he practised beforehand every time he went to a party.

So, when he saw his brother seated at the piano, letting his
fingers run lightly and carelessly over the key-board, and then
looking up to the ceiling and muttering, "What key is it in again?"
as if he were searching for the right one, a shiver always ran
through Cousin Ola. For he knew that Hans had mastered three
accompaniments, and no more--one minor and two major.

And when the singer, before rising from the piano, threw in these
three carefully-practised minor chords so lightly, and with such an
impromptu air, as if his fingers had instinctively chanced upon
them, then Ola shook his head and said to himself, "This is not
quite straightforward of Hans."

In the mean time his brother sang away at his rich repertory.
Schumann and Kierulf were his favorites, so he performed _"Du bist
die Ruh," "My loved one, I am prison'd" "Ich grolle nicht," "Die
alten boesen Lieder," "I lay my all, love, at thy feet," "Aus meiren
grossen Schmerzen mach' ich die kleinen Lieder"_--all with the same
calm superiority, and that light, half-sportive accompaniment. The
only thing that gave him a little trouble was that fatal point,
_"Ich legt' auch meine Liebe, Und meinen Schmerz hinein;"_ but even
of this he made something.

Then Ola, who knew to a nicety the limits of his brother's musical
accomplishment, noticed that he was leaving the beaten track, and
beginning to wander among the keys; and presently he was horrified
to find that Hans was groping after that unhappy "Hope's clad in
April green." But fortunately he could not hit upon it, so he