ll
getting tired of me; let us hear what _you_ have to say."

"That is rather an embarrassing appeal," said Deronda, drawing up a
chair near Lady Mallinger's elbow at the tea-table. "I think I had
better take the opportunity of mentioning our songstress," he added,
looking at Lady Mallinger--"unless you have done so."

"Oh, the little Jewess!" said Lady Mallinger. "No, I have not mentioned
her. It never entered my head that any one here wanted singing lessons."

"All ladies know some one else who wants singing lessons," said
Deronda. "I have happened to find an exquisite singer,"--here he turned
to Lady Pentreath. "She is living with some ladies who are friends of
mine--the mother and sisters of a man who was my chum at Cambridge. She
was on the stage at Vienna; but she wants to leave that life, and
maintain herself by teaching."

"There are swarms of those people, aren't there?" said the old lady.
"Are her lessons to be very cheap or very expensive? Those are the two
baits I know of."

"There is another bait for those who hear her," said Deronda. "Her
singing is something quite exceptional, I think. She has had such
first-rate teaching--or rather first-rate instinct with her
teaching--that you might imagine her singing all came by nature."

"Why did she leave the stage, then?" said Lady Pentreath. "I'm too old
to believe in first-rate people giving up first-rate chances."

"Her voice was too weak. It is a delicious voice for a room. You who
put up with my singing of Schubert would be enchanted with hers," said
Deronda, looking at Mrs. Raymond. "And I imagine she would not object
to sing at private parties or concerts. Her voice is quite equal to
that."

"I am to have her in my drawing-room when we go up to town," said Lady
Mallinger. "You shall hear her then. I have not heard her myself yet;
but I trust Daniel's recommendation. I mean my girls to have lessons of
her."

"Is it a charitable affair?" said Lady Pentreath. "I can't bear
charitable music."

Lady Mallinger, who was rather helpless in conversation, and felt
herself under an engagement not to tell anything of Mirah's story, had
an embarrassed smile on her face, and glanced at Deronda.

"It is a charity to those who want to have a good model of feminine
singing," said Deronda. "I think everybody who has ears would benefit
by a little improvement on the ordinary style. If you heard Miss
Lapidoth"--here he looked at Gwendolen--"perhaps you would revo