opera book says she says, 'I tremble.' I don't see why."

"Look now," said Page, "here comes the tenor. Now they're going to
have it out."

The tenor, hatless, debouched suddenly upon the scene, and furious,
addressed himself to the baritone, leaning forward, his hands upon
his chest. Though the others sang in Italian, the tenor, a Parisian,
used the French book continually, and now villified the baritone,
crying out:

"O traitre infame
O lache et coupable"

"I don't see why he don't marry the young lady and be done with it,"
commented Aunt Wess'.

The act drew to its close. The prima donna went through her "great
scene," wherein her voice climbed to C in alt, holding the note so
long that Aunt Wess' became uneasy. As she finished, the house
rocked with applause, and the soprano, who had gone out supported by
her confidante, was recalled three times. A duel followed between
the baritone and tenor, and the latter, mortally wounded, fell into
the arms of his friends uttering broken, vehement notes. The
chorus--made up of the city watch and town's people--crowded in upon
the back of the stage. The soprano and her confidante returned. The
basso, a black-bearded, bull necked man, sombre, mysterious, parted
the chorus to right and left, and advanced to the footlights. The
contralto, dressed as a boy, appeared. The soprano took stage, and
abruptly the closing scene of the act developed.