“When Queen Victoria sends our passage-money,” answered Riccabocca, laughing.
“I see that your name is a household word in Europe. Were you ever there?”
“Never.”
“Then how can that be?”
“Mr. de Gray, your performances have been greeted with applause in all parts of the United States. How do you explain that?”
“I don’t pretend to explain it. I wasn’t aware that my name had ever been heard of a hundred miles from here.”
“It has not, but it will be. I have only been predicting a little. The paragraph isn’t true now, but it will be some time, if we live and prosper.”
“But I don’t like to be looked upon as a humbug, professor,” said Philip uneasily.
“You won’t be. You are really a fine player, or I wouldn’t consent to appear with you. The name of Riccabocca, Mr. de Gray, I may truthfully say, is well known. I have appeared in the leading cities of America. They were particularly enthusiastic in Chicago,” he added pensively. “I wish I could find a paragraph from one of their leading papers, comparing my rendering of the soliloquy in ‘Hamlet’ to Edwin Booth’s, rather to the disadvantage of that tragedian.”
“I would like to read the notice,” said Philip, who had very strong doubts as to whether such a paragraph had ever appeared in print.