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"I was," I answered, "till "
Heliobas bent his eyes upon ain, an improvisatrice" he went on "Do you not find it difficult to make your audiences understand your aims?"
I smiled as the remembrance of some of my experiences in public caland, at least, people do not knohat is meant by IMPROVISING They think it is to take a little theme and compose variations on it--the mere ABC of the art But to sit down to the piano and plan a whole sonata or sy they do not and will not understand They coo away, and the critics declare it to be CLAP-TRAP"
"Exactly!" replied Heliobas "But you are to be congratulated on having attained this verdict Everything that people cannot quite understand is called CLAP-TRAP in England; as for instance theof Sarasate; the te throb of passion in Holl to the London press, CLAP-TRAP; while the coldly correct perfors of Charles Halle are voted 'nificent' and 'full of colour' But to return to yourself Will you play to me?"
"I have not touched the instrument for two months," I said; "I am afraid I am out of practice"
"Then you shall not exert yourself to-day," returned Heliobas kindly "But I believe I can help you with your improvisations You compose the music as you play, you tell me Well, have you any idea how the melodies or the harmonies form themselves in your brain?"
"Not the least in the world," I replied
"Is the act of thinking them out an effort to you?" he asked
"Not at all They co them for me"
"Well, well! I think I can certainly be of use to you in this hly And now let ive you my first prescription"
He went to a corner of the room and lifted from the floor an ebony casket, curiously carved and ornamented with silver This he unlocked It contained twelve flasks of cut glass, stoppered with gold and numbered in order He next pulled out a side drawer in this casket, and in it I saw several little thin e two of these he filled thehtly, and then turning toto bed, have a warm bath, empty the contents of the tube hly for about five minutes After the bath, put the fluid in this other tubewater, and drink it off Then go straight to bed"