CHAPTER XXII
EQUAL TO AN EMERGENCY
The fiery cross that so awed Christine and her little group of auditorswas to be the closing scene of the evening entertainment. It was ofmetal, and by a skilful adjustment of jets was made to appear as ifall aflame. While the others were intent on Christine's words, andshe in the interest of her theme had quite forgotten him, Dennis madeall his arrangements, and at the critical point narrated in thepreceding chapter he turned on the gas with the most startling effect.It seemed a living, vivid refutation of Christine's words, and evenshe turned pale. After a moment, for the emblem to make its fullimpression, Dennis stepped out before them all, his face lighted upby the luminous cross. They admitted that no crusader could look moreearnest and brave than he.
"Miss Ludolph," he said, in a firm, yet respectful tone, "I shouldevermore be unworthy of your respect and confidence--what is more, Ishould be false to myself, false to my faith--should I remain silentin view of what I have been compelled to hear. That sacred emblem hasnot spent its meaning, or its power. Millions to-day would die forthe sake of Him who suffered on it. Many even of those weak,inconsistent ones that you have so justly condemned would part withlife rather than with the faint hope that centres there," pointing tothe radiant symbol.
"You are rude, sir," said Christine, her face pale, but her eyesflashing in turn.
"No, he is right! he is right!" exclaimed Miss Winthrop, springing upwith tears in her eyes. "Undeserving as I am of the name of Christian,I would die, I know I would die, before I would give up my poor littlehope--though I confess you make me fear that it is a false one. Butit's the best I have, and I mean it shall be better. I think a goodtouch of persecution, that would bring people out, would do the churchmore good than anything else.
"Pardon me, Miss Ludolph," continued Dennis; "but I appeal to yoursense of justice. Could I be a true man and be silent, believing whatI do? Could I hear the name of my Best Friend thus spoken of, and saynot one word in His behalf?"
"But I spoke most highly of the Christ of the Bible."
"You spoke of Him as a great, good, but mistaken _man_, an enthusiast.To me He is the mighty God, my Divine Saviour, to whom I owe infinitelymore than life. You know that I mean no disrespect to you," he added,with gentle but manly courtesy. "I regret more deeply than words canexpress that you honestly think as you do. But if I as honestly believethe Bible, am I not acting as you said a true follower ought? For Iassure you it is a heavier cross than you can ever know to speak thusunbidden where I am regarded only as a serving-man. But should I not befalse and cowardly if I held my peace? And if you afterward should knowthat I claimed the name of Christian, would you not despise me as youremembered this scene?"
Christine bit her lip and hesitated, but her sense of justice prevailed,and she said, "I not only pardon you, but commend your course in viewof your evident sincerity."
Dennis replied by a low bow.
At this moment there was a loud ring at the door.
"There come the gentlemen," exclaimed Miss Brown. "I am so glad! Oh,dear! what a long, uncomfortable preachment we have had! Now for somefun!"
The colorless young ladies had stared first at Christine, and then atthe cross, in blank amazement.
At the word "gentlemen" they were all on the alert and ready for _real_life; but Miss Winthrop left the room for a short time.
A handsome, lively youth entered, scattering bows and compliments onevery side with the off-hand ease of an accomplished society man. Hepaid no heed to Dennis, evidently regarding him as the showman.
"Well, ladies, you have done your part," he said; "your arrangementsseem complete."
"Yes, Mr. Mellen; but where is our tenor?" asked Christine. "We haveonly three-quarters of an hour for music rehearsal, before we mustretire to dress for our parts."
"Bad news for you, Miss Ludolph," said Mr. Mellen, coming to her side;"Archer is sick and can't come."
"Can't come?" they all exclaimed in dismayed chorus.
"What is the matter?" asked Miss Winthrop, anxiously, coming in atthat moment.
"Matter enough," said Miss Brown, poutingly; "that horrid Archer hasgone and got sick, I do believe he did it on purpose. He did not knowhis parts near as well as he ought, and he has taken this way to getout of it."
"But he promised me he would study them all the morning," saidChristine. "Oh, I am so sorry! What shall we do? Our entertainmentseems fated to be a failure;" and she spoke in a tone of deepdisappointment.
"I assure you I feel the deepest sympathy for you," said Mr. Mellen,looking tenderly at Christine, "but I did my best. I tried to dragArcher here out of his sick-bed, and then I ran around among some othergood singers that I know, but none would venture. They said the musicwas difficult, and would require much practice, and that now isimpossible."
"Oh, isn't it too bad?" mourned Miss Winthrop. "The programme is allprinted, and the people will be so disappointed! We can't have thatsplendid duet that you and Mr. Archer were to sing, Christine. I havea score of friends who were coming to hear that alone."
"Oh, as for that matter, half our music is spoiled," said Christine,dejectedly. "Well, this is the last time I attempt anything of thekind. How in the world we are going to get out of this scrape I do notknow. The tickets are so high, and so much has been said, that thepeople are expecting a great deal, and there is every prospect of amost lame and impotent conclusion."
A general gloom settled upon the faces of all. At this moment Dennisstepped forward hesitatingly and said to Christine, "Have you the musicthat Mr. Archer was to sing?"
"Certainly! do you suppose it was of the kind that he couldextemporize?" said Miss Brown, pertly.
"Will you let me see it? If you are willing, perhaps I can assist youin this matter."
All turned toward him with a look of great surprise.
"What do you think of that from the man who sweeps Mr. Ludolph's store?"asked Miss Brown, in a loud whisper.
"I think the fellow is as presuming as he is ignorant," said Mr. Mellen,so plainly that all heard him.
"It is not presuming, sir, to offer a kindness where it is needed,"said Dennis, with dignity, "and my ignorance is not yet proved. Thepresumption is all on your part."
Mr. Mellen flushed and was about to answer angrily when Miss Winthropsaid hastily, but in a kindly tone, "But really, Mr. Fleet, much ofour music is new and very difficult."
"But it is written, is it not?" asked Dennis, with a smile.
Christine looked at him in silent wonder. What would he not do next?But she was sorry that he had spoken, for she foresaw only mortificationfor him.
"Oh, give him the music by all means," said Miss Brown, expecting toenjoy his blundering attempts to sing what was far beyond him. "There,I will play the accompaniment. It's not the tune of Old Hundred thatyou are to sing now, young man, remember."
Dennis glanced over the music, and she began to play a loud, difficultpiece.
He turned to Miss Ludolph, and said: "I fear you have given me thewrong music. Miss Brown is playing something not written here."
They exchanged significant glances, and Miss Winthrop said, "Play theright music, Miss Brown."
She struck into the music that Dennis held, but played it so out oftime that no one could sing it. Dennis laid down his sheets on thepiano and said quietly, though with flushed face: "I did not mean tobe obtrusive. You all seemed greatly disappointed at Mr. Archer'sabsence and the results, and I thought that in view of the emergencyit would not be presumption to offer my services. But it seems thatI am mistaken."
"No, it is not presumption," said Miss Winthrop. "It was true kindnessand courtesy, which has been ill requited. But you see, to be frank,Mr. Fleet, we all fear that you do not realize what you areundertaking."
"Must I of necessity be an ignoramus because, as Miss Brown says, Isweep a store?"
"Let me play the accompaniment," said Christine, with the decidedmanner that few resisted, and she went correctly through the diffi
cultand brilliant passage. Dennis followed his part with both eye and ear,and then said, "Perhaps I had better sing my part alone first, andthen you can correct any mistakes."
There was a flutter of expectation, a wink from Mr. Mellen, and anaudible titter from Miss Brown.
"Certainly" said Miss Ludolph, who thought to herself, "If he willmake a fool of himself, he may"; and she played the brief prelude.
Then prompt at the proper moment, true to time and note, Dennis's rich,powerful tenor voice startled and then entranced them all. He sung theentire passage through with only such mistakes as resulted from hisnervousness and embarrassment.
At the close, all exclaimed in admiration save Miss Brown, who bit herlip in ill-concealed vexation, and said, with a half-sneer, "Really,Mr. What-is-your-name, you are almost equal to Blind Tom."
"You do Blind Tom great injustice," said Dennis. "I read my music."
"But how did you learn to read music in that style?" asked Christine.
"Of course it took me years to do so. But no one could join our musicalclub at college who could not read anything placed before him."
"It must have been small and select, then."
"It was."
"How often had you sung that piece before?" asked Miss Brown.
"I never saw it before," answered Dennis.
"Why, it is just out," said Christine.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, our troubles are over at last," said MissWinthrop. "Mr. Fleet seems a good genius--equal to any emergency. Ifhe can sing that difficult passage, he can sing anything else we have.We had better run over our parts, and then to our toilets."
One of the colorless young ladies played the accompaniments, her musicmaking a sort of neutral tint, against which their rich and variedvoices came out with better effect. They sung rapidly through theprogramme, Dennis sustaining his parts correctly and with taste. Hecould read like the page of an open book any music placed before him,and years of practice enabled him to sing true and with confidence.As he sung one thing after another with perfect ease, their wondergrew; and when, in the final duet with Christine, they both came outstrongly, their splendid, thoroughly-trained voices blending in perfectharmony, they were rewarded with a spontaneous burst of applause, inwhich even Miss Brown was compelled to join.
Christine said nothing, but gave Dennis a quick, grateful glance, whichamply repaid him for the martyrdom she had led him into that afternoon.
He acknowledged the plaudits of the others with a slight, cool bow,but her thanks with a warm flush of pleasure, and then turned tocomplete his arrangements as if nothing had happened. There was notthe slightest show of exultation or of a purpose to demand equality,in view of what had taken place. His old manner returned, and he actedas if they were all strangers to him. They exchanged significant,wondering glances, and after a brief consultation retired to thedining-room, where coffee and sandwiches were waiting. Miss Winthropand Christine sincerely hoped that Miss Brown would invite Dennis out,but she did not, and since it was her house, as she had said, theycould not interfere. Dennis heard the clatter of knives and forks, andsaw that he was again slighted; but he did not care now. Indeed, inthe light of the sacred emblem before which he had stood, he had learnedpatience. He remembered how the rich and great of the world had treatedhis Master. Then, too, Christine's kind, grateful glance seemed tofall upon him like a warm ray of sunlight.
When they had finished and were about to dress for their parts, MissBrown put her head within the door and said, "You will find some lunchin the dining-room."
Dennis paid no heed to her, but he heard Miss Winthrop say: "Really,Miss Brown, that is too bad after what he has done and shown himselfto be. I wonder that he does not leave the house."
"He will not do that until he is no longer needed," said Christine.
"Then he may as soon as he chooses," said Miss Brown. She was a girlof violent prejudices, and from her very nature would instinctivelydislike such a person as Dennis Fleet.
"Well," said Miss Winthrop, "he is a gentleman, and he gave thestrongest proof of it when he quietly and modestly withdrew afterachieving a success that would have turned any one's head, and thatought to have secured him full recognition."
"I told you he was a gentleman," said Christine, briefly, "and Iconsider myself a judge;" and then their voices passed out of hearing.
Dennis, having arranged everything so that he could place his handsreadily upon it, found that he had half an hour to spare. He said tohimself: "Miss Ludolph is wrong. I shall leave the house for a shorttime. I am a most unromantic individual; for, no matter what or howI feel, I do get hungry. But I am sure Miss Brown's coffee andsandwiches would choke me. I have already swallowed too much from herto care for any more, so here's for a restaurant."
Miss Winthrop hastened through her toilet in order that she might comedown and speak to Dennis while he was alone. She wished to thank himfor his course and his vindication of the truth, and to assure himthat she both respected him and would treat him as a true gentleman.She went into the back parlor, but he was not there; then she passedto the dining-room, but found only servants clearing away and preparingfor the grand supper of the evening.
In quick alarm she asked, "Where is Mr. Fleet?"
"Is it the man in the back parlor, mum? He's just after goin' out."
"Oh, girls!" exclaimed Miss Winthrop, rushing upstairs, "Mr. Fleet hasgone."
And there was general consternation.
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