“Well, then, if you have not got A key, try the key of B.”
Jaques looked puzzled, and said, “I don’t understand.”
STACCATO PASSAGE.
“There,” said the little man, pointing to a rope attached to the bolt of the gate—“you’re A flat; B E sharp now, and C what F-ect ten or a dozen treble G-erks applied altogether to the bar at the base there may have in the D-velopment of a passage.”
This speech made the boys look at one another, and laugh. “Well,” said the little man, “passages generally do open with a chord seem funny as it may; so just try.”
At this, Norval seized the rope, and, tugging it vigorously, the gate swung slowly on its hinges.
“Ah! what lovely opening bars!” cried the little man, beating time with one leg; “there never was a passage better done on the P an’ O.”
The remark may be made here, in passing, that a match against time with both legs is common, but to beat time with one leg! extraordinary feat!!! The passage must have been very legato, or it could not have been done.
When the gate was fully open, the boys all said, “Thank you.”
“Oh, never mind thanking me; it’s been a case of stuck-at-a passage long enough; get through it in treble quick time, and be happy.”