ns that had prevented him from
appearing at rehearsal. He showed his brother a dozen of Ivan's hasty
notes of excuse, as he said, soothingly:

"Come, Nikolai, come! What does it signify? Ivan Mikhailovitch is
working very hard; and rehearsals are bothersome things. I shall smooth
away the difficulties and have the orchestra perfectly familiar with his
symphony--which, by-the-way, goes very well. And he will have his back
to the audience, and may do what he likes. The orchestra will get
through; for the concertmeister--Gruening, you know, can manage alone,
perfectly.--Don't bother the young man. All will go well!"

Nicholas heard him out standing quite still, gnawing at his mustache
ends, and staring, absent-mindedly, into a vague distance, that saw
nothing of the expression of gentle inquiry that covered the nervousness
in Anton. Yet Nicholas' sudden apprehension seemed, on reflection, to be
unwarranted. Certainly, thought he, Anton's attitude towards Ivan had
completely changed. Was he, at last, ashamed, and trying to obliterate
the memory of his jealousy? Certainly so it would seem. And thus, when
Nicholas presently left his brother, it was with the sincerest
expressions of gratitude; though, more than once, during his return
walk, there came to him an unsolicited doubt as to--to--what? The
absolute openness of Anton's actions?--Scarcely that; and yet so much
like that that no other explanation could be found to fit the quickly
suppressed pang.

Pity, truly, that Nicholas could not have watched his brother for the
fifteen minutes after his departure! During five of these, the great
pianist stood where he had been left, staring down at the floor, an
expression in his eyes compounded of many emotions. But presently his
thoughts resolved themselves. For, throwing back his head, he gave a
laugh: a laugh long, rather loud, but replete with anything in the world
save mirth: suggesting strongly, indeed, the savageness of the frown
which presently replaced it, when, drumming a scale upon the edge of the
table in front of him, he muttered: "Conduct a symphony played by a full
concert orchestra without a single rehearsal!--Good Heavens! Nicholas is
turning into a fool!"

All things considered, there was certainly a grain of truth in Anton
Rubinstein's assertion. Still, foolish as Nicholas may have shown
himself over the matter, what was his unwisdom compared to that of Ivan,
the proposed hero of the forthcoming inevitable _