The signorina drew in her breath quickly, as if in this abrupt close she had a revelation of the Chief's whole meaning, and was startled by the sudden unveiling of his mastery. Her hands hung loose; her figure was tremulous. A murmur from Corte jarred within her like a furious discord, but he had not offended by refusing to disclaim his error, and had simply said in a gruff acquiescent way, "Proceed." Her sensations of surprise at the singular triumph of the Chief made her look curiously into the faces of the other men; but the pronouncing of her name engaged her attention. "Your first night is the night of the fifteenth of next month?" "It is, signore," she replied, abashed to find herself speaking with him who had so moved her. "There is no likelihood of a postponement?" "I am certain, signore, that I shall be ready." "There are no squabbles of any serious kind among the singers?" A soft dimple played for a moment on her lips. "I have heard something." "Among the women?" "Yes, and the men." "But the men do not concern you?" "No, signore. Except that the women twist them." Agostino chuckled audibly. The Chief resumed: "You believe, notwithstanding, that all will go well? The opera will be acted; and you will appear in it?" "Yes, signore. I know one who has determined on it, and can do it." "Good. The opera is Camilla?" She was answering with an affirmative, when Agostino broke in,-- "Camilla! And honour to whom honour is due! Let Caesar claim the writing of the libretto, if it be Caesar's! It has passed the censorship, signed Agostino Balderini--a disaffected person out of Piedmont, rendered tame and fangless by a rigorous imprisonment. The sources of the tale, O ye grave Signori Tedeschi? The sources are partly to be traced to a neat little French vaudeville, very sparkling--Camille, or the Husband Asserted; and again to a certain Chronicle that may be mediaeval, may be modern, and is just, as the great Shakespeare would say, 'as you like it.'" Agostino recited some mock verses, burlesquing the ordinary libretti, and provoked loud laughter from Carlo Ammiani, who was familiar enough with the run of their nonsense.