“My dear boy, I have told you that that does not matter in the slightest degree,” said Karl. “The moment you touch the notes that will cease absolutely. Why, even now my hands always tremble before I begin!”
Martin apparently was not listening.
“And I have not the remotest notion how the ‘Études Symphoniques’ begin,” he said.
Karl tried to laugh, but he was not very successful. As a matter of fact he was quite as nervous as Martin.
“That’s a great pity,” he said, “as you open with it. I don’t know either.”
“What will you do if I break down?” he said; “if I can’t begin? It is more than possible.”
“I shall hiss; I shall boo; I shall demand the return of my money,” said he.
But Martin still remained perfectly grave.
“Ah, don’t,” he said; “the others may boo if they like, and I shan’t mind—much. But I couldn’t stand it if you did.”