simply because he is of noble birth and possesses a genealogy, stands on his
hind legs and neighs in the street like an Arabian horse, and says when a
commoner has been in a room: ‘Some people from the street have been
here,’ there nobility is decaying; it has become a mask of the kind that
Thespis created, and it is amusing when such a person is exposed in satire.”
Such was the tutor’s speech; it was a little long, but while he delivered it
he had finished cutting the flute.
There was a large party at the mansion; many guests from the
neighbourhood and from the capital had arrived. There were ladies with
tasteful and with tasteless dresses; the big hall was quite crowded with
people. The clergymen stood humbly together in a corner, and looked as if
they were preparing for a funeral, but it was a festival-only the amusement
had not yet begun. A great concert was to take place, and that is why the
baron’s young son had brought his willow flute with him; but he could not
make it sound, nor could his father, and therefore the flute was good for
nothing.
There was music and songs of the kind which delight most those that
perform them; otherwise quite charming!
“Are you an artist?” said a cavalier, the son of his father; “you play on the
flute, you have made it yourself; it is genius that rules-the place of honour is
due to you.”
“Certainly not! I only advance with the time, and that of course one can’t
help.”
“I hope you will delight us all with the little instrument-will you not?”
Thus saying he handed to the tutor the flute which had been cut from the
willow tree by the pool; and then announced in a loud voice that the tutor
wished to perform a solo on the flute. They wished to tease him-that was
evident, and therefore the tutor declined to play, although he could do so
very well. They urged and requested him, however, so long, that at last he
took up the flute and placed it to his lips.
