“‘That’s well, then; attention again, gentlemen, if you please! Let us play the allegro very moderately, and the adagio rather fast—it improves the effect.’—
“‘Ay, ay, just as you like; only, you must beat the time.’
“The signal is given; the First Violin starts off, the rest follow, after their peculiar fashion. It becomes presently evident that, instead of combination, all is contest; notwithstanding which evidence of honorable rivalry, somebody has the malice to whisper, pretty audibly, ‘The rogues are in a conspiracy to flay our ears!’
“Presently, the First Violin makes a dead halt—‘There’s some mistake: we’re all wrong.’
“‘Why, it seems to go well enough,’ observes the Tenor.
“‘No, no, we’re out somewhere.’—
“‘Where is it then?’
“‘Where? That’s more than I can tell.’—
“‘For my part,’ says the Second Violin, ‘I have not missed a note.’—
“‘Nor I either.’—