The Morning herald., 1877-03-07
CHAPTER XXXVIIr.
THE SECRET.

THE SkCRET.
The triumph Of Beatrice continued. The
daily papers were filled with accounts Of
the new singer. She had come suddenly
before them, and had at one bound reached
the highest eminonce. She had eclipsed
all the popular favorites. Her sublime
strains, her glorious enthusiasm, her mar
velous voice, her perfect beauty, all kindled
the popular heart. The people forgave
her for not having an Italian name, since
she had one which was go aristocratic. Her
whole appearance showed that she was
something very different from the common
order of artists, as diffirent, in fact, as the
"Prometheus" was from the common order
of operas. For here in the "Prometheus'
there were no endless iterations Of the one
theme of love, no perpetual repetitions Of
the same rhyme of anore and cuore, or
amor and cuor' but rather the effort OF
the soul after sublilner myteries. The
"Prometheus" sought to solve the problem
of life and of human suffering. Its divine
sentiments brought hope and consolation.
The great singer rose to the altitude of a
sibyl; she uttered inspirations; she her
self was inspired.
AS she stood with her grand Grecian
beauty, her pure classic features, she looked
as beautiful as statue, and as ideal and
passionless. In one sense she could never
be popular favorite She had no arch
ness or coquetry like some no voluptuous.
ness like others, no arts to win applaus like
others. Still she stood up and sang as one
who believed that this was the highest mis-.
sion of humanity, to utter divine truth 10
human ears. She sang loftiiy, thrillingly,
! as an angel might sing, and those who saw
her revered her while they listened.
And thus it was that the fame Of this
| new singer went quickly through England
and foreign journals spoke of it half-won.
deringly, haif-cynically, as usual /; for Con-
linentals never have any faith.in English
art, or in the power which any Englishman
may have to impart art. The leading
French journals conjectured that the "Pro.
metheus" was of religious character, and
therefore Puritanical and consequently
for that reason was popular. They amused
themselves with the idea of a puritanical
opera, declared that the English wished to
Protestantize music, and suggested "Cal-
VIM or ''The Sabbath" as good subjects
for this new and entirely English class OF
operas.
But soon the correspondents Of some Of
the Continental papers began to write glow
ing accounts of the piece, and to put Lam
| ghelti in the same class with Handel lie
was an Italian, they said, but in this case
he united Italian grace and versatility with
German solemnity and melancholy: They
declared that he was the greatest OF living
composers, and promised for him great
reputation.
Night after night the representation Of
the "Prometheus" went on undiminished
success and with larger and profounder
appreciation of its meaning among the
better class of minds. Langhetti began
to show a stronger and fuller confidence
in the success Of his piece than he had yet
dared 10 evince. Yet now its success
| seemed assured. What more could ne
wish
September came on, and every succeed
ing night only made the success more
marked. One day Lang hetti was with
Beatrice at the theatre, and they were
talking Of many things. There seemed
to be something on his mind, for he spoke
in an distracted manner. Beatrice noticed
it at last and mentioned it.
He was at first very mysterious; III
must be that secret Of yours which you
will not tell me-" said she. "You said
once before that it was connected with me,
and that you would tell it to me when the NJ,
time came. Has not that time come yet /?
"Not yet" answered Langhetti.
"When will it come"
II don't know" .,
"And you will keep it secret always?
"Perhaps not"
"You speak undecidedly."
am undecided"
"Whv not decide now to tell it?" plead.
ed Beatrice. "Why should l not know it?
Surely have gone through enough suffer.
ing to bear this, even if it bring something
additional"
Langhetti looked at her long and doubt
fully.
fro BE Continued