I'll fill in with something else."
They listened to an inconclusive thing by a wobbling soprano, and then Mrs.
Phillips put the other record back.
The accompaniment to the air was rather rich and dense, and the general
tone-quality was somewhat blatant. But Cope stood up to it all, and had the
inspiration to treat the new combination as a sort of half-joke. But he was
relieved from the bother of accompanying himself; his resonance overlaid in
some measure the cheap quality of the record's tone; he contrived to master
a degree of momentum to let himself go; and the general result was good,--
much better than his attempt at that tea. Hortense and Carolyn looked at
him with a new respect; and Amy, who had been willing to admire, now
admired openly. Cope ended, gave a slight grimace, and sauntered away from
the table and the instrument. He knew that he had done rather well.
"Bravo!" loudly cried one of the ladies, who felt that she was under
suspicion of having taken a step or two in the dance. And, "Oh, my dear,"
said Mrs. Phillips to her, sotto voce, "isn't he utterly charming!"
Cope wiped his brow.
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