"Well, James, we must get both of those out and put something in more to the purpose, the gentleman wants it done well and we must make it sound properly to please him and his daughter. From the manner in which those patches are inserted and their thickness—they are stouter than the tables themselves—there would be very little tone. Well I never! they've glued the sound post in."
This discovery caused a good laugh from both. "We must have the upper table off at once, James," continued the chief. "But how about the post, sir?" interposes his assistant; "it looks as if it will hold on tight." "Well, you must take a fine chisel and work it in two before you commence the opening."
James retires to his corner, and taking up a small chisel stuck in a short handle of his own fitting, he inserts it carefully through the right sound-hole, chipping the post gradually down one side, then turning the violin round on the cushion, he works away at the post through the other, and although from the extra distance from this, the chisel has a weaker hold, there is less substance to work through, the greater part having been worked away at the first attack.
The way is now clear for removing the upper table, which James does after some trouble in working his knife along between the edging and the upper part of the ribs, in consequence of the glueing having been done with a bountiful hand, and the parts pressed together tightly, so much so as to show very distinctly where the screw cramps had been wound up.
The exposed interior is brought before the gaze of the chief, who looks at it for a while, then remarks, "Very bad, but I have seen the like often before, and suppose will do so many times again.
"Give it a cleaning, James, they've fastened the plaster on to the dirty wood, and I expect the hold is very slight if at all in parts."
"No, sir, I tapped it about, and found some hollow spaces that would admit my small knife; the plaster had not been cut evenly, and then not pressed equally all over. The back seems about as bad, although it being thick does not need any support."
"No, James, the repairers, if we may give them such an honourable title, wanted to show that something had been done for the money charged. Give the interior a clean out with warm water and sponge, leave some wet rags over those plasters, and when the damp has soaked through, you can soon get your gouge underneath and pull them off, washing the surfaces afterwards."
This having been done as requested, the two parts are again brought before the chief, who forthwith takes a pair of calipers; these he applies carefully to both upper and lower tables in turn, moving them over in all directions. "I declare, James," he then observes, "there is no necessity for any patches or plasters anywhere; there is a very weak upper rib that has been so knocked about by several mendings, and spoilt inside and out, besides being riddled by insects, that we must make or fix a fresh piece in its place. Now, this fiddle being worth the trouble, you must see if you can make the repair so neat as to be almost invisible even when closely examined."
"Well, sir, I'll try at it," is the reply, this being a kind of repair that James will take much pleasure in, to show his dexterity of handling and clean cutting.