“What has he done? I will tell you. You know that, unfortunately for me, this man resides opposite to me. Well! at one o’clock at night, when everybody is enjoying his best sleep, the master opens his window, and begins to play on his trumpet!”
“I know he has a passion for that instrument,” said Raphael.
“Besides, he plays horribly bad, and the breath from his powerful chest brings notes from the instrument capable of waking the dead for twenty miles around; in such a manner too that all the dogs in the neighborhood set up a horrible barking and yelling. You will by this have an idea of the nights we have to pass.”
All the efforts which the auditors had made up to this moment to contain themselves now proved ineffectual. The burst of laughter was so instant, so loud, that the general was instantly mute, and cast on them an indignant look.
“It wanted but this, my friends! It wanted only one such audacious insolence, and one such contempt of honest people to create for you a subject for laughter. Laugh! laugh! we will soon see if your protégé, will laugh also, Raphael.”
He said this, and left the saloon, as furious as he had entered it. He went to lay his complaint before the police.
Rita laughed till her neck stretched.
“My God, Rita,” said the marchioness, “this is not a thing to make you so joyous. You have done wrong.”
“My aunt, I would laugh if I were even in my coffin. I promise you, to revenge my uncle, that when the Major Grande Mosca (big fly) comes to me to jabber his twaddle, I will not content myself with turning my back on him, but I will say to him, ‘Save your powerful breath to blow your trumpet with.’ ”
“You would do better,” replied Raphael, “to imitate foreign young ladies, who blush in saying ‘Good-day,’ and turn pale when they would say ‘Good-evening.’ ”