Brother and sister exchanged a swift glance across the bed. Evidently, Monsieur Peron had, at one time, been a personage of some importance.

Sovereigns did not bestow such gifts upon undistinguished people.

"Take that ring and the Order," commanded the old man in his feeble, husky voice. "Go and p.a.w.n them. If you cannot get enough by p.a.w.ning, sell them outright. And buy a dress-suit with the money to-day."

Both Nello and his sister protested. These two objects and the piano were all that the old man had preserved out of his brilliant past.

Corsini spoke. "Listen, dear Papa! You would not part with these when we had not enough to eat. I can understand what they represent to you.

Do not worry about me. I will go to Degraux in a couple of days and explain the situation. Even if he is annoyed, he will have gone too far to recede."

But Peron was persistent. A flash of his old imperiousness came back to him.

"Go and do as I tell you. My days are numbered. My one hope is that I may live to see you successful. Go and dress yourself properly. Let me hear of your success before I die; that is all I wish."

The strain of the interview had been too much for him. Taken with a violent fit of coughing, he sank back exhausted on his pillow. Anita pointed to the door.

"You cannot disobey his wishes. Come back and tell him you have done what he asked you. It may give him a few days more of life."

The young man, fearing the old man's death, rushed round to the nearest p.a.w.nbroker in Wardour Street. Upon the ring alone he raised sufficient to hire a dress-suit at a neighbouring costumier's. On his return he was overjoyed to find that the poor Papa had rallied from his exhaustion.

On the night of the concert Nello came into the old man's room to bid him good-night. Peron drew him towards him and kissed him on both cheeks.

"Courage, my son, courage!" Alas! every day the voice was getting feebler. "You play at the end that little romance with your own variations. _Au revoir._ I shall be awake when you return to hear the news. Anita and I will not have a wink of sleep till you come back."

"_Au revoir, bon_ Papa!" was Nello's parting greeting.

Papa Peron raised himself in his bed, shook his hand at the air and almost shouted after him: "And if you do not outplay that charlatan, Bauquel, I will never forgive you."

CHAPTER IV

Nello stood facing the big and fashionable audience. A celebrated accompanist was already seated at the piano. There was perfect silence in the vast a.s.sembly. In a few seconds the pianist would strike the opening chords, and Nello Corsini, the unknown violinist, must justify the faith that had been placed in him by Paul Degraux.

He felt sick and a little faint. As he looked dimly into that vast sea of expectant faces, he realised the ordeal to which he was exposed. In the little room in Dean Street, with Papa Peron and his worshipping sister for an audience, it was not difficult to feel at ease, to pour out his artistic soul. Even to Gay and Degraux, in the privacy of their apartments, he had given of his best.

But to-night he was before a vast audience, critical and fastidious.

Had they not already sampled many executants, many equal to himself, not a few superior?

The salient episodes of his later life floated before him. His meeting with Papa Peron, his introduction to Gay, the placid evenings when he had played at the Parthenon for a small wage, his accident and the miserable days that had supervened, his desperate visit to the powerful Degraux, the marvellous success of that interview. And behind the recollection of all this, the memory of that dreadful time when he had played in the streets for a few wretched coppers to keep himself and his sister from want.

But to-night he was playing for fame and fortune, through the lucky chance of the great Bauquel's absence. If he made good to-night, if he could secure the plaudits of this fashionable crowd, coppers would no longer be his portion, but sovereigns and Bank of England notes.

It was a brilliant a.s.sembly. In the Royal box sat the Queen of England, with the Prince and Princess of Wales. Peers and Peeresses were there by the dozen. Every other person was more or less distinguished. This was no audience gathered from the corners of mean streets.

As the pianist struck the opening chords, the mist cleared from the young man's brain. Those upturned faces which met his fascinated gaze were no longer charged with cold hostility, but full of friendliness, of welcome to a new and untried artist. He drew his bow caressingly across the strings, and began.

The last plaintive notes died away--he had chosen to open with an exquisite romance of Greig's. The applause was sincere, but it was not fervent. Degraux, standing anxiously in the wings, had to admit that it was not fervent. And then, suddenly, Bauquel's noisy _claque_ burst forth in a storm of hisses. They were paid by the popular favourite to howl down any likely rival.

The young man's face went white as death. Was the chance going to be s.n.a.t.c.hed from him? Would he leave the theatre a failure, to the disgust of the man who had befriended him and put faith in him?

The storm of hisses, hired disapprobation, died slowly down, countered, as it was, with a little decorous and well-mannered applause. The charming romance of Greig, though exquisitely played, had failed to really touch the audience. If the great Bauquel, with his well-established reputation, had rendered it, the house would have been in a furore.

Corsini's next item was a piece by Chopin. Amid the din of the contending hisses and applause, the pianist beckoned to the young man and they exchanged whispers.

"Take my advice; leave the Chopin piece. They are not in the melancholy mood to-night: they want something brilliant, an undernote of pathos with a cascade of fireworks to relieve the sadness. Play that romance of yours, _with_ the variations. Cut the theme as short as possible; use it as just an introduction. Get to work on the variations, those will fetch them."

Nello set his teeth firmly; opposition, the suspicion of failure, had goaded him to fresh effort, to a fuller belief in his own powers. He remembered the good old Papa's injunction: "If you do not outplay that charlatan, Bauquel, I will never forgive you."

And he played as one inspired. The violin, a legacy from his father, sang and sobbed and thrilled as it had never done before. When he had finished the applause was hearty and vehement. The hisses of the Bauquel _claque_ could no longer be heard. The unknown young violinist had made good and won the plaudits of one of the most critical audiences in Europe.

Degraux met him in the wings and shook him warmly by the hand. "A thousand thanks. I see now I was right in engaging you, in speculating on a chance. Now, come to my room. You told me something yesterday about certain things in Dean Street. Cheques are no good to you. You want ready money."

Nello admitted that it was so. Together they hastened into the director's private room. Degraux went to a small safe, unlocked it and drew forth a roll of notes.

"See here, my young friend, you have saved the position. For the moment, that rascal Bauquel is temporarily eclipsed. Here is your fee, double what I promised."

Nello protested faintly. "But, Monsieur, this is too much. And remember, please, I was very nearly a failure. Bauquel's _claque_ was almost too much for me."

Degraux laughed light-heartedly. "Very nearly, but not quite. You say your good old Papa Peron calls him a charlatan. The expression is perhaps a little strong. He is not that, but he is perhaps not the genius he thinks himself, or his friends think him."

"I should be more than delighted to possess his reputation, Monsieur,"

interrupted the young Italian.

Degraux laid his hand lightly on Nello's shoulder.

"I see, Corsini, you have a head upon your shoulders. Will you permit me to give you a few words of sound advice?"

"A thousand if you are so disposed, Monsieur."

"You have scored a triumph of sorts to-night, but don't let it give you a swollen head."

"It will not, Monsieur, I can a.s.sure you," was the answer.

"That is well; preserve the business head as well as the artistic instinct. This profession is full of ups and downs. Look at Bauquel!

In spite of his considerable earnings, he is always in debt, always in the hands of money-lenders. He earns easily, he spends more easily. In five years he will be ousted from his position by younger and more talented rivals, and he will be penniless. He will probably come to me to borrow a sovereign."

"And you will let him have it, I am sure, Monsieur," said Nello warmly. "You have a very kind heart."

"Of course I shall let him have it. But, at the same time, I shall take advantage of the opportunity to say, 'here it is, friend Bauquel.

But why did you not save in the fat years, instead of spending your money on a miserable _claque_, in order to spoil my show? And you know, moreover, you were absolutely in the wrong.'"

Nello could not refrain from smiling. Paul Degraux was very human. He could not forgive Bauquel for his cavalier treatment.

"I am a frugal Italian, Monsieur. I shall never waste my money."

Paul Degraux swelled out his broad chest. "You will get on, my young friend. Look at me! Twenty or twenty-five years ago I was playing in a small orchestra with Gay at a few shillings a week--I have no doubt Gay has told you of that little episode. I know he is a very garrulous person--a dear good chap, but garrulous. Well, Gay is there and I am here. Why?"