human
What did you think of that, Paolina mia? he said, sitting down by her side, and making the action of applauding with his hands, as he spoke.
gpt
Did you ever hear a thing more charmingly sung? Is she not divine?
human
There is no mistaking your opinion on the point, at all events, amico mio. I never saw anybody manifest such unbounded admiration as you did just now. But the Diva was not thinking of you, I can tell you,
gpt
Thinking of me; I should imagine not indeed. But what upon earth have you got into that dear little head of yours, my Paolina? Did not you think both singing and acting very fine?
human
Certainly I think her voice is perhaps the finest I ever heard in my life; and she is no doubt a great actress--a very great actress; but--she is not simpatica to me. I don't know why, but--somehow or other--I don't like her.
gpt
What can you have got into your head, tesoro mio? You know nothing of her; you have nothing to do with her except to see and hear her on the stage.
human
No; thank heaven! I should not like that she should come any nearer to my life than that,
gpt
Come, Paolina, you must admit that that is being prejudiced and unreasonable,
human
Yes; I suppose it is. But--Ludovico mio, just ask any other woman--any other good woman--in the house; and see if they have not the same feeling. The Contessa Violante, for example--ask her,
gpt
Just because she is splendidly handsome: women cannot be just to each other when that comes in the way. But you might afford to be charitable even to so beautiful a creature as the Lalli, my Paolina.
human
No, Signor, I won't be bribed by compliments, even from you, she whispered, with a look that showed that the value of the bribe was not unappreciated;
gpt
But I wonder what it is then that has prejudiced you against the Lalli?
human
I don't know. Really nothing that I can tell. One feels sometimes what one cannot explain. She is not simpatica to me, that is all.
gpt
But what on earth put it into your head, Paolina mia, to say that she was not thinking of me when she was singing her part? Why should she think of me--or of anybody else, except the primo tenore, who was singing with her? What is it you mean?
human
You said she was a very good actress as well as a fine singer, returned Paolina;
gpt
What parcel of nonsense have you got into your little brains, Paolina? Sing at the Marchese? Of course they all do; of course they all know that his suffrage is of more importance to them than all the rest of the theatre put together. But as for my idea of--lo zio--of all men in the world. Ha, ha, ha! If you had lived in Ravenna instead of Venice all your life, carina mia, you would know how infinitely absurd the idea seems of there being anything between the Marchese Lamberto and a stage singer, or of its being possible for him to regard her in any other light than that of a singing machine.
human
I dare say you are right, caro mio. Still I can't quite think that the Marchese would look at any one of the fiddles quite as I saw him look at her,