her had at first confused me. Lauretta, apparently the
elder of the two, looked about her with sparkling eyes, and talked away
at my embarrassed old uncle with gushing vivacity and with
demonstrative gestures. She was not too tall, and of a voluptuous
build, so that my eyes wandered amid many charms that hitherto had been
strangers to them. Teresina, taller, more slender, with a long grave
face, spoke but seldom, but what she did say was more intelligible. Now
and then a peculiar smile flitted across her features; it almost seemed
as if she were highly amused at my good uncle, who had withdrawn into
his silken dressing-gown like a snail into its shell, and was vainly
endeavouring to push out of sight a treacherous yellow string, with
which he fastened his night-jacket together, and which would keep
tumbling out of his bosom yards and yards long. At length they rose to
depart; my uncle promised to arrange everything for the concert for the
third day following; then the sisters gave him and me, whom he
introduced to them as a young musician, a most polite invitation to
take chocolate with them in the afternoon.

"We mounted the steps with a solemn air and awkward gait; we both felt
very peculiar, as if we were going to meet some adventure to which we
were not equal. In consequence of due previous preparation my uncle had
a good many fine things to say about art, which nobody understood,
neither he himself nor any of the rest of us. This done, and after I
had thrice burned my tongue with the scalding hot chocolate, but with
the stoical fortitude of a Scaevola had smiled under the fiery
infliction, Lauretta at length said that she would sing to us. Teresina
took her guitar, tuned it, and struck a few full chords. It was the
first time I had heard the instrument, and the characteristic
mysterious sounds of the trembling strings made a deep and wonderful
impression upon me. Lauretta began very softly and held on, the note
rising to _fortissimo_, and then quickly broke into a crisp complicated
run through an octave and a half. I can still remember the words of the
beginning, '_Sento l'amica speme_.' My heart was oppressed; I had never
had an idea of anything of the kind. But as Lauretta continued to soar
in bolder and higher flights, and as the musical notes poured upon me
like sparkling rays, thicker and thicker, then was the music that had
so long lain mute and lifeless within me enkindled, rising up in
strong, grand flames.