Pagina 300 di 490

At another time he devoted himself entirely to music, and in a

long latticed room, with a vermilion-and-gold ceiling and walls

of olive-green lacquer, he used to give curious concerts in which

mad gipsies tore wild music from little zithers, or grave,

yellow-shawled Tunisians plucked at the strained strings of

monstrous lutes, while grinning Negroes beat monotonously upon

copper drums and, crouching upon scarlet mats, slim turbaned

Indians blew through long pipes of reed or brass and charmed-or

feigned to charm-great hooded snakes and horrible horned adders.

The harsh intervals and shrill discords of barbaric music stirred

him at times when Schubert's grace, and Chopin's beautiful

sorrows, and the mighty harmonies of Beethoven himself, fell

unheeded on his ear.