"Did you ever hear a thing more charmingly sung? Is she not
divine?"
"There is no mistaking your opinion on the point, at all events,
amico mio. I never saw anybody manifest such unbounded admiration as
you did just now. But the Diva was not thinking of you, I can tell
you," said Paolina, with just the slightest possible flavour of
pique in her tone.
"Thinking of me; I should imagine not indeed. But what upon earth
have you got into that dear little head of yours, my Paolina? Did
not you think both singing and acting very fine?"
"Certainly I think her voice is perhaps the finest I ever heard in
my life; and she is no doubt a great actress--a very great actress;
but--she is not simpatica to me. I don't know why, but--somehow or
other--I don't like her."
"What can you have got into your head, tesoro mio? You know nothing
of her; you have nothing to do with her except to see and hear her
on the stage."
"No; thank heaven! I should not like that she should come any nearer
to my life than that," replied Paolina, with a little shudder.
"Come, Paolina, you must admit that that is being prejudiced and
unreasonable," said Ludovico smiling at her.
"Yes; I suppose it is. But--Ludovico mio, just ask any other woman--
any other good woman--in the house; and see if they have not the
same feeling.
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