Yetifwhenourhostgaveusthesigntoadjourntothedrawing—roomsomuchasallthishadgrownsomuchclearer，Ihadstill，figurativelyspeaking，asmallnutortwolefttocrack。Bythetimewemovedawaytogether，however，theseresistanceshadyielded。Theanswershadreallyonlybeenwaitingforthequestions。TheplayofLong’smindstruckmeasmoremarked，sincethemorning，bythesameamount，asitmighthavebeencalled，asthemarchofpoorBriss’sage；andifIhad，awhilebefore，inthewood，hadmyexplanationofthislatteraddition，soIhaditnowoftheformer——astowhichIshallpresentlygiveit。
Whenmusic，inEnglishsociety，asweknow，isnotanaccompanimenttothevoice，thevoicecaningeneralbecountedontoassertitspleasantidentityasanaccompanimenttomusic；butatNewmarchwehadbeenconsiderablyschooled，andthisevening，intheroominwhichmostofushadassembled，aninterestingpianist，whohadgivenaconcertthenightbeforeatthenearcountytownandbeenbroughtoverduringthedaytodineandsleep，wouldscarcehavefeltinanysensitivefibrethathewasnothavinghiswaywithus。Itmayjustpossiblyhavebeenanhallucinationofmyown，butwhilewesattogetherafterdinnerinadispersedcircleIcouldhaveworkeditoutthat，asacompany，wewereconsiderablyconsciousofsomeexperience，greaterorsmallerfromoneofustotheother，thathadpreparedusfortheplayer’sspell。Felicitouslyscatteredandgrouped，wemightinalmostanycasehavehadtheairoflookingforamessagefromit——ofanimaginationtobeflattered，nervestobequieted，sensibilitiestobesoothed。Thewholescenewasascomposedasiftherewerescarceoneofusbuthadasecretthirstfortheinfinitetobequenched。Anditwastheinfinitethat，forthehour，thedistinguishedforeignerpouredouttous，causingittorollinwonderfulwavesofsound，almostofcolour，overourreceptiveattitudesandfaces。Eachofus，Ithink，nowworetheexpression——orconfessedatleasttothesuggestion——ofsomeindescribablethought；whichmightwell，itwastrue，havebeennothingmoreunmentionablethanthesimplesenseofhowthepostureofdeferencetothisnoblearthasalwaysacertainpersonalgracetocontribute。Weneglectednothingofitthatcouldmakeourgeneraleffectample，andwhetherornowewerekeptquietbythepiano，wewereatleastadmonished，toandfro，byourmutualvisibility，whicheachofusclearlydesiredtomakeasuccess。
Ihavelittledoubt，furthermore，thattoeachofuswasdue，asthecrownofourinimitableday，theimputationofhavingsomethingquiteofourowntothinkover。
Wethought，accordingly——wecontinuedtothink，andIfeltthat，bythelawoftheoccasion，therehadasyetbeenforeveryonenosuchsovereignwarrantforaninterestintheprivateaffairsofeveryoneelse。Asaresultofthisinfluenceallthatatdinnerhadbeguntofadeawayfrommecamebackwitharushandhoveredtherewithavividness。Ifollowedmanytrainsandputtogethermanypieces；butperhapswhatImostdidwastorenderafreshjusticetothemarvelofourcivilisedstate。Theperfectionofthat，enjoyedasweenjoyedit，allmadeamargin，aseriesofconcentriccirclesofrose—colour（shimmeringawayintothepleasantvagueofeverythingelsethatdidn’tmatter，）forthesosalientlittlefigureofMrs。Server，stillthecontrollingimageforme，therealprincipleofcomposition，inthisaffluenceoffinethings。What，formypart，whileIlistened，Imostmadeoutwasthebeautyandtheterrorofconditionssohighlyorganisedthatundertheirrulehersmalllonelyfightwithdisintegrationcouldgoonwithoutthebetrayalofagasporashriek，andwithnoworsetell—talecontortionofliporbrowthanthevibration，onitsgoldenstem，ofthatconstantlyrenewedflowerofamenitywhichmyobservationhadsooftenandsomercilesslydetachedonlytofindagaininitsplace。Thisflowernoddedperceptiblyenoughinourdeeplystirredair，buttherewasapeace，nonetheless，infeelingthespiritofthewearertobetemporarilyatrest。Therewasforthetimenogentlemanonwhomsheneedpounce，nolapseagainstwhichsheneedguard，nopresumptionsheneedcreate，noranysuspicionsheneeddestroy。InthispauseinhercareeritcameovermethatIshouldhavelikedtoleaveher；itwouldhavepreparedformethepleasantafter—consciousnessthatIhadseenherpass，asImightsay，inmusicoutofsight。
Butwewere，alas！alltoomuchthere，toomuchtangledandinvolvedforthat；everyactorintheplaythathadsounexpectedlyinsistedonconstitutingitselfformesatforthaswithanintimationthattheywerenottobesoeasilydisposedof。Itwasasifthereweresomelastacttobeperformedbeforethecurtaincouldfall。Wouldthedefinitedramaticsignalforringingthecurtaindownbethenonly——asagrandclimaxandcoupdetheatre——thedueattestationthatpoorBrisshadsuccumbedtoinexorabletimeandMrs。Servergivenwayunderacerebrallesion？Weretherestofustodispersedecorouslybythesimpleactionofthediscoverythat，onourpianist’sstrikinghislastnote，withitsconsequenceofpermittedchangesofattitude，GilbertLong’svictimhadreachedthepointoffinalsimplificationandGraceBrissenden’sthelimitofagerecordedofman？