I am not
so shallow as to complain!"
Evidently the Cavaliere was not shallow, and Rowland repeated
respectfully, "You are a devoted friend."
"That 's very true. I am a devoted friend. A man may do himself justice,
after twenty years!"
Rowland, after a pause, made some remark about the beauty of the ball.
It was very brilliant.
"Stupendous!" said the Cavaliere, solemnly. "It is a great day. We have
four Roman princes, to say nothing of others." And he counted them over
on his fingers and held up his hand triumphantly. "And there she stands,
the girl to whom I--I, Giuseppe Giacosa--taught her alphabet and her
piano-scales; there she stands in her incomparable beauty, and Roman
princes come and bow to her. Here, in his corner, her old master permits
himself to be proud."
"It is very friendly of him," said Rowland, smiling.
The Cavaliere contracted his lids a little more and gave another keen
glance. "It is very natural, signore. The Christina is a good girl; she
remembers my little services. But here comes," he added in a moment,
"the young Prince of the Fine Arts. I am sure he has bowed lowest of
all.
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