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Olga meantime continued to understand all that Cortese said, and to reply to it with odious fluency, and at the last, Cortese having said something to her which made her laugh, he turned to Lucia. "I've said to Meesis Shottlewort" ... and he proceeded to explain his joke in English. "Molto bene," said Lucia with a dying flicker. "Molto divertente. Non e vero, Peppino."
It may very seriously be doubted whether the same mind could produce, with equal power, a comedy like the 'Cortese Veneziano' and a tragedy like Alfieri's 'Brutus. At any rate, returning to our old position, we find in these two men the very opposite conditions of dramatic genius.
You laid down a proposition, or asked a question, and then confirmed it yourself. "And Mr Cortese," she said, "is he still roaring out his marvellous English and Italian? Yes. What a full life you lead, Georgie. I suppose you have no time for your painting now."
The Dante-class might not, even though it was clearly understood that Cortese spoke unintelligible Neapolitan, be a complete success, if the only attraction was that she herself taught Dante, but it would be quite a different proposition if Princess Popoffski, controlled by Amadeo, Dante's friend, was present.
Cortese came into the room, florid and loquacious, pouring out a stream of apology for his lateness to Olga, none of which was the least intelligible to Lucia. She did not need to reply to some torrent of amiable words from him, addressed to her, for he was taken on and introduced to Mrs Weston, and the Colonel. But he instantly whirled round to her again, and asked her something.
But your high fortune has come on you too soon: I don't mean the professor's mantle that is roomy enough to hide a few stolen chickens, but Messer Endymion minded his manners after that singular good fortune of his; and what says our Luigi Pulci? "`Da quel giorno in qua ch'amor m'accese Per lei son fatto e gentile e cortese."
Peppino cordially assented: the familiar ring of this fine intelligible Italian restored his confidence, and he asked Cortese whether he was not very fond of music.... Dinner seemed interminable to Lucia.
"Si, si," said Peppino miserably. And then the final disgrace came, and it was something of a relief to have it over. Cortese, in excellent spirits with his dinner and his wine and the prospect of Olga taking the part of Lucretia, turned beamingly to Lucia again. "Now we will all spick English," he said. "This is one very pleasant evening. I enjoy me very much. Ecco!"
"Piccola, piccola! com e cortese! another invitation from M. Louvier for next Saturday, conversazione." This was said in Italian by an elderly lady bursting noisily into the room, elderly, yet with a youthful expression of face, owing perhaps to a pair of very vivacious black eyes.
And if I am permitted to criticise Beethoven, I hope I may be allowed to suggest that Mr Cortese has not produced an opera which will render Fidelio ridiculous. But really I am chiefly sorry for Miss Bracely.
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