And she lays it on pretty thick, too, doesn't she?
Now, Sylvia, if you've finished--quite finished, I mean--do come and sit down and let me try these Variations--" "Shall we surrender, Michael ?" asked the girl.

"Or shall we stick to the piano, now we've got it?
If Hermann once sits down, you know, we shan't get him away for the rest of the evening.

I can't sing any more, but we might play a duet to keep him out." Hermann rushed to the piano, took his sister by the shoulders, and pushed her into a chair.
"You sit there," he said, "and listen to something not about yourself.
Michael, if you don't come away from that piano, I shall take Sylvia home at once.

Now you may all talk as much as you like; you won't interrupt me one atom--but you'll have to talk loud in certain parts." Then a feat of marvellous execution began.

Michael had taken an evil pleasure in giving his master, for whom he slaved with so unwearied a diligence, something that should tax his powers, and he gave a great crash of laughter when for a moment Hermann was brought to a complete standstill in an octave passage of triplets against quavers, and the performer exultantly joined in it, as he pushed his hair back from his forehead, and made a second attempt.
"It isn't decent to ask a fellow to read that," he shouted.