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Duchess tried to chase away the clouds that darkened her brow； and
replied； with eager haste； to open a conversation in which she might
vent her irritation：
〃This is not so much an opera； monsieur；〃 said she； 〃as an oratorioa
work which is in fact not unlike a most magnificent edifice； and I
shall with pleasure be your guide。 Believe me； it will not be too much
to give all your mind to our great Rossini； for you need to be at once
a poet and a musician to appreciate the whole bearing of such a work。
〃You belong to a race whose language and genius are too practical for
it to enter into music without an effort； but France is too
intellectual not to learn to love it and cultivate it； and to succeed
in that as in everything else。 Also； it must be acknowledged that
music； as created by Lulli； Rameau； Haydn； Mozart； Beethoven；
Cimarosa； Paisiello； and Rossini； and as it will be carried on by the
great geniuses of the future； is a new art； unknown to former
generations； they had indeed no such variety of instruments on which
the flowers of melody now blossom as on some rich soil。
〃So novel an art demands study in the public； study of a kind that may
develop the feelings to which music appeals。 That sentiment hardly
exists as yet among youa nation given up to philosophical theories；
to analysis and discussion； and always torn by civil disturbances。
Modern music demands perfect peace； it is the language of loving and
sentimental souls； inclined to lofty emotional aspiration。
〃That language； a thousand times fuller than the language of words； is
to speech and ideas what the thought is to its utterance； it arouses
sensations and ideas in their primitive form； in that part of us where
sensations and ideas have their birth； but leaves them as they are in
each of us。 That power over our inmost being is one of the grandest
facts in music。 All other arts present to the mind a definite
creation； those of music are indefiniteinfinite。 We are compelled to
accept the ideas of the poet； the painter's picture； the sculptor's
statue； but music each one can interpret at the will of his sorrow or
his gladness； his hope or his despair。 While other arts restrict our
mind by fixing it on a predestined object； music frees it to roam over
all nature which it alone has the power of expressing。 You shall hear
how I interpret Rossini's /Mose/。〃
She leaned across to the Frenchman to speak to him； without being
overheard。
〃Moses is the liberator of an enslaved race！〃 said she。 〃Remember
that； and you will see with what religious hope the whole house will
listen to the prayer of the rescued Hebrews； with what a thunder of
applause it will respond！〃
As the leader raised his bow； Emilio flung himself into a back seat。
The Duchess pointed out the place he had left； for the physician to
take it。 But the Frenchman was far more curious to know what had gone
wrong between the lovers than to enter the halls of music built up by
the man whom all Italy was applaudingfor it was the day of Rossini's
triumph in his own country。 He was watching the Duchess； and she was
talking with a feverish excitement。 She reminded him of the Niobe he
had admired at Florence： the same dignity in woe； the same physical
control； and yet her soul shone though； in the warm flush of her
cheeks； and her eyes； where anxiety was disguised under a flash of
pride； seemed to scorch the tears away by their fire。 Her suppressed
grief seemed calmer when she looked at Emilio； who never took his eyes
off her； it was easy to see that she was trying to mollify some fierce
despair。 The state of her feelings gave a certain loftiness to her
mind。
Like most women when under the stress of some unusual agitation； she
overstepped her ordinary limitations and assumed something of the
Pythoness； though still remaining calm and beautiful； for it was the
form of her thoughts that was wrung with desperation； not the features
of her face。 And perhaps she wanted to shine with all her wit to lend
some charm to life and detain her lover from death。
When the orchestra had given out the three chords in C major； placed
at the opening by the composer to announce that the overture will be
sungfor the real overture is the great movement beginning with this
stern attack； and ending only when light appears at the command of
Mosesthe Duchess could not control a little spasmodic start； that
showed how entirely the music was in accordance with her concealed
distress。
〃Those three chords freeze the blood；〃 said she。 〃They announce
trouble。 Listen attentively to this introduction； the terrible lament
of a nation stricken by the hand of God。 What wailing！ The King； the
Queen； their first…born son； all the dignitaries of the kingdom are
sighing； they are wounded in their pride； in their conquests； checked
in their avarice。 Dear Rossini！ you have done well to throw this bone
to gnaw to the /Tedeschi/； who declared we had no harmony； no science！
〃Now you will hear the ominous melody the maestro has engrafted on to
this profound harmonic composition； worthy to compare with the most
elaborate structures of the Germans； but never fatiguing or tiresome。
〃You French； who carried through such a bloodthirsty revolution； who
crushed your aristocracy under the paw of the lion mob； on the day
when this oratorio is performed in your capital； you will understand
this glorious dirge of the victims on whom God is avenging his chosen
people。 None but an Italian could have written this pregnant and
inexhaustible themetruly Dantesque。 Do you think that it is nothing
to have such a dream of vengeance； even for a moment？ Handel；
Sebastian Bach； all you old German masters； nay； even you； great
Beethoven； on your knees！ Here is the queen of arts； Italy
triumphant！〃
The Duchess had spoken while the curtain was being raised。 And now the
physician heard the sublime symphony with which the composer
introduces the great Biblical drama。 It is to express the sufferings
of a whole nation。 Suffering is uniform in its expression； especially
physical suffering。 Thus； having instinctively felt； like all men of
genius； that here there must be no variety of idea； the musician；
having hit on his leading phrase； has worked it out in various keys；
grouping the masses and the dramatis personae to take up the theme
through modulations and cadences of admirable structure。 In such
simplicity is power。
〃The effect of this strain； depicting the sensations of night and cold
in a people accustomed to live in the bright rays of the sun； and sung
by the people and their princes； is most impressive。 There is
something relentless in that slow phrase of music； it is cold and
sinister； like an iron bar wielded by some celestial executioner； and
dropping in regular rhythm on the limbs of all his victims。 As we hear
it passing from C minor into G minor； returning to C and again to the
dominant G； starting afresh and /fortissimo/ on the tonic B flat；
drifting into F major and back to C minor； and in each key in turn
more ominously terrible； chill； and dark； we are compelled at last to
enter into the impression intended by the composer。〃
The Frenchman was； in f