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house was meant to live in。 The housework has to be done； but the people who
do it have been so overpaid that they're confused and worship the housework。
They're overpaid； and yet； poor things！ they haven't anything that a chicken
can't have。 Of course； when the world gets to paying its wages sensibly that
will be different。〃
〃Do you mean 'communism'？〃 she asked； and she made their slow pace a little
slowerthey had only three blocks to go。
〃Whatever the word is； I only mean that things don't look very sensible
nowespecially to a man that wants to keep out of 'em and can't！
'Communism'？ Well； at least any 'decent sport' would say it's fair for all
the strong runners to start from the same mark and give the weak ones a fair
distance ahead； so that all can run something like even on the stretch。 And
wouldn't it be pleasant； really； if they could all cross the winning…line
together？ Who really enjoys beating anybodyif he sees the beaten man's
face？ The only way we can enjoy getting ahead of other people nowadays is by
forgetting what the other people feel。 And that；〃 he added； 〃is nothing of
what the music meant to me。 You see； if I keep talking about what it didn't
mean I can keep from telling you what it did mean。〃
〃Didn't it mean courage to you； tooa little？〃 she asked。 〃Triumph and
praise were in it； and somehow those things mean courage to me。〃
〃Yes； they were all there；〃 Bibbs said。 〃I don't know the name of what he
played； but I shouldn't think it would matter much。 The man that makes the
music must leave it to you what it can mean to you； and the name he puts to
it can't make much differenceexcept to himself and people very much like
him； I suppose。〃
〃I suppose that's true； though I'd never thought of it like that。〃
〃I image music must make feelings and paint pictures in the minds of the
people who hear it；〃 Bibbs went on； musingly； 〃according to their own natures
as much as according to the music itself。 The musician might compose
something and play it； wanting you to think of the Holy Grail； and some
people who heard it would think of a prayer…meeting； and some would think of
how good they were themselves； and a boy might think of himself at the head
of a solemn procession； carrying a banner and riding a white horse。 And
then； if there were some jubilant passages in the music； he'd think of a
circus。〃
They had reached her gate； and she set her hand upon it； but did not open it。
Bibbs felt that this was almost the kindest of her kindnessesnot to be
prompt in leaving him。
〃After all；〃 she said； 〃you didn't tell me whether you liked it。〃
〃No。 I didn't need to。〃
〃No； that's true； and I didn't need to ask。 I knew。 But you said you were
trying to keep from telling me what it did mean。〃
〃I can't keep from telling it any longer；〃 he said。 〃The music meant to
meit meant the kindness ofof you。〃
〃Kindness？ How？〃
〃You thought I was a sort of lonely trampand sick〃
〃No；〃 she said； decidedly。 〃I thought perhaps you'd like to hear Dr。 Kraft
play。 And you did。〃
〃It's curious； sometimes it seemed to me that it was you who were playing。〃
Mary laughed。 〃I？ I strum！ Piano。 A little ChopinGrieg Chaminade。 You
wouldn't listen！〃
Bibbs drew a deep breath。 〃I'm frightened again；〃 he said； in an unsteady
voice。 〃I'm afraid you'll think I'm pushing； but〃 He paused； and the
words sank to a murmur。
〃Oh； if you want ME to play for you！〃 she said。 〃Yes； gladly。 It will be
merely absurd after what you heard this afternoon。 I play like a hundred
thousand other girls； and I like it。 I'm glad when any one's willing to
listen； and if you〃 She stopped； checked by a sudden recollection； and
laughed ruefully。 〃But my piano won't be here after to…night。 II'm
sending it away to…morrow。 I'm afraid that if you'd like me to play to you
you'd have to come this evening。〃
〃You'll let me？〃 he cried。
〃Certainly； if you care to。〃
〃If I could play〃 he said； wistfully； 〃if I could play like that old man in
the church I could thank you。〃
〃Ah； but you haven't heard me play。 I KNOW you liked this afternoon； but〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bibbs。 〃It was the greatest happiness I've ever known。〃
It was too dark to see his face； but his voice held such plain honesty； and
he spoke with such complete unconsciousness of saying anything especially
significant； that she knew it was the truth。 For a moment she was
nonplussed； then she opened the gate and went in。 〃You'll come after dinner；
then？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； not moving。 〃Would you mind if I stood here until time to
come in？〃
She had reached the steps； and at that she turned； offering him the response
of laughter and a gay gesture of her muff toward the lighted windows of the
New House； as though bidding him to run home to his dinner。
That night； Bibbs sat writing in his note…book。
Music can come into a blank life； and fill it。 Everything that is beautiful
is music； if you can listen。
There is no gracefulness like that of a graceful woman at a grand piano。
There is a swimming loveliness of line that seems to merge with the running
of the sound； and you seem； as you watch her； to see what you are hearing and
to hear what you are seeing。
There are women who make you think of pine woods coming down to a sparkling
sea。 The air about such a woman is bracing； and when she is near you； you
feel strong and ambitious； you forget that the world doesn't like you。 You
think that perhaps you are a great fellow； after all。 Then you come away and
feel like a boy who has fallen in love with his Sunday…school teacher。
You'll be whipped for itand ought to be。
There are women who make you think of Diana； crowned with the moon。 But they
do not have the 〃Greek profile。〃 I do not believe Helen of Troy had a 〃Greek
profile〃； they would not have fought about her if her nose had been quite
that long。 The Greek nose is not the adorable nose。 The adorable nose is
about an eighth of an inch shorter。
Much of the music of Wagner； it appears； is not suitable to the piano。
Wagner was a composer who could interpret into music such things as the
primitive impulses of humanityhe could have made a machine…shop into music。
But not if he had to work in it。 Wagner was always dealing in immensitiesa
machine…shop would have put a majestic lump in so grand a gizzard as that。
There is a mystery about pianos； it seems。 Sometimes they have to be 〃sent
away。〃 That is how some people speak of the penitentiary。 〃Sent away〃 is a
euphuism for 〃sent to prison。〃 But pianos are not sent to prison； and they
are not sent to the tunerthe tuner is sent to them。 Why are pianos 〃sent
away〃and where？
Sometimes a glorious day shines into the most ordinary and useless life。
Happiness and beauty come caroling out of the air into the gloomy house of
that life as if some stray angel just happened to perch on the roof…tree；
resting and singing。 And the night after such a day is lustrous and splendid
with the memory of it。 Music and beauty and kindnessthose are the three
greatest things God can give us。 To bring them all in one day to one who
expected nothingah！ the heart that received them should be as humble as it
is thankful。 But it is hard to be humble when one is so rich with new
memories。 It is impossible to be humble after a day of glory。
Yesthe adorable nose is more than an eighth of an inch shorter than the
Greek nose。 It is a full quarter of an inch shorter。
There are women who will be kinder to a sick tramp than to a conquering hero。
But the sick tramp had better remember that's what he is。 Take care； take
care！ Humble's the word！
That 〃mystery about pianos〃 which troubled Bibbs had been a mystery to Mr。
Vertrees； and it was being explained to him at about the time Bibbs scribbled
the reference to it in his notes。 Mary had gone up…stairs upon Bibbs's
departure at ten o'clock； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Vertrees sat until after midnight
in the library； talking。 And in all that time they found not one cheerful
topic； but became more depressed with everything and with every phase of
everything that they discussedno extraordinary state of affairs in a family
which has always 〃held up its head；〃 only to arrive in the end at a point
where all it can do is to look on helplessly at the processes of its own
financial dissolution。 For that was the point which this despairing couple
had reachedthey could do nothing except look on and talk about it。 They
were only vaporing； and they knew it。
〃She needn't to have done that about her piano；〃 vapored Mr。 Vertrees。 〃We
could have managed somehow without it。 At least she ought to have consulted
me； and if she insisted I could have arranged the details with thethe
dealer。〃
〃She