"Well, bambina mia,--my baby," for so the old man often called her,
"what sort of folk have we come among? How do you like the
appearance of the country?"
"Eh, papa mio, che volete? I have seen only a bit of it. It is
rather early to judge yet," said Bianca.
"Not too early for your quickness, bambina mia. Besides, you may be
sure you have seen most of what you are likely to see, and what it
most concerns you to see. The Cardinal Legate was not likely to come
out to meet you, I suppose; nor does it much matter to you to see
his Eminence."
"Well, what I have seen, I like. As for the theatre, that Marchese
Lamberto, whom you saw, knows what singing is as well as you do. I
shall please him on the stage; and, if so, as I see very well, I
shall please all the rest of Ravenna. But--"
"But what? There is always a `but.' What is it this time?" said the
old man.
"As if you did not know as well as I!" said Bianca, with a little
toss. "Is what I can do on the theatre of Ravenna the thing that is
most in my thoughts?"
"'Twas you who mentioned it first," said Quinto. "I spoke of it
merely with reference to that man, the Marchese Lamberto di
Castelmare. He is one of the first, if not the very first, man in
the city; and everybody is cap in hand before him. Evidently a rich
man."
"And he is a musician, you say?" rejoined Quinto.
Pages:
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245