“I wish I could take the place of the naughty boy.”

A look of hope came into his eyes, but it died away in an instant, and she watched his despondent back as he went towards the choir loft.

The influence of Monsignor had worked great changes at St. Joseph’s—­the very atmosphere of the church was different, the sensation was one of culture and refinement, instead of that acrid poverty.  From the altar rail to the middle of the aisle the church was crowded—­in the free as well as in the paying parts.  From the altar rails to the middle of the aisle there were chairs for the ease of the subscribers, and for those who were willing to pay a fee of two shillings.  In front of each chair was a comfortable kneeling place, and slender, gloved hands held prayer-books bound in morocco, and under fashionable hats, filled with bright beads and shadowy feathers, veiled faces were bent in dainty prayer.  Among these Evelyn picked out a number of her friends.  There were Lady Ascott, who missed no musical entertainment of whatever kind, even when it took place in church, and Lady Gremaldin, who thought she was listening to Wagner when she was thinking of the tenor whom she would take away to supper in her brougham after the performance....  Evelyn caught sight of a painter or two and a man of letters who used to come to her father’s concerts.  Suddenly she saw Ulick standing close by her; he had not seen her, and was looking for a seat.  Catching sight of her, he came and sat in the chair next to hers.  Almost at the same moment the acolytes led the procession from the sacristy.  They were followed by the sub-deacon, the deacon and the priest who was to sing the Mass.  When the Mass began the choir broke forth, singing the Introit.

The practice of singing in church proceeds from the idea that, in the exaltation of prayer, the soul, having reached the last limit obtainable by mere words, demands an extended expression, and finds it in song.  The earliest form of music, the plain chant or Gregorian, is sung in unison, for it was intended to be sung by the whole congregation, but as only a few in every congregation are musicians, the idea of a choir could not fail to suggest itself; and, once the idea of a choir accepted, part writing followed, and the vocal masses of the sixteenth century were the result.  Then the art of religious music had gone as far as it could, and the next step, the introduction of an accompanying instrument, was decadence.

The “Missa Brevis” is one of the most exquisite of the master’s minor works.  It is written for four voices, and with the large choir at his command, Mr. Innes was able to put eight to ten voices on a part; and hearing voices darting, voices soaring, voices floating, weaving an audible embroidery, Evelyn felt the vanity of accompaniment instruments.  Upon the ancient chant the new harmonies blossomed like roses on an old gnarled stem, and when on the ninth bar of the “Kyrie” the tenors softly separated from the sustained chord of the other parts, the effect was as of magic.  Evelyn lifted her eyes and saw her dear father conducting with calm skill.