r opera?" said he, with a gesture indicative of still deeper
despair. "You forget I come from the home, the nursery of opera."

"Yes," said Brand, good-naturedly. "Great singers train in your country,
but they sing here: that is the difference. Do not be afraid; you will
not be disappointed. See, I have brought you a box; and if you want
companions, why not ask Miss Lind and Madame Potecki to go with you and
show you the ways of our English opera-houses?"

"Ah, the little Natalushka!" said Calabressa, eagerly. "Will she go? Do
you think she will go? _Ma foi_, it is not often I have the chance of
taking such a beautiful creature to the opera, if she will go! What must
I do?"

"You will have to go and beg her to be kind to you. Say you have the
box--you need not mention how: ask if she will escort you, she and
Madame Potecki. Say it is a kindness: she cannot help doing a kindness."

"There you are right, monsieur: do not I see it in her eyes? can I not
hear it in her voice?"

"Well, that you must do at once, before she goes out for her walk at
noon."

"To go out walking on a day like this?"

"She will go out, nevertheless; and you must go and intercept her, and
pray her to do you this kindness."

"_Apres?_"

"You must come to me again, and we will get an English evening costume
for you somehow. Then, two bouquets; I will get those for you, and send
them to them to the box to await you."

"But you yourself, monsieur; will you not be of the party?"

"Perhaps you had better say nothing about me, signore; for one is so
busy nowadays. But if I come into the stalls; if I see you and the
ladies in the box, then I shall permit myself to call upon you; do you
understand?"

"Parfaitement," said Calabressa, gravely. Then he laughed slightly. "Ah,
monsieur, you English are not good diplomatists. I perceive that you
wish to say more; that you are afraid to say more; that you are anxious
and a little bit demure, like a girl. What you wish is this, is it not:
if I say to Madame Potecki, 'Madame, I am a stranger; will you show me
the promenade, that I may behold the costumes of the beautiful English
ladies?' madame answers, 'Willingly.' We go to see the costumes of the
beautiful English ladies. Why should you come? You would not leave the
young lady all alone in the box?"

"Calabressa," he said, frankly, "I am going away to-morrow morning: do
you understand that?"

Calabressa bowed gravely.

"To comprehend that is eas