George Bernard Shaw

“ It is her own choice; and she must abide by it. Can you not go to her without me?"
"Why should I go to her without you"' said Adrian, distressed. "Your love is far more precious to me than hers. You know how little tenderness there is between her and me. But family feuds are very objectionable. They are always in bad taste, and often lead to serious consequences. I wish you would for this once sacrifice your personal inclination, and help me to avert a permanent estrangement."
"Ah yes," exclaimed Aurélie," rising indignantly. "You will sacrifice my honor to the conventions of your world." ”

“ Then she exclaimed with emphasis, as though in contradiction of what she read:
"But it is certain that I will go."
"Go where?" said Adrian, turning pale.
"To Vienna—to Prague—to Budapesth, my beloved Budapesth."
"To Vienna!"
"They are going to give a Schumann concert in Vienna. They want me; and they shall have me. I have a specialty for the music of Schumann: no one in the world can play it as I can. And I long to see my Viennese friends. It is so stupid here."
"But, Aurélie, I have my work to do. I cannot go abroad at this season of the year." ”

“ It is not good for you to be so loving."
"I fear that it too true, Aurélie. But will it be good for you to have no one near you who loves you?
"Oh, those who love me are everywhere. In Vienna there is a man—a student—six feet high, with fair hair, who gets a friend to make me deplorable verses which he pretends are his own. Heaven, how he loves me! At Leipzig there is an old professor, almost as foolish as thou, my Adrian. ”

“ A work which fails here from its abstruseness has not the ghost of a chance of success elsewhere. Ah! Here is Mary."
Some introductions followed. Hoskyn shook Adrian's hand cordially, and made a low bow to Aurélie, whom he stole an occasional glance at, but did not at first venture to address. Aurélie looked at Mary's dress with wonder.
"I am greatly annoyed by the way Mr Jack has been treated," said Mary. "An audience of working people could not be more insensible to his genius than the people here have shewn themselves tonight." ”

“ But Asia and Panthea sang as strangely as Prometheus, in spite of which they gained some slow, uncertain, grudging applause. The Race of the Hours, which followed, was of great length, progressing from a lugubrious midnight hour in E flat minor to a sunrise in A major, and culminating with a jubilant clangor of orchestra and chorus which astounded the audience, and elicited a partly hysterical mixture of hand clapping and protesting hisses.
"How stupid these people are!" exclaimed Mrs Adrian Herbert. "What imbecility! They do not know that it is good music. ”

“ Monsieur Jacque's music. You find it goodh."
"Very good indeed,"said Hoskyn, speaking loudly, as if to a deaf person. "Jilitrouvsplongdeed," he added rashly.
"You are right, monsieur," said Aurélie, speaking rapidly in French. "But it seems to me that there is unworthy— something infamous, in the icy stupidity of these people here: Of what use is it to compose great works when one is held in contempt because of them? It is necessary to be a trader here in order to have success. Commerce is the ruin of England. ”

“ It renders the people quite inartistic.
"Jinipweevoocomprongder," murmured Hoskyn. "The fact is," he added, more boldly, "I only dropped a French word to help you out a little; but you mustn't take advantage of that to talk to me out of my native language. I can speak French pretty well; but I never could understand other people speaking it."
"Ah," said Aurélie, who listened to his English with strained attention. "You understand me not very goodh. It is like me with English. But in this moment I make much progress. I have lesson every day from Monsieur Herbert." ”

“ Music!" he repeated, seeing her still bewildered.
"Ah, yes," said Aurélie, her puzzled expression vanishing. "You call music the universal language. It is true. You say very goodh."
"It must be easy to learn anything after learning music. Music is so desperately hard. I am sure learning it must make people—spiritual, you know."
"Yes, yes. You observe very justly, monsieur. I am quite of your advice. Understand you?"
"Parfatemong byang, " said Hoskyn, confidently.
Here Mary interrupted the conversation by warning her husband that it was time to return to their places. ”

“ The chorus singers also rose, and fixed their eyes stolidly, but desperately, on the conductor, who hardly ventured to look at them. The dialogue commenced, but the the attention of the audience was presently diverted by the appearance of Jack himself, who was seen to cross the room with an angry countenance, and go out. The conclusion of the dialogue was unbroken silence, in the midst of which the popular baritone sat down with an air of relief.
"I find that the music is beginning to grow upon me, said Mrs Hoskyn.
"Do you?" said Hoskyn. "I wish it would grow quicker. ”

“ I am very sensible of your kindness. But—Mrs Herbert looked up quickly—I set out immediately for Vienna, whence I go to Leipzig and many other cities. I shall not be at my own disposal again for a long time."
Mrs. Herbert reflected for a moment, and then rose. Aurélie rose also. ”

“ Your mother holds that an English lady is above all queens. I hold that an artist is above all ladies. We can live without one another, as we have done hitherto. I do not seek to hinder you from going to her ”

“ The work is a very remarkable one, and far beyond the comprehension of the public. Jack has been much too bold. Even our audiences will not listen with patience to movements of such length and complication. ”