On the music-rest was a sheet of music, back to front, showing the
opening bars of several songs the publishers wished to commend to our
notice; appetisers, as it were.
Clarice played the opening bars, the only ones which were given.
"Please continue," I said; "I'm beginning to like it already."
"How can I?" said Clarice. "How do I know how it goes on? It's simply
maddening."
"Aren't there any rules?" I said. "What I mean is, don't certain notes
follow certain other notes?"
"Not necessarily," said Clarice. "Why should they?"
"Why shouldn't they?" I persisted. "In hockey, footer, billiards and
the other arts certain movements are inevitably followed by certain
consequences. It ought to be the same in music. However, as a poet
it is the words which really interest me. Listen to this: '_Somebody
whispered to me yestre'en, Somebody whispered to me, And my heart gave
a flutter and_--' Ah, of course I know--_and I trod on the butter_."
"_Which soon wasn't fit to be seen_," said Clarice.
"Bravo," I said, "very soulful. Now look at the one above it: '_The
rosy glow of summer is on thy dimpled cheek, While_----' There's a
poser for you."
"Oh, how pretty!" said Clarice. "And listen to the tune." She played
what notes there were two or three times over. "I really must get that
one," she added.
"Do," I said. "I should like to hear more about that girl. These
publishers know how to whet one's appetite, don't they? By Jove, here's
a gem--'_I sat by the window dreaming, In the hush of eventide, Of
the_----' Now what does one dream about at that time?"
"You dream of dinner chiefly, I've noticed," said Clarice.
"That's the idea," I said. "_Of the soup (tomato) steaming, The steak
and mushrooms fried._ Who's the publisher?"
"Crammer," said Clarice.
I took up another sheet of music and hunted for more treasure. "Here's
something fruity," I said, "published by Scarey and Co.: '_Oh, the
lover hills are happy at the dawning of the day; There are winds to
kiss and bless us, there is_----'"
"What?" said Clarice.
"How should I know?" I said. "Let's get the song and find out. Get them
all, in fact."
"Do you think we ought to?" said Clarice.
"Yes, certainly," I said. "It's good for trade. My motto is 'Music as
Usual during the War.'"
* * * * *
The Contractor's Touch.