Volume VI Part 40 (1/2)

”Does Nina know that you are her mother?”

”Her own father told her the secret when she elve, after he had initiated her into the life she has been living ever since He would have made her a mother in her turn if he had not killed hiallows”

”How did the Conte de Ricla fall in love with her?”

”It is a short story and a curious one Two years ago she caal, and was placed in one of the ballets for the sake of her pretty face, for as to talents she had none, and could only do the rebaltade (a sort of skip and pirouette) properly

”The first evening she danced she was loudly applauded by the pit, for as she did the rebaltade she shewed her drawers up to her waist In Spain any actress who shews her drawers on the stage is liable to a fine of a crown Nina knew nothing about this, and, hearing the applause, treated the audience to another skip of the same kind, but at the end of the ballet she was told to pay two crowns for her iive in What do you think she did to elude the law, and at the sae herself?”

”Danced badly, perhaps”

”She danced without any drawers at all, and did her rebdltade as before, which caused such an effervescence of high spirits in the house as had never been known at Barcelona

”The Conte de Ricla had seen her from his box, and was divided between horror and admiration, and sent for the inspector to tell him that this impudent creatureher before me'

”Presently Nina appeared in the viceroy's box, and asked him, impudently, what he wanted with her

”'You are an immodest woman, and have failed in your duty to the public'

”'What have I done?

”'You performed the same skip as before'

”'Yes, but I haven't broken your law, for no one can have seen my drawers as I took the precaution not to put any on What more can I do for your cursed lahich has cost me two crowns already? Just tell es around hihter, for Nina was really in the right, and a serious discussion of the violated laould have been ridiculous

”The viceroy felt he was in a false position, and ain she should have a month's imprisonment on bread and water

”A week after one of iven It was so well received that the audience encored it with enthusiasave orders that the public should be satisfied, and all the dancers were told they would have to reappear

”Nina, as almost undressed, toldto dance again As she had the chief part er to her dressing-room She pushed the poor ainst the wall of the passage, head foreer told his piteous tale to the viceroy, who ordered two soldiers to bring her before him This was his ruin; for Nina is a beautiful woman, and in her then state of undress she would have seduced the coldest of men

”The count reproved her, but his voice and hisbolder as she watched his eht have her torn to pieces if he liked, but she would not dance against her will, and nowhere in her agreement was it stipulated that she should dance twice in the sa, whether for his pleasure or anyone else's She also expressed her anger ather appear before hiive his barbarous and despotic conduct

”'I will dance no o away, or kill me if you like; do your worst on me, and you shall find that I am a Venetian and a free woman!'

”The viceroy sat astonished, and said she must be er in his service Nina was told she was free, and could go where she would

”She went back to her dressing-roo

”The ballet went on without her, and the poor viceroy sat in a dream, for the poison had entered into his veins

”Next day a wretched singer named Molinari called on Nina and told her that the viceroy was anxious to knohether she were really mad or not, and would like to see her in a country house, the name of which he mentioned: this was just what the wretched wohness,' she said to Molinari, 'that I will coood as an angel'