the colouring of a Titian, the grace of a Nautch girl, the
miracle-working powers of a Hindu fakir, the elocution of a Demosthenes,
and the voice of a Malibran."

"By the beard of the Prophet," exclaimed Abu Nozeyr, "I thought such
bliss was to be had only in the Paradise of the Faithful; and that is
Grand Opera, Harding Effendi?"

"With certain modifications," I replied. "Nothing human is perfect, Abu
Nozeyr. It is a regrettable circumstance that the human voice attains
its perfect development many years after the human form. Hence our
heroes on the lyric stage are all middle-aged and our heroines somewhat
heavy in movement. I have seen a pair of starving lovers in an operatic
garret, who would surely not have passed the scrutiny of a United
Charities investigator. It is also to be regretted that adequate
voice-production leaves no breath for dancing or other forms of active
effort. Hence the dance with which Carmen fascinates poor Don Jose,
argues an intense readiness to be pleased on the part of the latter, and
Telramund's defeat at the hands of Lohengrin is never quite free from a
certain degree of contributory negligence."

"But tell me this, Harding Effendi, are there composers who have carried
the union of the arts to a higher point than others?"

"There are, O Grandson of the Wild Ass. There are operas in which at
certain moments the libretto speaks of a leaping fire, the music plays
leaping fire, and the fire actually leaps and blazes on the stage. But
unfortunately it always happens that the words cannot be heard because
of the orchestra, and the fire sinks when the orchestral swell rises,
and rises when the orchestral surge subsides. I have caught the
orchestral sound of hammer on anvil long before the two have come into
contact, and have heard Spring described as entering through a door
which persists in staying closed. I have seen boats being pushed by
human hands, Rhine maidens suspended on a wire, and harvest moons moving
in orbits unknown to Herschel and Pickering."

"And are there people who still persist in taking their sculpture,
painting, drama, and music separately, Harding Effendi?"

"There are; but that is because they fail to recognise that opera is a
perfect union of all the arts. To-morrow, Abu Nozeyr, we go to hear
'Tristan und Isolde.' It appeals to every one of our senses. To enjoy it
completely, however, it is often wise to close one's eyes and just hear
the singer sing."

XX