The adulteress

"There are more and more attractions every year," said Charles. "Every time I come I notice something new. It can't be much more than twenty years since the grounds were purchased from Lord Ranelagh and what has been done with them is amazing. We will eat before the concert begins. I believe it is possible to get an excellent cold collation and that is by far the best."

I allowed myself to be led into that enchanted garden. We walked past grottoes, lawns, temples, waterfalls, delightful colonnades and rotundas with their decorated pillars and statues. The lamps were beautifully arranged to look like constellations. Because it was a warm, fine night tables had been set under the trees and here we sat and enjoyed the cold collation Charles had mentioned and watched the passersby until we left for the concert in the Rotunda.

I was enchanted by the music. Everything was of the newest fashion. For the first time I heard the cello, that instrument which was only just being introduced into the country, and to hear the great Pasqualino perform was wonderful. The band played the overture from Doctor Arne's Thomas and Sally, which was wildly applauded. But the great event of the evening was the appearance of the child prodigy. I admitted afterward to Charles that I was prepared to be skeptical. It did not seem possible that a boy so young could play to compare with the experienced, but that he should compose was surely just too much to believe. Stories about the boy had been circulated to arouse people's interest and bring them to the Rotunda to see him. There they would be entertained by superb artists and forget that they had been brought there under false pretenses.

Just talk, was what I thought, an unusual story to arouse people's curiosity enough to bring them to the child.

How different was the truth! He came onto the stage—a small figure, dressed like a man in a blue coat and embroidered waistcoat, white cravat and frilled lace cuffs. His breeches, knee-length, showed beneath the waistcoat as his coat was unbuttoned and he wore silken hose and black shoes with silver buckles. I heard that his clothes were copied in a larger size from his gala suit, which had been presented to him by Maria Theresa of Austria on the occasion of his playing before her two years before when he was six years old. On his head was a crimped wig tied back with a black ribbon. Dressed thus in an adult style seemed to have the effect of making him seem more of a child than he actually was.

There was an air of self-assurance about him as he sat down at the harpsichord; and a silence reigned which I can only describe as indulgent. The audience had settled to hear a clever child perform for them.

But how mistaken we were! As the boy sat there and played we were transported from this fashionable rotunda. I don't know whether others felt as I did, but it seemed to me that I was flying through space and the music so delicately played, so inspiring and yet so mysterious, was carrying me along.

I glanced sideways at Charles. He was sitting very still, completely entranced.

I think a good many of us that night realized that we were in the presence of genius.

When the boy stopped playing there was silence for a few seconds before the applause rang out.

The boy bowed calmly and then walked off the stage with dignity. I could see a man waiting for him in the wings and I presumed this was his father.

We did not want to hear any more music that night. To hear that child play his own composition was something I wanted to carry away with me, to remember forever, as I was sure I would.

Charles whispered: "I can see you were as impressed as I was."

"It was wonderful. I couldn't believe it was that little boy who was playing as he did."

"Let's get out into the fresh air. We can take a little walk if you wish before we get the wherry back."

I said I should like that.

Silent, still under the spell of the music, we were leaving the rotunda when I heard a voice cry: "Charles."

A woman was coming up to us. She was exquisitely dressed in a gown of blue silk cut away in the front to reveal an embroidered petticoat in white satin. On her head was a most elaborate hat of white straw on which was perched yards and yards of blue ribbon the same color as her dress, ruched in the front and culminating in an enormous bow at the back where it was tilted forward over her elaborate coiffure.

The woman went on to call her companion. "Ralph! Here, Ralph. Who do you think I've found? Charles ... Charles Forster."

A man appeared fashionably dressed in velvet frogged coat with large turned back cuffs, long waistcoat, fine silk hose and buckled shoes; under his arm he carried a cocked hat.

"Charles!" he cried. "My dear fellow, what a delightful surprise. Haven't seen you for years ... since ... er ..."

Charles said: "I am escorting a friend of my sister's. Mistress Ransome... . Dr. and Mrs. Lang."

We bowed.