"Oh, Eccellenza!" said the poor little man, with the most perfect
good faith in the propriety, as well as the seriousness, of his
patron's proposition.
"And now, then," said the Marchese, "let us hear all about it. She
accepts our terms?"
"The scrittura has been signed before a notary, Eccellenza."
"Bravo! she sings--?"
"The whole repertorio, Signor Marchese! What is there she could not
sing?"
"And three representations a week?"
"Three representations a week. My instructions were formal on that
point, as your Excellency knows."
"Good! quite right! And now what is she, this diva? What is she
like? We know that Signor Ercole Stadione is as good a judge of the
merits of the lady as of the singer?" said the Marchese, with a
smile. "I don't ask you about her singing," he added. "We have all
heard all that can be said about that."
"Well, Signor Marchese, if I am to speak my own poor opinion, I take
the Signora Lalli to be decidedly the most beautiful woman it was
ever my good fortune to see," said Signor Ercole, with a voice and
manner of profound conviction.
"Paris himself, if called on to be umpire once again, could require
no more conclusive testimony, my good Signor Ercole. But that is not
exactly what I mean. Her mere beauty is a matter that does not
interest me very keenly.
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