"Let her stay here with me," said Miss Mainprice, when Salome mentioned to her the difficulty. "We can board her here for a time, and she can learn to speak French and study her music. Her voice can be as well trained in Paris as anywhere."
"Her voice!" exclaimed Salome aghast. "You surely would not countenance her wild idea of becoming a public singer?"
"Is it such a wild idea?" asked Miss Mainprice, with a smile. "Remember there are public singers and public singers. I would not for a moment encourage Juliet to think of going upon the stage. That seems to me very undesirable for her. But if she is gifted with a beautiful voice, I see no harm in her cultivating it with a view to giving people pleasure by singing in public. Many of our public singers have been good and noble women."
Salome looked surprised, and by no means well pleased at these words.
"Ah, you do not approve," said Miss Mainprice.
"I cannot help thinking that you may do more harm than good by decidedly opposing the bent of Juliet's inclination. I must confess that I have a good deal of sympathy for what I suppose to be her feeling on the subject. I should like to have a little talk with her about it, if I may."
"Certainly you may," said Salome.
But Miss Mainprice never had that talk with Juliet. When Salome went back to the room she was sharing with her sister, she was astonished to find Juliet hastily putting on her things to go out.
"Oh, Salome!" she exclaimed excitedly, "I have just discovered from that newspaper that Signor Lombardi is in Paris. He is staying at the Hotel Louvre, and I am going there to see him. Now, don't try to stop me, for I must see him. I must ask him about my singing. He will advise me what to do. For I have been thinking and thinking, and it seems to me more important than ever that I should cultivate my voice. I—I cannot go back to the old life. I must make a career for myself somehow."
Juliet spoke with the utmost rapidity, as though determined to say all she wanted to say ere Salome could utter a protest.