ed of grief when he died, if he had lived in my
day; but I should like to serve him even now that he is in Heaven; and
I often think it is better that I can't play on any instrument, for I
should never have learned to express music as I can feel it. Hearing is
a gift of nature, for which I have to thank God. My grandfather, too,
had great knowledge of music. If I had not played in harmony, with my
sense of hearing and feeling, it would certainly have grated
distractingly on my nerves."

"It is just the same with me," interrupted Annele. "I like to listen to
music, but I have no skill; and besides, when there is so much to do in
the house I have no time to myself, so there is no chance of my
improving. I have entirely given up the piano; my father is very angry
with me for it, for he spared no money, and made all his children learn
music, but I think if you can't do a thing really well it is better to
let it alone altogether; and then for people like myself, who know how
to hear music though not to speak it, we have you and the instruments
you make. If I were master in this house, I would buy your best organ
from you, and not let any more go to Russia: I would have it in the
public room, where it would amuse all the guests, and you would in this
way receive plenty of orders. Since I was up at your house, no matter
where I go, I have always ringing in my ears that pretty melody with
the bells, from the 'Magic Flute.'"

A pretty melody sounded in Lenz's ears also. He tried to explain to
Annele that a person who had no true feeling for music, might indeed
place the pegs in the instrument in the same order in which the notes
were written; but that was not all; no, not even when attending to
change of time as it was marked: where feeling does not exist, the
instrument will never be anything better than a barrel-organ.

A person playing of his own accord makes the Piano slower and the Forte
quicker; and a similar effect must be obtained by the mechanism of the
instrument, but those shades in the time must be delicately managed.
Though the _forte_ should be well marked, the instrument having so much
stress on it already, in the _fortissimo_ a reinforcement of power
should be given.

Annele listened to him with a very intelligent face, and at last said:
"I am very much obliged to you for giving me all these details. If some
people knew that you had been telling me all this, they might be
jealous."

At these words Lenz pass