Argosy, September 1955 — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—_— 3 ” iw i — x * “ oe — a> 2 - Ft a a r. & } &-“ >= =e Yel \ toe es ~ - - “> a Ta MUSIC FOR THE WICKED COUNTESS Or finally emerged in the Wicked Countess’s bower, a dim, rush-~ strewn room full of maidens, leprechauns, and wood-smoke. ““ Pray be taking a seat,” said the Countess, “‘ the while you do be getting your breath. Fetch a drink for the poor gentleman, one of you,” she commanded the maidens, “he has no more ____ breath in him than a washed sheet, and it clinging together on the = line.” “ Nothing stronger than tea for me, ester! master faintly. “ Tea, is it? We must be after brewing you a terrible strong poteen of the stuff, for how can you make music worthy the name on a draught like that? Girls, put the kettle on.”’ | “It’s all right, thank you, I’m better now. Please don’t | trouble.”’ “Do be playing us a tune, then, for since you came here the — village has hummed with your praise, the way we've been after thinking ’twas a human nightingale had come to live among us.” “1 will with pleasure,” said Mr. Bond, “but I can’t play without a piano, you know.” | There was a disconcerted pause. ad “Ah, sure, [’ll send two of my leprechauns down to the little house for it,’’ said the Countess, rallying. “ They'll be back in ten minutes, the creatures.” ‘Two of them scuttled off, in obedience to a ferocious look. Mr. Bond gazed round him dreamily, lulled by the atmosphere of enchantment. ‘The arrival of the tea roused him a little; he took one look at it and shuddered, for it was as black as the pit and. looked as if it had been stewed for hours. ‘The maidens were not very expert tea-makers. The Countess was delicately sipping at a tall flagon of mead. Fortunately, a diversion was created by the two leprechauns who came staggering back with the piano in an astonishingly short time. While they were getting it up the spiral staircase, amid cries of encouragement from the maidens, Mr. Bond tipped his tea into the treacle tin. ‘‘ What shall I play you?” he asked the Countess. She thought for a moment. Musicians were notoriously vain, and the best way to get him into a flattered and compliant mood would be to ask for one of his own compositions—he was sure to have some. ‘* Best of all, we'd be after liking a tune you’ve made up your- self,’ she told him. Mr. Bond beamed. Here was a true music-lover without a doubt—a very rare thing in this wilderness. “Tl play you my new fantasia and fugue in the whole-tone >? said the school- Pe Oy a bt ay >. g > ~~ comiclooks.comn