Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-12-23

al SEt Oh SUI
Christina R6ssc:ti.
AS Enrico had predicted, the Te-
afro Mercadante was crowded. Nol
only was il the oDening night, but
the Neapolitan world was curious toI
see the new prima donna, this girl OF
good birth and breeding, who had out
ragged all the prophecies and eloped
with her singing master. Had 1t MOI
been for his inward consciousness
that there was something much worse
that people might ere long say of his
sister. Carlo could not have endured
all that he was that night fated to-
overhear. on every side people dis
cussed the Merlin0Donati scandal;
but though he WINGED under it, the
dread OF the future deadened the rec
objection Of the past, the new dan
ger ecHpsed the old shame,
He sat as though in a bad dream,
waiting for the curtain TO rise and dis
close 10 him the face of this enemy of
his peace; so engrossed was he with
his thought that he scarcely heard thel
overture. He wanted 10 meet his foel
face TO face, and with a sort of shud-
der he reflected that in very short
time 1t was possible that he himself
might be standing on that very stage
whence Leporello was now descanting
upon his masters vices. A moment
more and Comerio the Don Giovanni
Of the evening, would appear. Carlo
breathed hard, drew himself together
and waited through moments which
seemed like hours Curiously
enough, the first sight of his foe re-
lieved him: Comerio was not at all
the ideal villain: he was a small
made. supplelooking man, with very
white taper hands. and face which
AZ that distance looked refined
much too refined for a Don Giovanni.
lie sang rather well, but his acting
was so execrabIe hat Carte forgot
eyerythi-z IL longing desire TO sub.
stitgte something lifelike for the udi-
crous throwing up of hands which
seemed 20 be Comerios idea - dra
"
BILE 10 think of him as ANYTHING but
Generic the baritone: he walked
Tia ough his part and threw about his
arms very freely that was all
And get his complete failure as an
actor vas in Carlos favor. He want
cd TO study the man, not to enjoy
the opera, and since Generic had no
notion of throwing himself into his
pad the opera was as good a time to-
study his own character as any other
For a while all went well. The
pretty scene in which Zerlina made
her first appearance amid the crowd
OF merry peasants could not have
been better chosen for Anita's debut.
She looked so charming and sang so
well that she won all hearts, and
Carlo felt thrill of pride and pleas
IRE as he listened to her sweet. bird
like notes In the duet with Masetlo a
part which vas we'll filled by Mer
limo himself
But his pleasure was Of short dura.
ton All his miserable apprehension
returned the instant Concerto was on
the stage again. To see him making
love TO Anita was more than he could
endure.
Next day the newspapers were
warm IN their praise ms TO the acting
in the scenes between Don Giovanni
and Zerlna. but Carlo knew that
this was just the one part of the or
Ia in which there had been no at
tempt at acting
The music was poisoned TO him.
that night. and he could hardly en-
which reused the audience to enthu-
siasm He never spoke once TO En-
rico. who for his part could only spec
ulate as 30 bis friends feelings. forl
Carlo showed no other sign of agita-
ton than a s ghtly heightened color.
sat out the opera and greeted two
or thee friends whom they eucoun-
tered afterward quite in his usual
manner Only one thing seemed ON
nous, because IL was unnatural and
der some as they walked home that
at last Enrieo broke the ice with an
outspoken question; We'll. what do
YOU think of him."
4 don't know can hardly tell
my head aches too much, said Carlo.
in a voice which betrayed So much
suffering that his friend ventured no
more inquiries. and was glad enough
when hey reached home Il shall
thiak things out better tomorrow,
were his last words that night But
when the morning came he was in.
capable OF thinking at all, and could
only lie still and endure the worst
headache he had ever had in his life;
while. as though TO torture him yet
more. La Ct darem' rang perpetually
In his ears.
On the Saturday he awoke 10 the
consciousness that the pain was over
that his brain was clear once more.
aud that he must no longer postpone
the decision upon which SO much de
pended, But Frau Ritter absolutely
refused 10 allow him TO SO home tin
the heat OF the day VAS over, and IL
was not until late that he managed
to escape from his kindly nurses, and,
taking boat at the piliero made his
way home He felt much shaken by