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Then they moved aside for the ballerina. It may have been intended as a Spanish dance, or Eastern, or gypsy but it was more likely a dance of La Favorita's own imagination. She appeared clad in a thin slip of transparent and jetted gauze. Upon her feet were socks and ballet slippers of black satin.
On the other hand, he could not imagine Favorita's being jealous of the American girl. He had often congratulated himself that she was not jealous of her only real rival, the Contessa Potensi, his devotion to whom, however, he had managed to keep so quiet that very few persons in Rome had a suspicion of it.
As the winter progressed, Favorita's temper showed so little improvement that those whose duty brought them in contact with her at the theatre were on the verge of resigning their posts. Her dresser had a thoroughly cowed expression; her manager consumed more black cigars than were good for him; the corps de ballet had hysterics singly and indignation councils en masse.
"Her eyes are m m rather nice; her skin yes, good; her features imperfect; she holds herself haughtily chin out, and her back very straight, and" as a last assurance, he added, "she speaks broken Italian." La Favorita's coal-black eyes lit with a new light, and her whole body seemed to flutter.
"Do the broken silver chains in your coat of arms represent mercy or weakness?" she asked. "Both, probably," he answered grimly, as he caught the sound of an automobile chugging in the courtyard. Feeling sure that it was Nina's car, he slipped his arm through Favorita's to urge her forward, whereupon she grew suspicious and lagged purposely.
The question of "Good Taste," however, was another matter and the princess changed the subject by asking: "Does any one know what the opera is to-night?" The Contessa Olisco announced: "La Traviata." "They are to have a special scene in the third act," she said, "to introduce a new dance of Favorita's." She did not look at Giovanni, and yet she seemed to be aiming her remarks at him.
The coryphées, who had seemingly danced well before, were now so awkward by comparison that Nina and Tornik laughed aloud. "They look like cows," commented Tornik. "Or nailed to the ground," Nina rejoined. She leaned forward, eager for Favorita's reappearance. To make a background for the second dance, the stage hands had moved in folding wings or screens of sea green.
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