Jack, Knave and Fool by Bruce Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

within the process of a Sunday concert.”
    As we climbed the back stairs to the kitchen, I heard the voices of Annie and Lady Fielding raised in such a way that it seemed they were quarreling. While that proved not quite to be so, they were certainly in disagreement.
    “But Annie, you must!” Lady Fielding’s voice rang insistently as we reached the top of the stairs. “It is a great honor to be chosen.”
    Then, as I opened the door and Sir John followed, Annie, her back to us, responded vehemently, “M’lady, that is just what I was told by Mr. Wills, the choirmaster. But how can it be an honor when it will only lead to my shame?”
    We two walked into the kitchen, and the two females fell silent for a moment—but only for a moment, for both turned to us, each to argue her case. Sir John stood in bafflement, preparing himself for the assault.
    “Jack,” said Lady Fielding, “you must talk a bit of sense to this girl.”
    “Sense, is it? It seems just now to have come in high fashion. Forgive me that remark, Kate. I have just now left a discussion in which many appeals were made to good sense. My adversary seemed to think I lacked all trace of it. But let that pass. What is the trouble?”
    “Annie here was invited to join the Handel Choir specially by the choirmaster. The other two volunteers were dismissed with thanks after the sadly aborted performance. But our girl Annie was asked to become a permanent member of the choir. He was most flattering about her voice —she admits that —told her it was quite outstanding. And do you know how she replied? She told him that she was employed as our cook and had no time lor racfa things.”
    “Well … does she? That is to say, we do depend upon her for our meals, do we not?”
    “Of course we do. But it seems that she told him in such a way as to offend him —I hope not overmuch —as if to say that music was of little importance when put against her daily duties.”
    “Why, I think that quite admirable. Bravo, Annie, good, loyal girl!”
    “Jack, no! She has a talent. It has been recognized. She should be given the opportunity to cultivate it. I have put myself forward to fill in for her here in the kitchen on those Sundays on which concerts are to be given. There are rehearsals, but they take place during the day.”
    “Well, yes, I see what you mean, Kate. Only on Sundays, eh?”
    “And not every Sunday— only on concert Sundays in the season. In fact, we have taken advantage of her willing nature since she has been with us. In many households, cook is given Sunday—or allowed to prepare an early meal so she may have the rest of the day to herself.”
    “Ah, yes, hmmm, I see.” Sir John rubbed his chin in thought, nodded in much the same way as he might when weighing testimony in his courtroom. “This must, however, be Annie’s matter to decide. We cannot force her to go off Sundays and sing Handel merely because we think she should. Perhaps it was not because she wished to serve us better that she gave this as her reason to the choirmaster. Perhaps that was merely an excuse to cover another, more personal.” Then did he turn in her direction. “Annie, tell me, as I entered just now did I not hear you mention ‘shame? I believe you asked, ‘How can this be an honor when it will only bring me shame?’ —or words to that effect. You did say that?”
    “I did. Yes, Sir John.”
    “What did you mean? How would it bring you shame?”
    “She cannot read music,” put in Lady Fielding.
    “No, it’s true I can’t. When they handed me the music sheets, all the notes was like so many flyspecks upon the page. One of the ladies sang me my part, and I got it right enough as far as she was able to take me — I’ve a good ear for a tune —yet we had soon to go on the stage, and she could only take me so far. No farther could I go. Mr. Wills, he said he knew right when I quit, for the life went right out of the sopranos. Which was meant as flattery,