The man took the card and disappeared behind the curtains. In an incredibly short time Barney came out, and his reception of the musician was bewilderingly effusive.
“My dear fellow,” he cried, placing a hand on each shoulder of Langly, “can you play the piano? Of course you can. What a foolish question to ask! I always alight on my feet. Providence has dropped you down here, my boy, don’t you know. Here we have just sent out to scour Chelsea for a pianist, and here you drop right down from the skies, don’t you know. This is luck. Want to see me? Of course you do, and what’s more to the point, I want to see you, don’t you know! Now come right in. I’ve got the finest grand piano you ever fingered in your life—magnificent instrument—case designed by myself—told ’em to spare no expense, and they didn’t, don’t you know. Trust ’em for that. Now come in, come in.”
“Mr. Hope, I did not come to play—I am in no condition for playing.”
“Of course you didn’t come to play. That’s the beauty of it. You want something from me, now don’t you?”
“Yes, and if you will give me a moment——”
“A thousand of’em, my boy, a thousand of’em, but not just now. Listen to me. You want something I’ve got, and I want something you’ve got Very well. All England’s prosperity is based on just that position of things. Our commerce is founded on it. Our mutual country is great merely because she knows what she wants, and because she has something the other fellow wants, don’t you know! Now, I want a man who can play dance music, and I want him now—not to-morrow, or day after, or next week. You see what I mean? Good. You come in and polish us off some waltzes on the new piano; then, when it’s all over, I’ll let you have what you want, if it’s half my kingdom, as the story-books say. Then we will both be happy, don’t you know.”
“I am organist at St. Martyrs church. I can’t——”
“That’s all right. Don’t apologize. You can play the piano as well as the organ—I know that by the look of you. Come in, come in.”
Barney triumphantly dragged the reluctant musician after him.
“I’ve got him,” he cried, at which there was a clatter of applause and laughter.