Under what circumstances was George told to play a comic song? What was the effect of the comic song ‘Two lovely Black Eyes’ on others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The men, miserable, pass the time by playing penny nap, a card game, and listening to George play the banjo. Although J. describes him as an unskilled player elsewhere in the book, George here plays a mournful rendition of “Two Lovely Black Eyes” that plunges the men further into depression.

... as the mournful strains progressed, was to fall upon each other’s necks and weep; but by great effort we kept back the rising tears, and listened to the wild yearnful melody in silence.