Books › The Red Book 1911-04: Vol 16 Iss 6, 1911 › scan 52
Scan 52
The Red Book 1911-04: Vol 16 Iss 6, 1911
20 lines. Read by computer on 14 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1me alone! Don't you have to practice with father for the orchestra any longer? You're awful big and clumsy—among us!" The dolls—including herself.
3"What do you wish more? I mend your evening coat, so that you look as well as the men in the orchestra who get sixty dollars a week, instead of sixteen—put ink on the seam—polish your shoes with vaseline—rub chalk on the perspiration-blisters of your shirt—clean your collar with a rubber eraser—so that it can be worn twice—just as my mother does for my father. What more—And the frog on your coat is torn from the cloth!"
5This latter she proceeded to sew with a pretty little housewifely air, drawing Cavallo closer, at last biting off the thread with the small teeth he had once likened to the apocryphal pearls found in the bay of Naples, forgetting the dolls, and fascinating Cavallo altogether.
7"Oh, holy Virgin, 'what more!'" breathed the enamoured youth.
9"That is all!" said Delicia, briefly, patting down the frog and pushing him off.
11And the gentle Cavallo could but droop his head, sadly, so that only his abundant crown showed, and again pick the strings of his violin. The melody was plaintive and Delicia fell silent. Presently, Cavallo lifted his bow—quite automatically. Something within wished to be expressed. There were, first, some chords from the duet in the first act of "Madame Butterfly"—played, constantly, on two strings. But, then, there drifted from within Cavallo some tune never before heard on earth, and much better—for Cavallo and Delicia—than any Puccini has ever penned. And, it was only a pity that there was not some hand present to put it down. Cavallo thought only of making it. Presently, with an ecstasy upon her small face, Delicia slept—and the face slowly fell and hid itself among the blonde tresses of Tetrazzini and Cavalieri.
13And, when Cavallo stopped she did not wake. So that he could gently lift the small, dark head, eyes still closed, lips still smiling, ecstasy still upon the face.
15"That I can give you—that!—in your face!" whispered Cavallo, putting the head back against its cushion.
17Then, after long temptation, he put his lips to those which smiled—so gently that she slept on.
19Then, he put the lovely little head
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