If we had been all three down in the bottom of a dry well in a wilderness, we could hardly have surveyed a more dismal prospect than the prospect we were contemplating now.

By good luck, Oscar, like Lucilla, was passionately fond of music.

We turned to the piano as our best resource in those days of our adversity.

Lucilla and I took it in turns to play, and Oscar listened.

I have to report that we got through a great deal of music.