Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

HENSELT 211
were ' out of date,' but all was in the most perfect
order ; everything shone as though not a particle of
dust could ever be tolerated there.
To the right of the music-desk on each piano was a
small oval tray, containing several pencils cut ready
for use, indiarubber inserted in wood, and last, not
least, a piece of pumice-stone with which Henselt
used to file his nails—for he never used either a pair
of scissors or a knife to cut them.
Everything in his rooms was for comfort, con-
venience, and work ; there was nothing merely
elegant, nothing superfluous. His favourite instru-
ment was still in splendid condition, though it had
been over twenty years in his possession. He never
worked upon this instrument ; he only played on it
the pieces which he had conquered upon the other.
On the other, rendered mute by means of a sordine,
he wrestled out his tone-problems. It was by labour
such as this that he approached the great ideal of
perfection towards which his whole life was one
continued striving.
From the Meister's sanctum one passed into his
sleeping-room, of which the housekeeper insisted on
showing me every detail during one of his visits to
Moscow. Here, too, all was old-fashioned, simple,
and solid ; but here, too, all was in exquisite order.
His brushes all in a row; his reading-glasses by
themselves ; his writing-table, his drawers, and ""all
their contents so systematically neat, that even in the