carried to excess, spoilt the effect; or again
a loud climax with no due _crescendo_, an outburst of sound like water
tumbling through a suddenly opened sluice, showed complete and wilful
neglect of the laws of good taste.

The pit was in the greatest excitement. The Venetian public believed
there was a deliberate plot between Genovese and his friends. La Tinti
was recalled and applauded with frenzy while Genovese had a hint or two
warning him of the hostile feeling of the audience. During this scene,
highly amusing to a Frenchman, while la Tinti was recalled eleven times
to receive alone the frantic acclamations of the house,--Genovese, who
was all but hissed, not daring to offer her his hand,--the doctor made a
remark to the Duchess as to the _stretto_ of the duet.

"In this place," said he, "Rossini ought to have expressed the deepest
grief, and I find on the contrary an airy movement, a tone of ill-timed
cheerfulness."

"You are right," said she. "This mistake is the result of a tyrannous
custom which composers are expected to obey. He was thinking more of
his prima donna than of Elcia when he wrote that _stretto_. But this
evening, even if la Tinti had been more brilliant than ever, I could
throw myself so completely into the situation, that the passage, lively
as it is, is to me full of sadness."

The physician looked attentively from the Prince to the Duchess, but
could not guess the reason that held them apart, and that made this duet
seem to them so heartrending.

"Now comes a magnificent thing, the scheming of Pharaoh against the
Hebrews. The great _aria 'A rispettarmi apprenda'_ (Learn to respect me)
is a triumph for Carthagenova, who will express superbly the offended
pride and the duplicity of a sovereign. The Throne will speak. He will
withdraw the concessions that have been made, he arms himself in wrath.
Pharaoh rises to his feet to clutch the prey that is escaping.

"Rossini never wrote anything grander in style, or stamped with more
living and irresistible energy. It is a consummate work, supported by an
accompaniment of marvelous orchestration, as indeed is every portion of
this opera. The vigor of youth illumines the smallest details."

The whole house applauded this noble movement, which was admirably
rendered by the singer, and thoroughly appreciated by the Venetians.

"In the _finale_," said the Duchess, "you hear a repetition of the
march, expressive of the joy of deliverance and of fait