The Honourable George, being consulted, promised after a rather sulky
hesitation to act as the great artist's escort, though he persisted in
referring to him as "that piano Johnny," and betrayed a suspicion that
Belknap-Jackson was merely bent upon getting him to perform without
price.
"But no," cried Belknap-Jackson, "I should never think of anything so
indelicate as asking him to play. My own piano will be tightly closed
and I dare say removed to another room."
At this the Honourable George professed to wonder why the chap was
desired if he wasn't to perform. "All hair and bad English--silly
brutes when they don't play," he declared. In the end, however, as I
have said, he consented to act as he was wished to. Cousin Egbert, who
was present at this interview, took somewhat the same view as the
Honourable George, even asserting that he should not attend the
recital.
"He don't sing, he don't dance, he don't recite; just plays the piano.
That ain't any kind of a show for folks to set up a whole evening
for," he protested bitterly, and he went on to mention various
theatrical pieces which he had considered worthy, among them I recall
being one entitled "The Two Johns," which he regretted not having
witnessed for several years, and another called "Ben Hur," which was
better than all the piano players alive, he declared.
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