"
"Now, you must not be surprised; but mamma
and I have made arrangements with Mr.
S---- that you are to appear under his auspices
at a concert which is to be given a week from
to-night. All our friends are going, and we
shall take up all the front seats, and I have
already told my gentlemen friends to scatter
through the audience, and if they care anything
for my favor, they will have to applaud vigorously."
Halfdan reddened up to his temples, and
began to twist his watch-chain nervously.
"You must have small confidence in my
ability," he murmured, "since you resort to
precautions like these."
"But my dear Mr. Birch," cried Edith, who
was quick to discover that she had made a
mistake, "it is not kind in you to mistrust me in
that way. If a New York audience were as
highly cultivated in music as you are, I admit
that my precautions would be superfluous. But
the papers, you know, will take their tone from
the audience, and therefore we must make use
of a little innocent artifice to make sure of it.
Everything depends upon the success of your
first public appearance, and if your friends can
in this way help you to establish the reputation
which is nothing but your right, I am sure you
ought not to bind their hands by your foolish
sensitiveness. You don't know the American
way of doing things as well as I do, therefore
you must stand by your promise, and leave
everything to me."
It was impossible not to believe that anything
Edith chose to do was above reproach.
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