n mistaken in supposing that the room
was full. The clanging sound kept recurring, the dog kept barking, and new
guests continually poured into the room, thereby proving that it was not
full. All comers were introduced to Audrey, whose head was a dizzy riot of
strange names. Then at last a girl sang, and was applauded. Madame Foa
played for her. "Now," thought Audrey, "they will ask Musa." Then one of
the composers played the piano, his themes punctuated by the clanging sound
and by the dog. The room was asphyxiating, but no one except Audrey seemed
to be inconvenienced. Then several guests rang in quick succession.

"Madame!" the suave and ardent voice of Foa could be heard in the
entrance-hall. "And thou, Roussel ... Ippolita, Ippolita!" he called to
his wife. "It is Roussel."

Audrey did not turn her head. She could not. But presently Roussel, in a
blue suit with a wonderful flowing bow of a black necktie in _crepe de
Chine_, was led before her. And Musa was led before Roussel. Audrey, from
nervousness, was moved to relate the history of Musa's accident to Roussel.

The moment had arrived. Roussel sat down to the piano. Musa tuned his
fiddle.

"From what appears," murmured Monsieur Foa to nobody in particular, with an
ecstatic expectant smile on his face, "this Musa is all that is most
amazing."

Then, in the silence, the clanging sound was renewed, and the fox-terrier
reacted.

"Andre, my friend," cried Madame Foa, skipping into the hall. "Will you do
me the pleasure of exterminating this dog?"

Delicate osculatory explosions and pretty exclamations in the hall! The
hostess was encountering an old friend. There was also a man's deep
English voice. Then a hush. The man's voice produced a very strange effect
upon Audrey. Roussel began to play. Musa held his bow aloft. Creeping
steps in the doorway made Audrey look round. A lady smiled and bowed to
her. It was Madame Piriac, resplendent and serene.

Musa played the Caprice. Audrey did not hear him, partly because the vision
of Madame Piriac, and the man's deep voice, had extremely perturbed her,
and partly because she was so desperately anxious for Musa's triumph. She
had decided that she could make his triumph here the prelude to tremendous
things. When he had finished she held her breath....

The applause, after an instant, was sudden and extremely cordial. Monsieur
Foa loudly clapped, smiling at Audrey. Roussel patted Musa on the back and
chattered to him