Roman theatre? And do you not
know what sort of creatures play female parts within the domains of the
Pope? It was I, monsieur, who endowed Zambinella with his voice. I paid
all the knave's expenses, even his teacher in singing. And he has so
little gratitude for the service I have done him that he has never been
willing to step inside my house. And yet, if he makes his fortune, he
will owe it all to me.'

"Prince Chigi might have talked on forever, Sarrasine did not listen to
him. A ghastly truth had found its way into his mind. He was stricken
as if by a thunderbolt. He stood like a statue, his eyes fastened on
the singer. His flaming glance exerted a sort of magnetic influence on
Zambinella, for he turned his eyes at last in Sarrasine's direction, and
his divine voice faltered. He trembled! An involuntary murmur escaped
the audience, which he held fast as if fastened to his lips; and that
completely disconcerted him; he stopped in the middle of the aria he
was singing and sat down. Cardinal Cicognara, who had watched from
the corner of his eye the direction of his _protege's_ glance, saw the
Frenchman; he leaned toward one of his ecclesiastical aides-de-camp, and
apparently asked the sculptor's name. When he had obtained the reply he
desired he scrutinized the artist with great attention and gave orders
to an _abbe_, who instantly disappeared. Meanwhile Zambinella, having
recovered his self-possession, resumed the aria he had so capriciously
broken off; but he sang badly, and refused, despite all the persistent
appeals showered upon him, to sing anything else. It was the first
time he had exhibited that humorsome tyranny, which, at a later date,
contributed no less to his celebrity than his talent and his vast
fortune, which was said to be due to his beauty as much as to his voice.

"'It's a woman,' said Sarrasine, thinking that no one could overhear
him. 'There's some secret intrigue beneath all this. Cardinal Cicognara
is hoodwinking the Pope and the whole city of Rome!'

"The sculptor at once left the salon, assembled his friends, and lay
in wait in the courtyard of the palace. When Zambinella was assured
of Sarrasine's departure he seemed to recover his tranquillity in some
measure. About midnight after wandering through the salons like a man
looking for an enemy, the _musico_ left the party. As he passed through
the palace gate he was seized by men who deftly gagged him with a
handkerchief and placed him in t