aria Un
bel di from the Italian opera Madama Butterfly. The audience were amazed by her splendid
tone color and deep comprehension. Even Professor Su, known for his strict demands, also
nodded his approval, his stern eyes twinkling with delight. Chen, wearing a light green
woollen sweater and close-fitting brown trousers, stood there like a graceful tree on a
spring morning. However, under the silent stare of so many eyes, the smiling girl appeared
somewhat ill at ease.
The second test came to pass a week later. The result of this test was to determine
each candidate’s fate-accepted or otherwise, and what his or her future career would be
like. With most of the candidates already eliminated by the preliminary test, this second
test was even more demanding in every respect. All celebrated local musicians were
present. During the test almost all Test Committee members and visitors wore a harsh and
nitpicking look. Nevertheless, they were all under the impression that all the remaining
candidates Chen would undoubtedly be the last one to fail the second test.
Unfortunately, the result was contrary to everybody’s expectation. When Chen’s turn
came last, she sang the same two songs, but her voice was unpleasant and utterly lackluster
as if she were no longer her old herself. Was it due to stage fright, nervousness or
indisposition? People even suspected some sort of impropriety in her private life. They
stared at each in speechless despair and eyed her questioningly. Weariness was written all
over her face. Her bright eyes now looked dejected and dull. And the corners of her
otherwise playful mouth wore an expression of unspeakable anxiety. But, as a whole, she
was bright, candid and trustworthy. People just could not understand what little accident, if
any, had been the cause of her frustration. She smiled apologetically and disappeared out
of the room.
Professor Su was obviously upset. He had always believed that to win people’s
genuine love and esteem, an artist must first of all be exemplary in every way, first of all a
noble-minded person. A singer was of course no exception. But a girl like Chen, who had
no urge for self-improvement, would never become a successful singer. He turned in anger
to look out of the window. The city had just been hit by the worst typhoon of the year. The
ground outside was strewn with broken twigs and dry leaves. Fallen bamboo fences on the
sodden ground. What a pitiful sight!
The Test committee were divided in their opinions about Chen. Some held out little
hope of her achieving success as a vocalist, saying that the two tests had shown her voice
far from able to hold its own. Others wanted to give her an opportunity for another try.
Professor Su, however, had a view of his own. He thought it important to find the root △△
cause of her failure in the second test. He maintained that if her failure was due to her
questionable attitude towards her career and life, she should on no account be admitted no
matter how highly gifted she was. That, he said, should be the first and foremost of all
things to be considered.
Now what on earth was the cause of her failure?
Professor Su got Chen’s application form for enrollment form his secretary and
underlined in red pencil the address she had put down on it. The photo attached to the form
showed a very cute face with a pretty little mouth, lucid guileless eyes and a nose which
would pucker up a little bit whenever she smiled. All that seemed to warn the professor
against treating a person in a simplistic way—a person alive with thought and emotion.
There must be certain practical aspects of the young girl which the simple application form
made no mention of. Her failure to pass the second test might mean her life-long divorce
from music and hence a permanent stifling of her musical talent. Should that be the case,
the professor, whose duty it was to foster young musica