And in fact he could imitate almost anything--and well, too--the easier that he had nothing of his own pressing for utterance; for he had yet made no response to the first demand made on every man, the only demand for originality made on any man--that he should order his own way aright.
"How clever you must be!" drawled Hesper; and, notwithstanding the tone, the words were pleasant in the ears of goose Tom.

He rose, opened the piano, and, with not a little cheap facility, began to accompany a sweet tenor voice in the song he had just read.
The door opened, and Mr.Redmain came in.

He gave a glance at Tom as he sang, and went up to his wife where she still sat, with her face to the fire, and her back to the piano.
"New singing-master, eh ?" he said.
"No," answered his wife.
"Who the deuce is he ?" "I forget his name," replied Hesper, in the tone of one bored by question.

"He used to come to Durnmelling." "That is no reason why he should not have a name to him." Hesper did not reply.

Tom went on playing.