登陆注册
20067300000051

第51章 CHAPTER X MCFUDD'S BRASS BAND(3)

One of his greatest delights in after-years was to raise his hat to this incomparable embodiment of the dignity and courtliness of the old school. The old gentleman had long since forgotten the young fellow, but that made no difference to Oliver--he would cross the street any time to lift his hat to dear John Gilbert.

The introduction of the other members of the club to the villain being over--they had stood the whole time, they were listening to the actor, each head uncovered--McFudd again marshalled his troop and proceeded up Broadway, where, at Oliver's request, they were halted at the pedestal of the big Bronze Horse and within sight of their own quarters.

Here McFudd insisted that the club should sing "God Save the Queen" to the Father of his Country, where he sat astride of his horse, which was accordingly done, much to the delight of a couple of night-watchmen, who watched the entire performance and who, upon McFudd's subsequent inspection, proved to be fellow-countrymen of the distinguished Hibernian.

Had the buoyant and irrepressible Irishman been content with this patriotic outburst as the final winding-up of the night's outing, and had he then and there betaken himself and his fellows off to bed, the calamity which followed, and which so nearly wrecked the Skylarks, might have been avoided.

It is difficult at any time to account for the workings of Fate or to follow the course of its agents. The track of an earth-worm destroys a dam; the parting of a wire wrecks a bridge; the breaking of a root starts an avalanche; the flaw in an axle dooms a train; the sting of a microbe depopulates a city. But none of these unseen, mysterious agencies was at work--nothing so trivial wrecked the Skylarks.

It was a German street-band!

A band whose several members had watched McFudd and his party from across the street, and who had begun limbering their instruments before the sextet had ceased singing; regarding the situation, no doubt, as pregnant with tips.

McFudd did not give the cornet time to draw his instrument from its woollen bag before he had him by the arm.

"Don't put a mouthful of wind into that horn of yours until I spake to ye," he cried in vociferous tones.

The leader stopped and looked at him in a dazed way.

"I have an idea, gentlemen," added McFudd, turning to his companion's, and tapping his forehead.

"I am of the opinion that this music would be wasted on the night air, and so with your parmission I propose to transfer this orchestra to the top flure, where we can listen to their chunes at our leisure. Right about, face! Forward! March!" and McFudd advanced upon the band, wheeled the drum around, and, locking arms with the cornet, started across the street for the stone steps.

"Not a word out of any o' ye till I get 'em in,"

McFudd continued in a low voice, fumbling in his pocket for his night-key.

The musicians obeyed mechanically and tiptoed one by one inside the dimly lighted hall, followed by Oliver and the others.

"Now take off your shoes; you've four flights of stairs to crawl up, and if ye make a noise until I'm ready for ye, off goes a dollar of your pay."

The bass-drum carefully backed his instrument against the wall, sat down on the floor, and began pulling off his boots; the cornet and bassoon followed; the clarionet wore only his gum shoes, and so was permitted to keep them on.

"Now, Walley, me boy, do you go ahead and turn up the gas and open the piano, and Cockburn, old man, will ye kindly get the blower and tongs out of Freddie's room and the scuttle out of Tomlins's closet and the Chinese gong that hangs over me bed? And all you fellers go ahead treading on whispers, d'ye moind?" said McFudd under his breath. "I'll bring up this gang with me. Not a breath out of any o' yez remimber, till I get there. The drum's unhandy and we got to go slow wid it," and he slipped the strap over his head and started upstairs, followed by the band.

The ascent was made without a sound until old Mr. Lang's door was reached, when McFudd's foot slipped, and, but for the bassoonist's head, both the Irishman and the drum would have rolled down-stairs. Lang heard the sound, and recognizing the character of the attendant imprecation, did not get up. "It's only McFndd," he said quietly to his suddenly awakened wife.

Once safe upon the attic floor the band who were entering with great gusto into the spirit of the occasion, arranged themselves in a half-circle about the piano, replaced their shoes, stripped their instruments of their coverings--the cornetist breathing noiselessly into the mouth-pieces to thaw out the frost--and stood at attention for McFudd's orders.

By this time Simmons had taken his seat at the piano; Cockburn held the blower and tongs; Cranch, who on coming in had ignored the card tacked to his door, and who was found fast asleep in his chair, was given the coal-scuttle; and little Tomlins grasped his own wash-basin in one hand and Fred's poker in the other. Oliver was to sing the air, and Fred was to beat a tattoo on Waller's door with the butt end of a cane.

The gas had been turned up and every kerosene lamp had been lighted and ranged about the hall. McFudd threw off his coat and vest, cocked a Scotch smoking-cap over one eye, and seizing the Chinese gong in one hand and the wooden mallet in the other, climbed upon the piano and faced his motley orchestra.

"Attintion, gentlemen," whispered McFudd.

"The first chune will be 'Old Dog Tray,' because it begins wid a lovely howl. Remimber now, when I hit this gong that's the signal for yez to begin, and ye'll all come together wid wan smash. Then the band will play a bar or two, and then every man Jack o' ye will go strong on the chorus. Are yez ready?"

McFudd swung his mallet over his head; poised it for an instant; ran his eye around the circle with the air of an impresario; saw that the drum was in position, the horns and clarionet ready, the blower, scuttle, tongs, and other instruments of torture in place, and hit the gong with all his might.

同类推荐
  • 拙轩集

    拙轩集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 胎息经注

    胎息经注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 历代蒙求

    历代蒙求

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 论气

    论气

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 老君音诵戒经

    老君音诵戒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 孙子兵法

    孙子兵法

    《孙子兵法》是中国古代最著名的兵书,又称《吴孙子兵法》《孙子》。相传为春秋末吴国将军孙武所撰。它是世界公认的现存最古老的军事理论著作。全书共13篇。
  • 幻铠

    幻铠

    一个华丽的幻兽铠甲世界。诸神被埋葬的几万年后,新的武士们驱动着铠甲角逐神座。穿越的少年,凭借顶级天赋和“道法”,获得了一块至尊无上的黑金甲。从那开始,无畏的少年,即将面对无尽征途……
  • 混世凶仙

    混世凶仙

    天道崩毁,三凶星现世!赵磐以区区小人物之身,智谋近妖,同修法、体、剑、魔、妖于一身,广纳各仙国绝世仙子,成就混世凶仙之名!
  • 名侦探柯南之飘落的樱花

    名侦探柯南之飘落的樱花

    当然是新兰文啦嘻嘻~喜欢整柯南~有一种守护叫等待,小兰一直在等待新一,有一种等待叫守护,新一一直在守护小兰加油!
  • 默阁千年录:百草堂

    默阁千年录:百草堂

    你永远不知道下一个故事是在哪里便早已开始,一个悬壶济世、生死未明的师傅,一个锱铢必报、黑白通吃的徒弟,嘘,悄悄地,不要急,待到默阁门开,它,随时光而来。
  • 传天之主

    传天之主

    古镇走出的少年,随着光明的指引,一步一步的走向黑暗。不知天高地厚、不知过去与未来,他有大自在。他说,我叫苏凉。目光清澈,温暖。他说,有的人血是热的,人是凉的;有的人人是热的,血是凉的。他不容于人间,不容于神魔。他说,我叫苏凉。苏醒的苏,冰凉的凉。
  • 逆战之生存法则

    逆战之生存法则

    当病毒流窜,丧尸横行,生存二字却成了所有幸存者的唯一目标。为了生存,很多人不择手段。为了生存,很多人迷失了人的本性。为了生存,张雷走出了一条和其他人不一样的路,却是他自己一直坚定不移的路。
  • 电视的奥秘与巧用

    电视的奥秘与巧用

    本书介绍了电视的品种功能、节目的种类、电视机的选用、保养和看电视与老幼身心健康的关系等。
  • 职工饮食健康手册(最新职工职业健康指导丛书)

    职工饮食健康手册(最新职工职业健康指导丛书)

    这些知识内容包括了职业健康的各个方面,具有很强的系统性、科学性和实用性,简明扼要,易学好懂,十分便于操作和实践,是广大企事业单位用以指导现代职业健康的良好读物。
  • 碧眼皇妃

    碧眼皇妃

    红尘世外,半步之遥,尚人妖殊途,况道魔不立。月行中天,鱼跃深渊,怕只怕,痴情空种,有负芳心。难只难,素雪三尺,彼河两岸。只愿今生从未相见,来生不再相恋。任你道行天下,斩妖除魔,扬正义之气,有朝一日羽化升仙,永世长存。凭我游戏人间,踏破红尘,乐一世逍遥,终是香魂一缕成冢,化作轻烟....