All
I know is that a gleam as from some far-off mirror of admiration
did certainly, to Tom's great satisfaction, appear on Hesper's
countenance. As, however, she said nothing, he, to waive aside a
threatening awkwardness, lightly subjoined:
"Queen Anne is all the rage now, you see."
Mrs. Redmain knew that Queen-Anne houses were in fashion, and was
even able to recognize one by its flush window-frames, while she
had felt something odd, which might be old-fashioned, in the
song; between the two, she was led to the conclusion that the
fashion of Queen Anne's time had been revived in the making of
verses also.
"Can you, then, make a song to any pattern you please?" she
asked.
"I fancy so," answered Tom, indifferently, as if it were nothing
to him to do whatever he chose to attempt. And in fact he could
imitate almost anything--and well, too--the easier that he had
nothing of his own pressing for utterance; for he had yet made no
response to the first demand made on every man, the only demand
for originality made on any man--that he should order his own way
aright.
"How clever you must be!" drawled Hesper; and, notwithstanding
the tone, the words were pleasant in the ears of goose Tom. He
rose, opened the piano, and, with not a little cheap facility,
began to accompany a sweet tenor voice in the song he had just
read.
The door opened, and Mr.
Pages:
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301