Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

HENSELT 231
pleased to call a whim—a touchiness on my part.
But I was mistaken, and the Meister had a little score
against me, on the ground, I believe, of his having
troubled himself to send for me several times. His
man who took back my replies had become aware
that I was neither ill nor discontinuing practice,
but was simply not disposed to go to his master. I
was, as the phrase goes, ' to be paid out for this,'
and that in a manner very characteristic of Henselt.
The next lessons were most delightful. Henselt
was most kind, but the following incident will show
that he was bent on ' being even with me.' Just a
little more than a fortnight before the time when
Henselt was to leave St. Petersburg, and when I
calculated on having at least four or five lessons more
from him, he said as he stood up from the piano to
go away, ' We have but one lesson more this season.'
' One lesson more !' I exclaimed, in surprise and
consternation. ' Are you going away earlier this
year, dear Meister, than you usually do ?' He had
the previous year given me a lesson the very day
before he left.
' No,' he replied, ' I am not going away just yet
but if you choose for a mere whim to throw away
three weeks in the middle of winter, is there any
reason why I should push myself to the last moment
for you ?'
I would have expostulated, would have asked him
to reconsider the matter, but he hurried downstairs
; ;