“Just bring me the papers, if master and mistress have read them, will you?”
“Yes, miss.”
She went back and threw herself on the sofa again. And she laughed at herself as she felt her heart beating with suspense. The idea! what could it matter to her, after all? There was Mina, coming up the stairs. She brought the Vaderland and the Dagblad.
“If you please, miss.”
“Thank you, Mina,” said Eline indifferently, and languidly she took the papers.
But scarcely had the servant closed the door behind her when she opened the Vaderland, and with sparkling eyes began to look for the art and literature column. Then she read:
“THE FRENCH OPERA.
“After his performances in Hamlet and Le Tribut de Zamora, no one could doubt that Mr. Théo Fabrice would find favour in the eyes of the subscribers to the French Opera, and we cannot but [[70]]wonder that there were even three votes recorded against the brilliant baritone. Again, in William Tell, Mr. Fabrice gave ample proof of his fitness to fulfil the post of baritone at the Grand Opera here, and we sincerely rejoice in his appointment. With a powerful and well-cultivated organ, the artist couples great histrionic ability. In the duo with Arnold (Act I.) and in the grand trio, in the scena with Jemmy, Fabrice gave striking evidence of a perfection rarely to be met with on our stage.”
And Eline smiled and nodded approvingly. It was true enough—and she read the article to the end, rejoicing in his success; and then she turned to see what the Dagblad said about him.