At the head of the hall, in the center of a group, stood a tall, thin man, dressed in solemn black, with a violin under his arm. His face, which looked like that of a sick man, was marked by an angry expression, and this, indeed, was his feeling.
“I suppose that's Mr. Beck?” said Philip.
“Yes, it is,” answered Andrew Blake, in evident discomposure. “What on earth brings him here from a sick-bed, I can't understand. I heard that he had a fever.”
The fact was that Paul Beck was jealous of his reputation as a musician. It was satisfactory to him to think that he was so indispensable that no one could take his place. He had sent word to the committee that he should be unable to play for them, supposing, of course, that they would be compelled to give up the party. When intelligence was brought to him during the afternoon that it would come off, and that another musician had been engaged in his place, he was not only disturbed, but angry, though, of course, the latter feeling was wholly unreasonable2. He determined3 that he would be present, at any rate, no matter how unfit his sickness rendered him for the evening's work. He resolved to have no rival, and to permit no one to take his place in his own town.
It did not seem to occur to Mr. Beck that, having formally declined the engagement on account of sickness, he had no claim whatever on the committee, and was, in fact, an interloper. It was in vain that his sister protested against his imprudence. (He was an old bachelor and his sister kept house for him.) He insisted on dressing4 himself and making his way to the hall, where, as was to be expected, his arrival produced considerable embarrassment5.
It so happened that no one had thought to mention to him that it was a boy. He was prepared to see a full-grown man.
Philip followed Andrew Blake up to the central group.
“Who is it, I say,” Mr. Beck was inquiring, “that engaged another musician to take my place?”
“No one, sir,” answered Andrew Blake firmly, for Mr. Beck's unreasonableness8 provoked him. “I engaged a musician to play this evening, but it was not in your place, for you had sent us word that you could not appear.”
“Where is he, I say?” continued Paul Beck sourly.
“Here he is,” replied Blake, drawing toward our hero, who felt that he was placed in an awkward position.
“Why, he's only a baby!” said Beck, surveying our hero contemptuously.
Philip's cheek flushed, and he, too, began to feel angry.
“He isn't as old as you are, Mr. Beck,” said Andrew Blake manfully, “but you'll find he understands his business.”
“I certainly didn't expect you to get a child in my place,” said Paul Beck scornfully.
“I suppose a musician may know how to play, if he isn't sixty-five,” said Miss Maria Snod-grass, who had listened indignantly to Mr. Beck's contemptuous remarks about our hero, whose cause she so enthusiastically championed.
Poor Mr. Beck! He was sensitive about his age, and nothing could have cut him more cruelly than this exaggeration of it. He was really fifty-five, and looked at least sixty, but he fondly flattered himself that he looked under fifty. “Sixty-five!” he repeated furiously. “Who says I am sixty-five?”
“I shall have to live a good many years before I am sixty,” said Paul Beck angrily. “But that's either here nor there. You engaged me to play to-night, and I am ready to do it.”
Andrew Blake felt the difficulty of his position, but he did not mean to desert the boy-musician whom he had engaged.
“Mr. Beck,” said he, “we shall be glad to have you serve us on another occasion, but to-night Mr. Gray, here, is engaged. You gave up the engagement of your own accord, and that ended the matter, so far as you are concerned.”
“Do you refuse to let me play?” demanded Paul Beck, his pale cheek glowing with anger and mortification10.
“You understand why,” answered Blake. “This young man is engaged, and we have no right to break the engagement.”
Philip, who had felt the embarrassment of his position, had meanwhile made up his mind what to do. The three dollars he expected to earn were important to him, but he didn't care to make trouble. He did not doubt that his lodging11 and meals would be given him, and that would be something. Accordingly, he spoke12:
“I have been engaged, it is true,” he said, “but if Mr. Beck wants to play I will resign my engagement and stay and hear him.”
“No, no!” exclaimed several—Mr. Blake and Miss Snodgrass being among them.
“Mr. Gray, you were regularly engaged,” said one of the committee.
“That's true,” answered Philip, “and,” he couldn't help adding, “I should be justified13 in insisting upon playing; but since Mr. Beck seems to feel so bad about it, I will give way to him.”
He spoke manfully, and there was no sign of weakness or submission14 about him. He asserted his rights, while he expressed his willingness to surrender them.
There was a little consultation15 among the committee. They were all disgusted with the conduct of Paul Beck, and were unwilling16 that he should triumph. At the same time, as they might need his services at some future time, they did not wish wholly to alienate17 him.
Finally, they announced their decision through Andrew Blake.
“We are not willing to accept Mr. Gray's resignation wholly,” he said, “but we propose that he and Mr. Beck shall divide the evening's work between them—each to receive half the usual compensation.”
There was considerable applause, for it seemed to be a suitable compromise, and would enable the company to compare the merits of the rival musicians.
“What do you say, Mr. Beck?” asked Andrew Blake.
Now, while Paul Beck did not like to give up half the honor, he felt thoroughly19 convinced that Philip was only a beginner, and that he, as an experienced player, could easily eclipse him, and thus gain a triumph which would be very gratifying to his pride.
As for the compensation, to do him justice, he did not much care for that, being a man of very good means. He played more for glory than for pay—though he, of course, had no objection to receiving compensation.
“I have no objections,” he said. “If you want to give the boy a chance to practice a little, I am willing.”
The committee was much pleased at the satisfactory conclusion of what had threatened to be a very troublesome dispute, and it was arranged, Philip consenting, that Mr. Beck should play first.
The old musician played, in a confident manner, a familiar dancing-tune, accompanying his playing with various contortions21 of the face and twistings of his figure, supposed to express feeling. It was a fair performance, but mechanical, and did not indicate anything but very ordinary talent. His time was good, and dancers always found his playing satisfactory.
When Paul Beck had completed his task, he looked about him complacently22, as if to say, “Let the boy beat that if he can,” and sat down.
Philip had listened to Mr. Beck with attention. He was anxious to learn how powerful a rival he had to compete with. What he heard did not alarm him, but rather gave him confidence.
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1
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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2
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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7
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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8
unreasonableness
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| 无理性； 横逆 | |
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9
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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11
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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16
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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alienate
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| vt.使疏远，离间；转让(财产等) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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19
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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20
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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21
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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