Volume I Part 18 (1/2)
I knew Mirandos, and his fantasia ca Miss Benette by her dress to bring her away too; for I had a horror of his spreading hands Santonio, ireat minds in the majority of instances, came on the contrary forwards, and stood in the doorway to watch Mirandos take his seat I could see the sneer settle upon his lips, subtle as that was; and I should have liked to stand and watch hi the countenances of artists in their medium moments, when I saw that Miss Benette had stolen to the fire, and was leaning against the est; I joined her
”Now,” said I, ”if it were not for Santonio, would you not find this evening very dull?”
”It is not an evening at all, Master Auchester, it is a candle-light day; and so far froht I could listen forever to Mr Davy's voice”
”What can it be that makes his voice so sweet, when it is such a deep voice?”
”I know it is because he has never sung in theatres It doesin theatres, unless atime”
”Miss Benette, is that the reason you do notin theatres?”
”No; but it is the reason I sing so much in my little room”
”Mr Davy says you don't mean to act”
”No more I do mean, but perhaps it will come upon me, and Thone says, 'Child, you ift, then?”
”Who said to you about the special gift, Master Auchester? Do you ever forget anything you hear?”
”Never! I aht I asked hiift I thought the words so put together would please hiood I do not think it is a special gift, you know, Master Auchester, to act”
”What is it then, Miss Benette?”
”An inspiration”
”Mr Davy called the conducting at the festival inspiration”
”Oh, yes; but all great composers are inspired”
”Do you consider our conductor was a great composer?”
”I daresay; but you must not ask me, I am not wise Thone is very wise, and she said to one, 'He is one of us'”
”But, Miss Benette, she is a gypsy, and I am not”
”We are not all alike because we are one Can there be le sounds?”
Mirandos was putting on the pedal, and we paused at this moment, as he paused before the _attacca_ Santonio still reainst the cri, and quite white with distress at the perforled furiously, and a storer the very existence of the fragile wires
Suddenly a young lady swept past Santonio, and glanced at Davy in passing into our retreat Santonio, of course, did not h to clear hi, not at the young lady, but at the fantasia
It was Miss Lawrence; and lo! before I could well recognize her, she stepped up to me and said, without a bow or any introductory flourish, ”Are you Mr Davy's pupil?”