The Place of Honeymoons

at singers coming from lowly origin is found in this early development of the muscles of the throat. Parents of means employ nurses or sedatives to suppress or at least to smother

it up here or throwing it down there: il terremoto, the earthquake, the terror. Here nature tinkers vicariously with souls; and she seldom has time to complete her wor

schief, the natural cruelty, the inordinate craving for attention and flattery, she enlivened the nations with her affairs. And she never put a single beat of her heart into any of them. That is why her voice is still splendid

it. Her mental attitude toward humanity was childish: as, when the parent strikes, the child blindly strikes back. She was determined to play, to enjoy life, to give back blow for blow, nor caring where she struck. She was going to press the juice from every grape. A thousand odd years gone, she would have led the cry in Rome-"Bread and the circus!" or "To the lions!" She would have disturbed Nero's complacency, and he wo

d blues and purples-fell under the gaze of that lady's slanting eyes, she sat opposite the Slavonic Jove and smoked her cigarette between sips of coffee. Frequently sh

stronger, more powerful than you; but I am always in fear of your claws.

d round the table and leaned over his shoulders. She let the smoke drif

e if I were a tam

haps I might. You told me that you would

his hair and the other she entangled in his beard.

But I do not want to go to America next winter." He drew her do

turned to her chair. "When the sea

i! To

nt to

low me up." He spoke Italian well. "You do not w

usual excuse. You never had a

h the police. There is class prejudice. We Russians are very fond of Egypt in the winte

go alon

one must agree with her. In agreeing with her one adroitly dissua

coffee-cup and frowned. "Some day

. I can't hop about with the agility of those dancers at the Théatre du

in her than a dead grate. The English-speaking singers, they a

no more. Be reasonable. The consensus of critical opinion is generally infallible; and all over the cont

o me?" tempest in

quoting facts. If you thr

" dang

. Listen. Some one is

ispute, whether the bell rang or not. But she was getting the worst of the argumen

" asked Flor

th a query in English. "Is

the d

duc

es

dev

e, who shrugged. "No, no," she s

hed. But on the stage you

established, who are you and what

vey that this was not the momen

ward Cou

!" mimicke

duke heard

pardon aga

is it you wi

or rough roads, he would suddenly find the going smooth. He was never swift enough mentally to follow these flying transitions fr

came up the tube. "I desire t

you a long time to find out that

s; so she was determined

reful what you say; the du

fingered his be

care a han

ed loudly clos

le

do, Madame, is to g

n grave doubts, but these now took wing. Old flames were not i

Madame, your Highn

stage," said the singer

hat young man's acquaint

d him to

ddress, please? Your messenger gave me your a

no impeaching h

, Ma

ide world I wish to see. And I do not quite like the way y

him

is t

at

very strong and muc

something he could understand. He was a fighting man himse

Madame, that you

ay. Think, Mr. Cour

nderstand,"

e to see you with the Calabrian; she is-Well, you know.' I sto

that, that is pure inve

fool." A light laugh

I begin

A

what you wish

hink

noticed you,

duke, who noted the sudde

e diva, furiously. "It is easy f

get that you entered

he duke. "That statement

Madame's hands. I should not care to rob her of anything so interesting and dramatic. Madame the duchess can e

r, disquieted her. The play had gone far enough, much as she would have liked to continue it. This was going deeper than she cared to go. She gave the

at I wish you twofold the misery you have carelessly and gratuitous

ndifferent that he did not gather the substance, if not all the shadings

ate

to singe

insult

rn about that night

, without more ado, she spun the tale, laughing at intervals. The story evid

that you w

ourse

challen

I have something better. It will be like one of those old comedies. I hate her!" with a burst of fury. "She always

?" m

that e

ing to get into my head; but when it arriv

." Her calm

ot love him. I do not believe you can really love any one but Flora. Doubtless he possessed millions; but on the ot

uccessfully cope with this perilous condition of the ducal mind

s. But this comedy of which you speak: i

e least concerned. My

ed it to som

be s

jectio

in this affair. Besi

ew quite well that she was capable of leav

ly. Dynamite bombs were not

want to

rette. "How the devil must have