Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part one - VI
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very impressive. The church was in semi-darkness, in spite
of the lighted chandeliers; they hung so high that their blaze of
light was lost. The altar was one solitary wall of light from
the flashing golden flames of hundreds of wax candles, and the
subdued sound of the organ and the singing of the choir floated
through the church. He sat beside a lovely young Italian
woman, who took a rosary of lapis lazuli from a velvet case
and prayed fervently. Gradually Francesca began to mutter
more and more audibly. She was sitting beside Jenny in
front of him.
“Let’s go, Jenny. You don’t think this gives you any sort
of real Christmas feeling, do you? It’s like an ordinary
concert, and a bad one at that. Listen to that man singing now
— absolutely no expression. His voice is absolutely done.
Ugh!”
“Hush, Cesca! Remember you are in church.”
“Church! It’s a concert, I tell you — didn’t we have to get
tickets and a program? I can’t stand it. I shall lose my
temper soon.”
“We’ll go after this if you like, but do keep quiet while we
are here.”
“New Year’s night last year was quite different,” said
Francesca. “I went to Gesu. They had the Te Deum; it was very
beautiful. I knelt beside an old peasant from the Campagna
and a young girl; she looked ill — but oh, so pretty!
Everybody sang; the old man knew the whole Te Deum by heart.
It was very solemn.”
As they made their way slowly down the crowded aisle, the
Ave Maria sounded through the church.
“Ave Maria.” Francesca sniffed. “Can’t you hear how
indifferent she is to what she sings — exactly like a
gramophone? I cannot bear to hear that kind of music
ill-treated.”
“Ave Maria,” said a Dane walking beside her —” I
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