He went home and dreamed about him. He called at The Boar's Head
the next morning before going to school, but Ericson was not yet up.
When he called again as soon as morning school was over, he found
that they had persuaded him to keep his bed, but Miss Letty took him
up to his room. He looked better, was pleased to see Robert, and
spoke to him kindly. Twice yet Robert called to inquire after him
that day, and once more he saw him, for he took his tea up to him.
The next day Ericson was much better, received Robert with a smile,
and went out with him for a stroll, for all his companions were
gone, and of some students who had arrived since he did not know
any. Robert took him to his grandmother, who received him with
stately kindness. Then they went out again, and passed the windows
of Captain Forsyth's house. Mary St. John was playing. They stood
for a moment, almost involuntarily, to listen. She ceased.
'That's the music of the spheres,' said Ericson, in a low voice, as
they moved on.
'Will you tell me what that means?' asked Robert. 'I've come upon 't
ower an' ower in Milton.'
Thereupon Ericson explained to him what Pythagoras had taught about
the stars moving in their great orbits with sounds of awful harmony,
too grandly loud for the human organ to vibrate in response to their
music--hence unheard of men. And Ericson spoke as if he believed
it. But after he had spoken, his face grew sadder than ever; and,
as if to change the subject, he said, abruptly,
'What a fine old lady your grandmother is, Robert!'
'Is she?' returned Robert.
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