“Oh! I’ve been ready two hours!” retorted Monsieur Pattier, with an angry shrug.
“One moment, messieurs,” said the second violin; “my first string is loose; it’s a new string; I must tighten it.”
The tenor seized the opportunity to play over a passage that seemed rather difficult, and the ‘cellist consoled himself with a pinch of snuff.
“Now I’m ready,” said the second violin.
“That’s very fortunate.—Attention, messieurs, if you please; we will play the allegro rather slowly, and the adagio somewhat quickly; that produces a better effect.”
“As you please; it’s your place to beat time.”
The signal was given; the first violin started, and the others straggled after, as usual. Although I paid little attention to the quartette, it seemed to me to be even worse than ordinarily.
“The villains have sworn to flay us alive!” said one of my neighbors.
“That isn’t right! that isn’t right!” cried the first violin, stopping short.
“I don’t see why it didn’t go well enough,” observed the tenor.