.

br-r-rum! Do not, please, sing as an elephant walks." Diana coloured and tried again, but without marked success.

She was genuinely out of practice, and the nervousness with which Baroni's obvious ill-humour inspired her did not mend matters.
"But what haf you been doing during the holidays ?" exclaimed the _maestro_ at last, his odd, husky voice fierce with annoyance.

"There is no ease---no flexibility.

You are as stiff as a rusty hinge.