- Octavian can't take it anymore, so he starts to play his violin secretly in the attic.
- Only it's not that much of a secret, since everyone knows he's up there playing.
- Mr. Sharpe doesn't generally care as long as it's out of his earshot (he's not that into music either—thinks it's all too cultured and against nature… big surprise).
- But one day, Mr. Sharpe starts visiting the attic and listening in on Octavian's music sessions—he even asks Octavian to play some popular songs of the day—and eventually, he brings a violin master in to hear Octavian play.
- Their plan? To get Octavian to play at Faneuil Hall, in front of a big, paying audience.
- So they organize a performance at Faneuil Hall: Octavian will play "The Devil's Trill" dressed as the devil.
- What's with the whole devil thing?
- Mr. Sharpe—the guy, mind you, who thinks narratives are totally impractical—has told the audience that Octavian got his talent from the Devil one night.
- He thinks this will make Octavian's performance more interesting to the audience.
- Octavian is really not happy. First of all, the whole story is clearly a lie; and second, he's dressed in the most ridiculous (and offensive) get-up ever.
- Mr. Sharpe tells Octavian to play the piece full of lightness and joy.
- Yeah, right.
- Octavian—who, before the whole performance, was feeling sick and nervous—gets up on that stage and plays the hell out of (or more like, into) the piece.
- He makes it freaky, gothic, scary—in other words, the exact opposite of light and gay.
- He doesn't know how he gets as many compliments as he does after the piece, but he does; some people even come up to him and tell him he's managed to change their minds about slavery.
- But Mr. Sharpe is not happy.
- He whips Octavian when they get home that night; then he makes Octavian do his hair.