Arriving on board the Inman steamer _City of Chester_, I found it crowded with personal friends, many of whom had been there at least an hour. Hearty embraces were exchanged by the men as well as the women, and numerous bottles of champagne were emptied to fill the parting cups. The cabins of the steamer were literally piled up with flowers. Trunks and boxes containing the wardrobe of the morning performance were lugged on board. "All ashore!" shouted the captain. Prior to my arrival, the bell had rung for the seventh and positively last time. The steamer's officers now urged all but passengers to get on shore, and hinted at the probability of some of them being inadvertently carried over to Europe. The women hurried back to escape that dreadful fate. Ole Bull, whom I had invited to go to Europe with me, darted across the gang-plank carrying his fiddle in a box. The whistle then blew, and the bell rang for the eighth and now absolutely last time. At length the steamer took her departure. A band of music on the wharf had been playing lively airs, to which my chorus responded by singing the grand prayer from _I Lombardi_. To my dismay, I discovered that the prima donna had been left behind; also the property-master, the ladies' costumier, one of the ballet, and five of the chorus. The latter had nothing with them but the theatrical costumes they carried on their bodies. They had previously sent all their worldly belongings on board the ship, and we now saw them gesticulating wildly on the quay as we passed down the bay. They were treated very kindly after our departure; ordinary day clothes were provided for them, and they were sent over by the next steamer. On entering my cabin I found a silver épergne, a diamond collar-stud, any quantity of literature, several boxes of cigars, bottles of brandy, etc., which had been left anonymously; also an immense basket of fruit. There were, moreover, two large set-pieces of flowers in the form of horse-shoes that had been sent me from Boston, likewise a basket of rose-buds, lilies, and violets, and an embroidered table-cover. A few minutes later, a tug carrying a large American flag at the side of an English one steamed up to the pier and took on board a number of ladies and gentlemen who, accompanied by an orchestra, followed the steamer down the bay, giving the Company a farewell ovation of cheering as the vessel passed the Narrows and got out to sea. CHAPTER XV. RECEPTION OF A TENOR--BELOCCA AND LADY SPENCER--MARIMON'S SUPERSTITIONS--HER LOVESICK MAID--AN ENCOURAGING TELEGRAM--MARIMON IN THE CATHEDRAL--DISAPPEARANCE OF A TENOR