登陆注册
5587000000005

第5章

"Oh [haughtily], _that_ is as she pleases."Ashmead went to Ina Klosking in a rage and told her all this, and said he would take her to another hotel kept by a Frenchman: these Germans were bears. But Ina Klosking just shrugged her shoulders, and said, "Take me to her."He did so; and she said, in German, "Madam, I can quite understand your reluctance to have your piano strummed. But as your hotel is quiet and respectable, and I am unwilling to leave it, will you permit me to play to you? and then you shall decide whether I am worthy to stay or not."The spinster drank those mellow accents, colored a little, looked keenly at the speaker, and, after a moment's reflection, said, half sullenly, "No, madam, you are polite. I must risk my poor piano. Be pleased to come with me."She then conducted them to a large, unoccupied room on the first-floor, and unlocked the piano, a very fine one, and in perfect tune.

Ina sat down, and performed a composition then in vogue.

"You play correctly, madam," said the spinster; "but your music--what stuff! Such things are null. They vex the ear a little, but they never reach the mind."Ashmead was wroth, and could hardly contain himself; but the Klosking was amused, and rather pleased. "Mademoiselle has positive tastes in music,"said she; "all the better."

"Yes," said the spinster, "most music is mere noise. I hate and despise forty-nine compositions out of fifty; but the fiftieth I adore. Give me something simple, with a little soul in it--if you can."Ina Klosking looked at her, and observed her age and her dress, the latter old-fashioned. She said, quietly, "Will mademoiselle do me the honor to stand before me? I will sing her a trifle my mother taught me."The spinster complied, and stood erect and stiff, with her arms folded.

Ina fixed her deep eyes on her, playing a liquid prelude all the time, then swelled her chest and sung the old Venetian cauzonet, "Il pescatore de'll' onda." It is a small thing, but there is no limit to the genius of song. The Klosking sung this trifle with a voice so grand, sonorous, and sweet, and, above all, with such feeling, taste, and purity, that somehow she transported her hearers to Venetian waters, moonlit, and thrilled them to the heart, while the great glass chandelier kept ringing very audibly, so true, massive, and vibrating were her tones in that large, empty room.

At the first verse that cross-grained spinster, with real likes and dislikes, put a bony hand quietly before her eyes. At the last, she made three strides, as a soldier marches, and fell all of a piece, like a wooden _mannequin,_ on the singer's neck. "Take my piano," she sobbed, "for you have taken the heart out of my body."Ina returned her embrace, and did not conceal her pleasure. "I am very proud of such a conquest," said she.

From that hour Ina was the landlady's pet. The room and piano were made over to her, and, being in a great fright at what she had undertaken, she studied and practiced her part night and day. She made Ashmead call a rehearsal next day, and she came home from it wretched and almost hysterical.

She summoned her slave Ashmead; he stood before her with an air of hypocritical submission.

"The Flute was not at rehearsal, sir," said she, severely, "nor the Oboe, nor the Violoncello.""Just like 'em," said Ashmead, tranquilly.

"The tenor is a quavering stick. He is one of those who think that an unmanly trembling of the voice represents every manly passion.""Their name is legion."

"The soprano is insipid. And they are all imperfect--contentedly imperfect, How can people sing incorrectly? It is like lying.""That is what makes it so common--he! he!""I do not desire wit, but consolation. I believe you are Mephistopheles himself in disguise; for ever since I signed that diabolical compact you made me, I have been in a state of terror, agitation, misgiving, and misery--and I thank and bless you for it; for these thorns and nettles they lacerate me, and make me live. They break the dull, lethargic agony of utter desolation."Then, as her nerves were female nerves, and her fortitude female fortitude, she gave way, for once, and began to cry patiently.

Ashmead the practical went softly away and left her, as we must leave her for a time, to battle her business with one hand and her sorrow with the other.

同类推荐
  • 三教偶拈

    三教偶拈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 海忠介公集

    海忠介公集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编交谊典主司门生部

    明伦汇编交谊典主司门生部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 茶录

    茶录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 老子说五厨经

    老子说五厨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 小人物的星际

    小人物的星际

    这是一个属于平凡女孩的故事,她有自己的自私,有自己的心机,有自己的坏用尽一切的努力,只为了保有自己的小幸福。
  • 强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    家里一朝被人阴谋陷害以致破产,却让她遇上那个如冰块的男人一夜的抵死缠绵,她送了他三个字,男人却给她一纸合约,“我的一切我会夺回来的!”为了报复敌人,她甘愿签下,只为给敌人致命的一击。明里,他是跨国集团的总裁,冰冷容颜不喜言语;暗里,他却拥有多重骇人身份,杀戮决绝使人惧怕。“我不会爱你。”男人眼底的坚决,却在对上她的眼睛时瞬间崩塌。遇到男人上前搭讪,他会不悦道,“这是我的女人,谁让你碰了?”遇到花痴女挑衅,他会直接说,“我就只要她一个,你们谁也别肖想她的位置。”遇到蛮横人刁难,他也会说,“这是我宠的,她喜欢就好,你管不着。”是谁说不可能爱了,可是为什么一次次做出爱人之间的举动,让她一再沦陷。看着他身后那个女人,她才知道,原来她只是个替身,一夜之间,她最后选择了逃离,多年后,再回来,却再次被他缠上……【闷骚男口头禅】某女:谢谢你。某男:嗯。某女:对不起啊!某男:嗯。某女:那个,我不是故意的,我也没想到会惹来这些事情,我……某男:嗯。某女:你的话不会只有一个嗯吧?别人问你什么你都只会嗯的回答?某男:嗯?某女无奈,某男茫然。【女孩VS男人】一个小人从她身后钻了出来,看着面前的高人。“妈咪,这个人是谁啊?”粉嫩的小女孩嗲声问道,“他是不是也来征婚的?诶,你要来征婚是吗?”男人没有说话。“我告诉你,想要征婚,有三个条件,有车有房,父母双亡,不然婆媳关系很难搞的。”男人额上黑线布满。【用尽偷蒙拐骗】“宝贝,能不能帮爹地办一件事情。”某男狡黠道。女孩双手撑下巴,道,“说吧。”“爹地忘记你妈咪的名字怎么写了,可不可以去外公那里把妈咪的户口本拿出来给爹地看一下。”“我会写妈咪的名字,很简单,我教你吧!”说着就要去拿纸笔,却被某男制止了。“你们写的不一定对,只有户口本的才是最对的,万一你们写错了怎么办?”“哦,那好吧,我去问问外公。”在一旁的男孩鄙视的看着两人。注:一对一,不是回头草,男主身心健康,宠文无边。简介无能,请点进去看几章再决定咔嚓吧!本人古文:《吾家有妃初拽成》【已完结】《凰腾——绝杀鬼妃》【推荐姐妹文】姒锦《军婚撩人》鎏年《限制级霸宠》沐云清《狂霸老公极品妻》艺瑾天使《霸道老公,轻点爱》花卷儿《名门小妻——宠你上瘾》妆璧《少将,放过我》多浅《亿万老公誘宠妻》
  • 爱你是一场浩劫

    爱你是一场浩劫

    多年后重遇,苏悦媚成了霍廷治生孩子的工具。因为爱,她甘愿背叛全世界……
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 天紫

    天紫

    极天明道:“你这样真的好吗?身为一代神帝竟然给自己封一个紫天的封号,这就算了为什么我要听你的把封号封成天紫啊!”南宫紫宣:“哦,你有意见?”
  • 鬼帝绝宠:皇叔你行不行

    鬼帝绝宠:皇叔你行不行

    前世她活的憋屈,做了一辈子的小白鼠,重活一世,有仇报仇!有怨报怨!弃之不肖!她是前世至尊,素手墨笔轻轻一挥,翻手为云覆手为雨,天下万物皆在手中画。纳尼?负心汉爱上她,要再求娶?当她什么?昨日弃我,他日在回,我亦不肖!花痴废物?经脉尽断武功全无?却不知她一只画笔便虐你成渣……王府下人表示王妃很闹腾,“王爷王妃进宫偷墨宝,打伤了贵妃娘娘…”“王爷王妃看重了,学仁堂的墨宝当场抢了起来,打伤了太子……”“爱妃若想抢随她去,旁边递刀可别打伤了手……”“……”夫妻搭档,她杀人他挖坑,她抢物他递刀,她打太子他后面撑腰……双重性格男主萌萌哒
  • 潘朵拉在朝歌

    潘朵拉在朝歌

    潘朵拉,众神用粘土制造、送给人类的第一个女人,每一位神灵赠予她一样特别的礼物,维纳斯给了她妩媚,赫尔墨斯教给她使用语言的技能,雅典娜赋予她无上的智慧,她拥有无穷的魅力,而宙斯,却给了她魔盒,让她毁灭人类。2600年,一个疯狂的人,站在这样一具拥有无上魅力的机器人面前,望着她美丽的瞳孔,输入指令,回到过去,改变历史,让我们的对手统统陷入奴隶制社会的泥潭!这样,我们就能够在科技领域领先!我们的地位,将无可撼动!带着毁灭任务的你,代号是,潘朵拉!
  • 千金方

    千金方

    知府大人家的嫡女,额娘早逝,继母当家,都说没娘的孩子像根草,但书容这根草,可是有大树罩着的,大舅舅是备受康熙爷恩宠的直隶总督,额娘出身在大清贵胄赫舍里家族,当今太子爷,那还是自家表亲呢,就连阿玛这知府的官衔,那也是拖了母舅的福才得的,可就这样,还有些不知死活的人要来挑衅,那当真是活腻了!
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 幸会了萧先生

    幸会了萧先生

    据说他商界帝王!能翻手覆云只手遮天,却不近女色,她才答应结婚的。说好的工作狂,事业狂,怎么结婚后就突然话说护妻狂魔呢!