Then, still not deeming himself worthy to live after his deed of sacrilege, and overwhelmed by the despairing hopelessness of his unhappy love passion, he seized a knife from a table close at hand and plunged it into his heart.
At this moment, some of the Camorrists, accompanied by an angry mob of the townsfolk who had just discovered the crime that had been committed, burst into the house to wreak their vengeance upon the committer of sacrilege; but one and all stopped suddenly upon the threshold and dropped their weapons in silence as they gazed upon the limp form of the unhappy Gennaro lying dead beside the scattered Jewels of the Madonna.
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THE COMPOSERS
AUBER
Daniel François Esprit Auber was born at Caen, Normandy, 29th January, 1782; died at Paris, 13th May, 1871. He was the son of a Paris print-seller, and was sent in early youth to acquire knowledge of business in London; and whilst in England he devoted himself assiduously to the study of music. On returning to Paris he began to compose operas; and with La Bergère Châtelaine (1820), began a long and brilliant series of triumphs. His best-known operas are:—Fra Diavolo (1830), Les Diamants de la Couronne (1841), Haydée (1847), Manon Lescaut (1869), Le Cheval de Bronze (1835), etc.
BALFE
Michael William Balfe was born at Dublin, 15th May, 1808; died at Rowney Abbey, 20th October, 1870. He displayed remarkable musical talent as a boy; and when only sixteen conducted the orchestra at Drury Lane Theatre. Later he studied music in Italy; and in 1845 he was made conductor of the Italian Opera, Covent Garden. He wrote a great many operas, the best known of which are:—The Bohemian Girl (1843), The Rose of Castile (1857), Satanella (1858), The Maid of Honour (1847), Joan of Arc (1837), etc.