The public began to assemble. Charsky was one of the first to arrive. He had contributed greatly to the success of the representation, and wished to see the improvisatore, in order to know if he was satisfied with everything. He found the Italian in a side room, observing his watch with impatience5. The improvisatore was attired6 in a theatrical7 costume. He was dressed in black from head to foot. The lace collar of his shirt was thrown back; his naked neck, by its strange whiteness, offered a striking contrast to his thick black beard; his hair was brought forward, and overshadowed his forehead and eyebrows8.
All this was not very gratifying to Charsky, who did not care to see a poet in the dress of a wandering juggler9. After a short conversation, he returned to the salon, which was becoming more and more crowded. Soon all the rows of seats were occupied by brilliantly-dressed ladies: the gentlemen stood crowded round the sides of the platform, along the walls, and behind the chairs at the back; the musicians, with their music-stands, occupied two sides of the platform.
The audience was a large one. Everybody awaited the commencement with impatience. At last, at half-past seven o'clock, the musicians made a stir, prepared their bows, and played the overture12 from "Tancredi." All took their places and became silent. The last sounds of the overture ceased.... The improvisatore, welcomed by the deafening13 applause which rose from every side, advanced with profound bows to the very edge of the platform.
Charsky waited with uneasiness to see what would be the first impression produced, but he perceived that the costume, which had seemed to him so unbecoming, did not produce the same effect upon the audience; even Charsky himself found nothing ridiculous in the Italian, when he saw him upon the platform, with his pale face brightly illuminated by a multitude of lamps and candles. The applause subsided14; the sound of voices ceased....
The Italian, expressing himself in bad French, requested the gentlemen present to indicate some themes, by writing them upon separate pieces of paper. At this unexpected invitation, all looked at one another in silence, and nobody made reply. The Italian, after waiting a little while, repeated his request in a timid and humble15 voice. Charsky was standing16 right under the platform; a feeling of uneasiness took possession of him; he had a presentiment17 that the business would not be able to go on without him, and that he would be compelled to write his theme. Indeed, several ladies turned their faces towards him and began to pronounce his name, at first in a low tone, then louder and louder. Hearing his name, the improvisatore sought him with his eyes, and perceiving him at his feet, he handed him a pencil and a piece of paper with a friendly smile. To play a r?le in this comedy seemed very disagreeable to Charsky, but there was no help for it: he took the pencil and paper from the hands of the Italian and wrote some words. The Italian, taking the vase from the table, descended18 from the platform and presented it to Charsky, who deposited within it his theme. His example produced an effect: two journalists, in their quality as literary men, considered it incumbent19 upon them to write each his theme; the secretary of the Neapolitan embassy, and a young man recently returned from a journey to Florence, placed in the urn10 their folded papers. At last, a very plain-looking girl, at the command of her mother, with tears in her eyes, wrote a few lines in Italian and, blushing to the ears, gave them to the improvisatore, the ladies in the meantime regarding her in silence, with a scarcely perceptible smile. Returning to the platform, the improvisatore placed the urn upon the table, and began to take out the papers one after the other, reading each aloud:
"La famiglia del Cenci. ... L'ultimo giorno di Pompeia ... Cleopatra e i suoi amanti. ... La primavera veduta da una prigione. ... Il trionfo di Tasso."
"What does the honourable20 company command?" asked the Italian humbly21. "Will it indicate itself one of the subjects proposed, or let the matter be decided22 by lot?"
"By lot!" said a voice in the crowd.... "By lot, by lot!" repeated the audience.
The improvisatore again descended from the platform, holding the urn in his hands, and casting an imploring23 glance along the first row of chairs, asked:
"Who will be kind enough to draw out the theme?"
Not one of the brilliant ladies, who were sitting there, stirred. The improvisatore, not accustomed to Northern indifference24, seemed greatly disconcerted.... Suddenly he perceived on one side of the room a small white-gloved hand held up: he turned quickly and advanced towards a tall young beauty, seated at the end of the second row. She rose without the slightest confusion, and, with the greatest simplicity25 in the world, plunged26 her aristocratic hand into the urn and drew out a roll of paper.
"Will you please unfold it and read," said the improvisatore to her.
The young lady unrolled the paper and read aloud:
"Cleopatra e i suoi amanti."
These words were uttered in a gentle voice, but such a deep silence reigned27 in the room, that everybody heard them. The improvisatore bowed profoundly to the young lady, with an air of the deepest gratitude28, and returned to his platform.
"Gentlemen," said he, turning to the audience: "the lot has indicated as the subject of improvisation29: 'Cleopatra and her lovers,' I humbly request the person who has chosen this theme, to explain to me his idea: what lovers is it here a question of, perchè la grande regina haveva molto?"
At these words, several gentlemen burst out laughing. The improvisatore became somewhat confused.
"I should like to know," he continued, "to what historical feature does the person, who has chosen this theme, allude30?... I should feel very grateful if he would kindly31 explain."
Nobody hastened to reply. Several ladies directed their glances towards the plain-looking girl who had written a theme at the command of her mother. The poor girl observed this hostile attention, and became so confused, that the tears came into her eyes.... Charsky could not endure this, and turning to the improvisatore, he said to him in Italian:
"It was I who proposed the theme. I had in view a passage in Aurelius Victor, who speaks as if Cleopatra used to name death as the price of her love, and yet there were found adorers whom such a condition neither frightened nor repelled32. It seems to me, however, that the subject is somewhat difficult.... Could you not choose another?"
But the improvisatore already felt the approach of the god.... He gave a sign to the musicians to play. His face became terribly pale; he trembled as if in a fever; his eyes sparkled with a strange fire; he raised with his hand his dark hair, wiped with his handkerchief his lofty forehead, covered with beads33 of perspiration34.... then suddenly stepped forward and folded his arms across his breast.... the musicians ceased.... the improvisation began:
With voice and glance the stately Queen
And eyes are turned to her throne above,
But suddenly that brow so proud
Is shadowed with a gloomy cloud,
And slowly on her heaving breast,
The music ceases, hushed is each breath,
* * * * *
[1] The story is incomplete in the original.—Translator.
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1
salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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2
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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3
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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4
gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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5
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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6
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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8
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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9
juggler
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| n. 变戏法者, 行骗者 | |
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10
urn
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| n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮 | |
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11
porcelain
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| n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的 | |
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12
overture
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| n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉 | |
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13
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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14
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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15
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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18
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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19
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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20
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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21
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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22
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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23
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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24
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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25
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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26
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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27
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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28
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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29
improvisation
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| n.即席演奏(或演唱)；即兴创作 | |
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30
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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31
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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32
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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33
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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34
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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35
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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36
flute
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| n.长笛；v.吹笛 | |
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37
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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38
festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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39
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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40
pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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41
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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