Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

S8
MY MUSICAL EXPERIENCES
room, the beads of perspiration stood on. his forehead,
and he was all in a tremor. It was not the mere
question of passing^getting through—that made all
these young students so anxious, but they were
teachers, and if they only passed with a minimum
]iumber of marks, though they might indeed get the
diploma which carries with it the title of professor,
yet they would take but a low place in the profession
—a great disadvantage at the beginning of their
career. This gentleman's turn came just after that
of Signorina Gr . We met him in the corridor,
and he made us both promise that we would not
either listen at the door while he was being examined,
nor remain anywhere near enough to hear his per-
formance. Giving him the required promise, we both
went down the stairs into a distant part of the build-
ing with some other students, and there we anxiously
awaited the event, for the gentleman was a favourite
with his fellow-students. Far away as we had gone,
however, we could hear, though not very distinctly,
both the study from the Gradus ad Parnassum, and
the prelude and fugue from Bach's ' well-tempered
Clavier.' They both seemed to go very well, for there
was no break in the performance. But then came a
long pause. Ten minutes passed, and, becoming very
uneasy, we stole softly up the staircase. At the top of
the corridor leading to the examination-room, we met
an' attendant, who told us that he had just been in there,
bringing water to recover a gentleman who had all but