the wiry circle of his arm.

"See," he whispered; "oh, listen!"

He spread Kirk's ﬁngers above the keyboard—brought them down on a ﬁne chord of the Chopin prelude, and for one instant Kirk felt coursing through him a feeling inexplicable as it was exciting—as painful as it was glad. The next moment the chord died; the old man was again the gentle friend of the ﬁreside.

"I am stupid," he said, "and ill-advised. Let's have tea."

The tea came, magically—delicious cambric tea and cinnamon toast. Kirk and the old gentleman talked of the farm, and of Asquam, and other every-day subjects, till the spring dusk gathered at the window, and the musician started up.