Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

SGAMBATI
which he recovered his usual swing and 'dan, and
played his piece admu-ably.
On the following day, a young student of St.
Cecilia, who came twice a week to read music
arranged for four hands with me, told us much about
Signorina Gr which was calculated to excite our
interest in her. On my observing that I had
wondered at the self-control she had shown in play-
ing so well after such a break-down, and still more
wondered at her power of keeping countenance and
looking so calm as she sat by her mother for more
than an hour afterwards
—
'Ah, signoruia,' observed Signor E ,
'had you
but seen her in the class this mornmg—how she
wept as she begged Sgambati's pardon, and deplored
having given way to such an unreasonable panic !
And the professore was so kind to her. He told her
she must not cry any more, but think of retrieving
herself. He would give her the chance of doing so,
by having her asked to play at the next pupils'
concert, which would be in four weeks. She should
play Mendelssohn's First Concerto, and he would
accompany her on a second piano.'
My sister and I both felt great sympathy with
Signorma G , and we felt very anxious on her
behalf as the time approached for her performance of
the Mendelssohn concerto. We feared that she would
brood over what had happened at her last appearance,
and so mar her future prospects. We thought of