He untwined her fingers, which clung tenaciously to his, and saw that the blood ebbed out of cheeks and lips as she listened to his carefully guarded language. Silently she obeyed Miss Jane’s summons to the sofa.
“You perverse witch! Where have you been practising all these months, that have made you such a wonderful cantatrice? Child, answer me.”
“I did not wish to annoy the household by thrumming on the piano and afflicting their ears with false flat scales, consequently I followed the birds, and rehearsed with them, under 207 the trees, and down on the edge of the sea. If you like my voice I am glad, because I have studied to perfect it.”
“Like it, indeed! As if I could avoid liking it! But you must have had good training. Who taught you?”
“I took lessons from Barilli.”
“Aha,—Ulpian! Now you can understand how he contrives to feed his family. Salome’s sewing-money explains it all. Kiss me, dear. I always believed there was more in you than came to the surface.”
“Miss Owen ought to go upon the stage. Such gifts as hers belong to the public, who would soon crown her queen of song.”
Salome glanced at the handsome stranger, and bowed.
“It is my purpose, sir, to dedicate myself and future to the Opera, where I trust I shall not utterly fail, as I have been for a year studying with reference to this step.”
A bomb-shell falling in that quiet circle, would scarcely have startled its members more effectually; and, anxious to avoid comment, Salome quitted the parlor and ran out on the lawn.