es of his supposed wife, instead of being able to turn
her out of doors.--

Meanwhile Malatesta arrives, summons Ernesto and in his uncle's name
gives his (Don Pasquale's) consent to Ernesto's marriage with Norina,
promising her a splendid dowry.

Don Pasquale's wife, true to the part she has undertaken to play, of
course opposes this arrangement, and Don Pasquale, too happy to be able
to thwart his wife, hastens to give his consent, telling Ernesto to
fetch his bride. His dismay on discovering that his own wife, whom he
has only known under the name of Sophronia and his nephew's bride are
one and the same person may be easily imagined.--His rage and
disappointment are however somewhat diminished by the reflection, that
he will no longer have to suffer from the whims of the young wife, who
had inveigled him into the ill-assorted marriage, and he at length
consents, giving the happy couple his blessing.--

LES DRAGONS DE VILLARS.

(THE BELL OF THE HERMIT.)

Comic Opera in three acts by LOUIS AIME MAILLART.

Text after the French by G. ERNST.

Maillart, who studied under Halevy in Paris and received the Roman
prize (prix de Rome) in the year 1841, composed six operas, all of
which are now almost forgotten with the single exception {63} of "Les
Dragons de Villars" (in 1856), which found favor in Germany by virtue
of its wit and grace.

The music sparkles with French charm and gaiety of the most exquisite
kind and these are the merits by which this unpretentious opera has
kept its place by the side of its grander and more pompous sisters.

The tale is clever and amusing.

The scene is laid in a French mountain-village near the frontier of
Savoy towards the close of the war in the Cevennes in 1704.

In the first act peasant women in the service of Thibaut, a rich
country Squire, are collecting fruit. Georgette, Thibaut's young wife,
controls their work. In compliance with a general request she treats
them to a favorite provencal song, in which a young girl, forgetting
her first vows made to a young soldier, gives her hand to another
suitor. She is interrupted by the sound of trumpets. Thibaut hurrying
up in great distress asks the women to hide themselves at once, because
soldiers are marching into the village. He conceals his own wife in
the pigeon-house. A detachment of dragoons arrive, and Belamy, their
corporal, asks for food and wine at Thibaut's house. He learns, that
there is nothing to b