“After all,” said Corthell, “this music seems to be just the right medium between the naive melody of the Italian school and the elaborate complexity of Wagner. I can’t help but be carried away with it at times⁠—in spite of my better judgment.”

Jadwin, who had been smoking a cigar in the vestibule during the entr’acte, rubbed his chin reflectively.

“Well,” he said, “it’s all very fine. I’ve no doubt of that, but I give you my word I would rather hear my old governor take his guitar and sing ‘Father, oh father, come home with me now,’ than all the fiddle-faddle, tweedle-deedle opera business in the whole world.”