Padini swept his bow across the strings, and proceeded to play a perfect little gem in a minor key. To a certain extent it reminded Rigby of Gounod's "Ave Maria," though its originality and breadth deprived it of any suggestion of plagiarism.
"Perfect in its way," Rigby said. "Would you mind giving me the score? If you will, I can get a good price for it from the Planet people. We are going to publish music at reasonable rates, and there is no reason why you should not have fifty guineas for yours."
Padini declared that he quite shared Rigby's opinion. He took a sheet of manuscript music from a drawer, and threw it carelessly across to his companion.
"There you are," he said. "Make the best bargain you can for me. What? You are not going already?"
Rigby muttered something to the effect that he had not yet finished his work at the office, and that he must tear himself away, much as he would like to have stayed to hear more of that beautiful music. A few minutes later Rigby left the room. As he glanced back he saw that Padini had fallen into his armchair again, and was already half asleep. Rigby smiled to himself, wondering what Padini would say if he knew the purpose to which the sheet of manuscript music would be devoted. He called a cab and hastened away in the direction of Panton Square, where he expected that Jack would be still awaiting him. The lights were up at No. 5 just as they were when Rigby had started for the Great Metropolitan Hotel; but, all the same, he took the precaution of whistling softly, in case anything had gone wrong. The front door opened cautiously, and Jack's head peeped out. A moment later, and Rigby was inside.
"Well?" he demanded impatiently. "Anything happened?"
"A great deal," Jack replied. "For half-an-hour everything was quiet, then that wonderful music started again. Mind you, I haven't the remotest idea where it came from; I am just as much in the fog as ever. But it filled the room as if some great artist was invisible to me. I could recognize Padini's touch. Of course, I am assuming that you found him at home, and persuaded him to play to you. Can I take that for granted?"
"It is exactly as you say," Rigby explained. "Please go on."
"Then I will tell you what Padini played. He started with the first part of 'The Moonlight Sonata.'"
Rigby nodded and smiled. His smile broadened as Jack proceeded to tick off the pieces of music just as they were played. "There was one, however, that I could not follow," he said. "It was that lovely little thing at the end. I am absolutely certain that it was an original piece of music."