His son looked much annoyed. He moved quickly to Juliet's side, saying in a low voice, with an evident desire to cover his father's want of taste—
"Thank you so much, Miss Tracy. Your voice is indeed beautiful. One does not often have the chance of hearing such."
"Oh, but my singing is not good," said Juliet, looking much pleased, however. "You see, I have had no proper training."
"Yes, yes, I can tell that," said Mr. Chalcombe, taking the remark as addressed to him; "but it's not too late for it to be cultivated, and it's a lovely voice. You might make your fortune on the stage with such a voice as that."
Juliet looked at the speaker with a startled air. At the first moment she saw him and heard him speak, she had been conscious of a sensation of strong repulsion from one who was obviously such a vulgar member of society. But now his words were so agreeably suggestive and flattering to her self-love that she was disposed to view him more favourably.
"The stage!" she exclaimed. "Oh, I should never think of going on the stage!"
"And why not?" he demanded. "It's my belief you'd be a grand success as an opera singer. Patti, Neilson, Trebelli, and all the rest of them would 'ave to look to their laurels when you made your début. Oh, you need not laugh, my dear; I'm not joking."
"I think you must be, when you prophesy such things as that for me," said Juliet, with a merry laugh.
"Nonsense!" he exclaimed excitedly. "I tell you, there's many a one sings at 'er Majesty's opera whose voice is a less musical one than yours. You've 'eard Orféo?"
"I have heard nothing," said Juliet. "I have never been to the theatre or the opera in my life."