Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 56: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEAUTIFUL RIENZL. 51 Just then the professor came in from the platform, his countenance wearing an anxious expression. When he saw me it brightened. “Oh! I am glad to see you here, Miss Rienzi. I was afraid you had both vanished, and my programme would sustain a severe abridgement. ‘Come—ever ybody is looking Juwn their list impatiently for ‘La ci darem.’” I saw that it would be selfish of me to go, so I consented ‘o return to my place; but it was with a weary sigh that I neountered again the blazing lights and briliant toilets. Our duet of “ La ci darem la mans,” in which Mr. Lind- hurst was Don Giovanni and I Zerlina, was a marvelous suc- cess; we were encored again and again, until I felt my silly head ring with triumph, and a spirited thrill ran to the ends of my fingers. _ I stood with unfaltering mien once more alone with my harp, and swept the chords with a delicate touch asI sang ‘‘The Blind Girl’s Song to Her Harp,” which moved the ladies, in their jewels and satins, to weep, while the gentle- men dropped their opera-glasses and sat immovable. And then, in my last, where as Dinorah I warbled forth <°Q, Tender Shadow!” lost in the enjoyment of the moment, charmed with so good-natured an audience, exhilarated by their looks of delight, I almost forgot the cares which had weighed down my spirits so long. It was almost twelve o’clock before the warder of the Cybelle Hall locked the doors on the last of us. I was very weary, and lay back among the furs in Mr. Lindhurst’s sleigh, looking at the radiant moonlight which bathed each silent roof with his blue-white tintings. ‘“‘Overworked, Queen of Song?” laughed my escort, bend- ing down to look in my face. ‘No; I am thinking of my success—I am proud of it.” He smiled as he regarded me. ‘¢ Am I vain to say so?” I asked. «] do not think my vanity has been fed. My master spent years in my tuition, and I at mv best cannot do him credit. And then, to think that those who listened to us to-night—connoisseurs they certainly were—should be pleased with me! Yes, I am proud!” ‘‘So am I,” softly spoke my friend. Then he sighed as he spoke again: ‘«So our_little rehearsals are over,” he said, pensively. ‘1 CORNUCG OOO S (©)