"Wings!" says the lady. "I was not aware of there being any wings to a violin." "No, ma'am," is the answer; "wings is a technical term we use to express that slender part with the straight cut line at the lower end of the sound hole. We shall have to open the violin to repair that part properly."
"I hope that will not ruin the instrument," observes the lady. "Can you not do the repair without?" "We could, ma'am, if we wished to save time and run a risk." "Oh, please don't run any risk with it, now that I know that it is a valuable instrument I must ask you to take extra pains and do it in your best manner."
"If you would like to see the violin open, I will get my assistant to do it now, it will take but a minute or so. Here, James, open this fiddle and bring it here again."
There is not much waiting, the upper table has not been very obstinate, and James soon reappears with the loose parts, which he hands to his chief. The lady, rather eager at first to see if there is anything curious about the inside of a violin, rather shrinks away when it is brought near. "It is in a very dirty condition," the chief observes, "but we shall soon get that all right," he adds, "by giving it a wash."
"But will not wetting it spoil the tone?" the lady asks. "Not in the least, ma'am," is the reply. "In fact, it will be improved, as at present there is so much grease and filth that the vibration would be seriously interfered with. When it is quite clean there will be more freedom, and the true character of the tone declared."
The lady having departed, the chief takes the violin parts to the workroom. "This is a fine thing," he says to James.
"I thought so too, sir," he replies, "got some fine stuff on it, fiery like, nothing the matter with it but those mouse nibblings."
"That will require careful work, James, think you can do it sufficiently neat and make the new wood match well?"
"I think so, sir. Some of that old pine that we had sent us last week will match thread for thread."
"Well, give it a clean out first, James." This is at once commenced, and with the aid of some clean water, a sponge and stubby brush, followed by the application of a clean dry rag or duster, the interior presents a fairly clean appearance.