Part 12 (1/2)
”You may join the verein, _mein Fraulein_--yes. Please come this way with me. Pardon, Fraulein Stockhausen--another time. I am sorry to say I have business at present.”
A black look from a pretty brunette, who had advanced with an engaging smile and an open score to ask him some question, greeted this very composed rebuff of her advance. The black look was directed at me--guiltless.
Without taking any notice of the other, he led Anna and me to a small inner room, where there was a desk and writing materials.
”Your name, if you will be good enough?”
”Wedderburn.”
”Your _Vorname_, though--your first name.”
”My Christian name--oh, May.”
”M--a--_na_! Perhaps you will be so good as to write it yourself, and the street and number of the house in which you live.”
I complied.
”Have you been here long?”
”Not quite a week.”
”Do you intend to make any stay?”
”Some months, probably.”
”Humph! If you wish to make any progress in music, you must stay much longer.”
”It--I--it depends upon other people how long I remain.”
He smiled slightly, and his smile was not unpleasant; it lighted up the darkness of his face in an agreeable manner.
”So I should suppose. I will call upon you to-morrow at four in the afternoon. I should like to have a little conversation with you about your voice. Adieu, _meine Damen_.”
With a slight bow which sufficiently dismissed us, he turned to the desk again, and we went away.
Our homeward walk was a somewhat silent one. Anna certainly asked me suddenly where I had learned to sing.
”I have not learned properly. I can't help singing.”
”I did not know you had a voice like that,” said she again.
”Like what?”
”Herr von Francius will tell you all about it to-morrow,” said she, abruptly.
”What a strange man Herr von Francius is!” said I. ”Is he clever?”
”Oh, very clever.”