“Excellency, the Count of Jézero came to Vienna six weeks after my arrival there. It was upon the day that Christine was to play Joseph at the Opera.”
CHAPTER XXII
THE MORNING OF THE DAY
“I had found a lodging during my six weeks’ sojourn in the capital, at a little Italian hotel in the Kohl Market. These six weeks had brought winter to us, and the snow lay white and heavy upon the Prater. You heard the tinkle of sleigh-bells everywhere; pretty women were the prettier for their sables; the men went hurriedly to their work or play, their steps quickened by the music of the frost. At the Palaces there were great assemblages every night. The whole city seemed full of the intoxication of dancing and of feasting. I, old man that I was, and a stranger to the unresting pleasures of Vienna, found myself carried away by them like a boy of twenty. Herr Strauss set my feet leaping always. I discovered many a pretty face ready to laugh at my words. I stood before the gorgeous shops and dreamt that some good genius had dowered me with riches. There was money in my pocket always, for little Christine saw to that.
“Such a novelty of pleasure caused the weeks to pass quickly, and the first night of Christine’s appearance at the Opera in the part of Joseph was upon me before I had learnt to realise the whole truth of her altered situation. Not that the city neglected to talk of an event so important. The fresh melodies of Mascagni were then making madmen of us. We had carried my clever young countryman shoulder high to his hotel; we had taken the horses from his carriage, and had cheered like children upon a holiday when first we had heard the beauties of ‘Cavalleria.’ The promise of ‘L’Amico Fritz’ was upon all our tongues. The boulevardiers said that a prettier Joseph would not be seen upon any stage; musicians cried out that the notes from Christine’s violin were golden threads of harmony drawn from a skein of fire. She had made a great reputation already at the Café des Trois Mousquetaires. People pointed to her in the street, and said that the première of the new opera must be a triumph for her. I listened to all the talk, and my pride grew strong when I repeated their praise. ‘Securo,’ said I, ‘is she not my daughter, and will not there be a place for me in whatever house of fame may be prepared for her? Glory be to God that she did not marry the gloomy man of Jézero!’
“On the morning of that long-looked-for day, excellency, I rose betimes and went to the great church of St. Stephen to the early Mass, that I might pray for Christine’s success. I have always been a religious man, and surely, even to one who doubts that his prayers will be heard, the chance is worth the taking. ‘Little help indeed can I give her, but such as I have shall not be held back,’ I said. And there was no man in all the church who prayed more fervently than I that the little one might reap a rich harvest, and leave a gleaning for those who had loved her.
“I heard the Mass, and then returned to my home. To my surprise, I found the young hussar waiting in my rooms for me. It was my thought that hitherto he had treated me with some coldness, but now he shewed a great readiness to be civil to me.
“‘I want a word with you, old Andrea,’ said he; ‘we will go and breakfast at Daum’s, and you can talk while you eat.’
“‘Body of Paul,’ cried I, ‘you may count upon me for that! I know nothing which puts hunger into a man like the droning of the priests—God forgive me for the words. It is an honour to be your servant, Lieutenant, though I would that my coat was more worthy of the office. Accidente, it is as full of holes as a cheese out of France.’
“‘Blitzen,’ cried he, surveying me critically, ‘you speak truth! We will go to the Graben, old Andrea, where there is plenty of shadow.’
“I followed him out, and when an admirable breakfast was served, and he had filled his glass the second time—for he ate very little—he began to question me.