Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 58: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEAUTIFUL RIENZL | 51 Just then the professor came in from the platform, his countenance wearing an anxious expression. When he saw me it brightened. ‘“‘Oh! I am glad to see you here, Miss Rienzi. Iwas afraid you had both vanished, and my programme would sustain a severe abridgement. Come—everybody is looking duwn their list impatiently for ‘La ci darem.’” I saw that it would be selfish of me to go, so I consented to return to my place; but it was with a weary sigh that I encountered again the blazing lights and briliant toilets. Our duet of ‘* La ci darem Ja mans,” in which Mr. Lind- hurst was Don Giovanni and I Zerlina, was a marvelous sue- cess; we were encored again and again, until I felt my silly head ring with triumph, and aspirited thrill ran to the ends of my fingers. I stood with unfaltering mien once more alone with my harp, and swept the chords with a delicate touch as I sang «<The Blind Girl’s Song to Her Harp,” which moved the ladies, in their jewels and satins, to weep, while the gentle- ‘men dropped their opera-glasses and sat immovable. And then, in my last, where as Dinorah I warbled forth «QO, Tender Shadow!” lost in the enjoyment of the moment, charmed with so good-natured an audience, exhilarated by their looks of delight, I almost forgot the cares which had weighed down my spirits so long. It was almost twelve o’clock before the warder of: the Cybelle Hall locked the doors on the last of us. I was very weary, and lay back among the furs in Mr. Lindhurst’s sleigh, looking at the radiant moonlight which bathed each silent roof with his blue-white tintings. ‘¢ Overworked, Queen of Song?” laughed my escort, bend- ing down to look in my face. ‘*No; I am thinking of my success—I am proud of it.” He smiled as he regarded me. ‘Am I vain to say so?” I asked. ‘‘I do not think my vanity has been fed. My master spent vears in my tuition, and I at mv best cannot do him credit. And then, to think that those who listened to us to-night—connoisseurs they certainly were—should be pleased with me! Yes, I am proud!” «“So am I,” softly spoke my friend. Then he sighed as he spoke again: ‘«*So our little rehearsals are over,” he said, pensively. ‘ “ I Ta) ~ comicbook co o a ' , " ar #4 Wy hl’? be ©, A = » , Soipds Ce ~ lie ‘ *) ire <2 e ‘Sek is, NST Ae ea ‘ ‘- ae ' og? amy “Bs Oe 4 BAS trial TPs Paes “Ak ~? “ f . ant » — . . 4 7 -. :