And what singing! Rosa stood close beside me. I caught the golden
voice at its birth. Every vibration, every shade of expression, every
subtlety of feeling was mine; and the experience was unforgettable.
Many times since then have I heard Rosa sing, many times in my hearing
has she excited a vast audience to overwhelming enthusiasm; but never,
to my mind, has she sung so finely as on that night. She was
profoundly moved, she had in Alresca the ideal listener, and she sang
with the magic power of a goddess. It was the summit of her career.

"There is none like you," Alresca said, and the praise of Alresca
brought the crimson to her cheek. He was probably the one person
living who had the right to praise her, for an artist can only be
properly estimated by his equals.

"Come to me, Rosa," he murmured, as he took her hand in his and kissed
it. "You are in exquisite voice to-night," he said.

"Am I?"

"Yes. You have been excited; and I notice that you always sing best
under excitement."

"Perhaps," she replied. "The fact is, I have just met--met some one
whom I never expected to meet. That is all. Good night, dear friend."

"Good night."

She passed her hand soothingly over his forehead.

When we were alone Alresca seemed to be overtaken by lassitude.