‘I cannot guess.’
‘No, I am sure you cannot. Wait—go on with your gardening. I will bring you one of my treasures.’
She darted into the house, and after a few minutes, Jasper heard a tinkling as of brass. Then Eve danced out to him, laughing and shaking a tambourine.
‘I suppose it belonged to you or Miss Jordan when you were children, and was stowed away under the mistaken impression that you had outgrown toys.’
‘No, Mr. Jasper, it never belonged to either Barbara or me. I never had one. Barbara gave me everything of her own I wanted. I could not have forgotten this. I would have played with it till I had broken the parchment, and shaken out all the little bells.’
‘Give it to me. I will tighten the parchment, and then you can drum on it with your fingers.’ He took the instrument from her, and strained the cover. ‘Do you know, Miss Eve, how to use a tambourine?’
‘No. I shake it, and then all the little bells tingle.’
‘Yes, but you also tap the drum. You want music as an accompaniment, and to that you dance with this toy.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘I will show you how I have seen it played by Italian and gipsy girls.’ He took the tambourine, and singing a lively dance air, struck the drum and clinked the brasses. He danced before Eve gravely, with graceful movements.