the appointed hour, when the
carriages were rolling up and the lights were gleaming brightly in the
decorated halls, he went across to the Professor's, his heart beating
high with expectation. The company was both numerous and brilliant.
Olimpia was richly and tastefully dressed. One could not but admire her
figure and the regular beauty of her features. The striking inward
curve of her back, as well as the wasp-like smallness of her waist,
appeared to be the result of too-tight lacing. There was something
stiff and measured in her gait and bearing that made an unfavourable
impression upon many; it was ascribed to the constraint imposed upon
her by the company. The concert began. Olimpia played on the piano with
great skill; and sang as skilfully an _aria di bravura_, in a voice
which was, if anything, almost too sharp, but clear as glass bells.
Nathanael was transported with delight; he stood in the background
farthest from her, and owing to the blinding lights could not quite
distinguish her features. So, without being observed, he took Coppola's
glass out of his pocket, and directed it upon the beautiful Olimpia.
Oh! then he perceived how her yearning eyes sought him, how every note
only reached its full purity in the loving glance which penetrated to
and inflamed his heart. Her artificial _roulades_ seemed to him to be
the exultant cry towards heaven of the soul refined by love; and when
at last, after the _cadenza_, the long trill rang shrilly and loudly
through the hall, he felt as if he were suddenly grasped by burning
arms and could no longer control himself,--he could not help shouting
aloud in his mingled pain and delight, "Olimpia!" All eyes were turned
upon him; many people laughed. The face of the cathedral organist wore
a still more gloomy look than it had done before, but all he said was,
"Very well!"

The concert came to an end, and the ball began. Oh! to dance with
her--with her--that was now the aim of all Nathanael's wishes, of all
his desires. But how should he have courage to request her, the queen
of the ball, to grant him the honour of a dance? And yet he couldn't
tell how it came about, just as the dance began, he found himself
standing close beside her, nobody having as yet asked her to be his
partner; so, with some difficulty stammering out a few words, he
grasped her hand. It was cold as ice; he shook with an awful, frosty
shiver. But, fixing his eyes upon her face, he saw that her glance was