The Marchese and his sister-in-law threw bouquets into almost every
carriage that passed them; and the stock with which they had started
was soon very much diminished. But one specially magnificent and
large bouquet, which conspicuously occupied the centre of the front
seat of the carriage, was evidently reserved. Everybody who saw it
knew very well for whom that was intended. Of course it was for none
other than the Diva of the theatre. And the known interest which the
Marchese took in such matters, his musical fanaticism, and the large
share he had had in bringing La Lalli to Ravenna, made it quite
natural, and a matter of course, that he should pay her such a
compliment.
Presently he descried her in the opposite string of carriages,
coming towards him. Her carriage was an entirely open one, and she
sate in it, with old Quinto Lalli by her side, literally, as one
observer had said, half buried in flowers. And most assuredly
neither the labours nor the dissipations of the carnival, nor time,
nor care, nor any other circumstance, had dimmed the lustre of her
beauty, or lessened the verve and spirit of enjoyment with which she
took her part in the pageant. She was brilliant with vivacity,
beauty, and happiness.
The Marchese might have been seen, had anybody been observing him
closely at the moment, to turn visibly paler as her carriage
approached his.
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