at Miss Donne shall have a triumph and an ovation at her
_debut_, and an engagement to sing next season at the Opera.'

'Really----' Margaret tried to protest.

'You know nothing about business,' interrupted Madame Bonanni. 'You are
nothing but a child! These things are done in this way. Logotheti, give
me your word of honour.'

'Are you sure of the voice?' asked the Greek quietly.

'As sure as I am of my own.'

'Very well. I give you my word. It is done.'

'Good. I hate you, Logotheti, because you are so cautious, but you
always do what you promise. You may have your coffee now! What name are
you going to take, my dear?' she asked, turning to Margaret, who felt
very uncomfortable. 'The name is very important, you know, even when
one has your genius.'

'My genius!' exclaimed the young girl in confusion.

'I know what I am talking about,' answered Madame Bonanni in a
matter-of-fact tone. 'You will get up on the morning of your _debut_ as
little Miss Donne, nobody! You will go to bed as the great new soprano,
famous! That is what you will do. Now don't talk, but let me give you a
name, and we will drink your health to it in a drop of that old white
Chartreuse. You like that old white Chartreuse, Logotheti. You shall
have none till you have found a name for Miss Donne.'

'May I not keep my own?' Margaret asked timidly.

'No. It is an absurd name for the stage, my dear. All the people would
make jokes about it. Of course you must be either Italian, or French,
or German, or Hungarian, or Spanish. There is no great Italian soprano
just now. I advise you to be an Italian. You are Signorina--Signorina
what? Logotheti, do make haste! You know Italian.'

'May I ask where you were born, Miss Donne?' inquired Logotheti.

'In Oxford. But what has that to do with it?'

'Translate into Italian: ox, "bove," ford, "guado." No, that won't do'

'Certainly not!' cried Madame Bonanni. 'Guado--guano! Fancy! Try again.
Think of a pretty Italian name. It must be very easy! Take an
historical name, the name of a great family. Those people never
object.'

'Cordova is a fine name,' observed Logotheti. 'She may just as well be
Spanish, after all. Margarita da Cordova. That sounds rather well.'

'Yes. Do you like it, my dear?' asked Madame Bonanni.

'But I don't know a word of Spanish----'

'What in the world has that to do with it? It is a good name. You may
have your Chartreuse, Logotheti. Margarita da Cordova, the great
Spa