“His love is vanishing.”
Eusebe, on his part, was very angry, and insisted that Adéonne had refused to make a very small sacrifice to please him.
When lovers begin to count the sacrifices refused, and when friends take account of money loaned each other, love and friendship fly to regions where hearts are made of more generous stuff.
CHAPTER XXIX.
As Eusebe had seen Adéonne from the auditorium, he had thought that the world did not contain an artiste more marvellously gifted as a vocalist and comédienne. The hearty applause of the public had confirmed him in this opinion. But his attendance at the rehearsals resulted in an entire change of the estimate he had formed. He had heard Adéonne say, “I am learning my part;” “I am studying my principal cavatina.” In his simplicity, the provincial thought that was sufficient. The first time, therefore, he attended a rehearsal, he was disenchanted.
The musician who played the accompaniment for Adéonne upon the piano labored furiously, and occasionally burst forth in angry exclamations, as follows:—
“Bah! You have no ear. You have no idea of that piece.”
“Monsieur,” said Eusebe, “I do not exactly catch the sense of your words, but it seems to me that you are a little severe with madame.”