'
Frank hummed the familiar apostrophe 'Be not afraid.'
'Is that a bit of "St Paul"?' said Mrs Hopgood.
'Yes, it goes like this,' and Frank went up to the little piano and
sang the song through.
'There is no fault to be found with that,' said Madge, 'so far as the
coincidence of sense and melody is concerned, but I do not care much
for oratorios. Better subjects can be obtained outside the Bible,
and the main reason for selecting the Bible is that what is called
religious music may be provided for good people. An oratorio, to me,
is never quite natural. Jewish history is not a musical subject,
and, besides, you cannot have proper love songs in an oratorio, and
in them music is at its best.'
Mrs Hopgood was accustomed to her daughter's extravagance, but she
was, nevertheless, a little uncomfortable.
'Ah!' said Frank, who had not moved from the piano, and he struck the
first two bars of 'Adelaide.'
'Oh, please,' said Madge, 'go on, go on,' but Frank could not quite
finish it.
She was sitting on the little sofa, and she put her feet up, lay and
listened with her eyes shut. There was a vibration in Mr Palmer's
voice not perceptible during his vision of the crown of life and of
fidelity to death.
'Are you going to stay over Sunday?' inquired Mrs Hopgood.
'I am not quite sure; I ought to be back on Sunday evening. My
father likes me to be at home on that day.
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