were using that he had
set to music the words of the poem from which I had quoted, and that
after tea he would, with the permission of the company, play it to us.
From him and Mr. Spence conjointly I then learned that he had followed
out the principles of moderation in a number of original productions.
Most musical scores were too long, he said,--just as many people talked
too much,--and he was seeking to popularize even classical works by
abbreviating them, after the fashion adopted by Mr. Spence in regard to
conversation. In this manner formidable pieces, like oratorios and
symphonies, could be made congenial and instructive to those who usually
found them tedious. In music as in literature the idea was the main
consideration, and in Mr. Fleisch's opinion the vehicle by which it was
conveyed should be as little cumbersome as possible. Acting on this
principle, he had in one instance reduced an entire symphony to eight
chords without destroying the charm. In music compression was possible
to a greater extent, he believed, than in any other art.

While Mr. Fleisch and Mr. Spence were devoting their attention to making
this new offshoot of the system clear to me, I was occasionally
distracted by the behavior of Miss Kingsley, who was audibly using my
name in the course of a whispered colloquy with Mr. Barr. The artist's
eyes still never strayed from my face, but his ear was open to his
neighbor's confidences; and I could gather--for it is difficult to avoid
listening where one is the subject of conversation--that she was
representing me as belonging to the world of fashion, and present merely
upon sufferance. I noticed too that, curiously enough, Mr. Spence seemed
attracted by the sound of my name, and would now and then secretly lend
an ear to what was being said upon his other side. In fact I soon made
up my mind that it was for his benefit Miss Kingsley was talking. She
hoped to undermine my influence by an unflattering description of my
doings in society. It was doubtless her cue to make her guests regard me
as a frivolous character.

Naturally I was indignant, and my pride was aroused. To be sure I was in
her debt for the opportunity she had given me of meeting these literary
friends, but that gave her no license to misrepresent me, in a light
which in my present humor was the most distasteful she could have
selected. Under the spur of pique I redoubled my graciousness toward Mr.
Spence and Mr. Fleisch, and likewis