Note: Translator Pauline Bancroft Flach died in 1966, less than 70 years ago. Therefore, this work is protected by copyright, restricting your legal rights to reproduce it. However, you are welcome to view it on screen, as you do now. Read more about copyright.
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PAN EM ET CIR CENSES 201
wings. Before her on the grass-grown benches was
sitting conquered poverty, and she felt that she had
all Diamante at her feet.
She chose “ Bellini,” our own “ Bellini.” She too
wished to be amiable and so. she sang “ Bellini,”
who was born here under Etna; “ Bellini” whom we
know by heart, note for note.
Of course, O signore, of course she could not
sing. She had mounted the tribune only to
receive homage. She had come in order to let the
love of the people find an outlet. And now she
sang false and feebly. And the people knew every
note.
It was that mandolinista from Naples. He was
the first to grimace and to take a note as false as
that of the English signorina. Then it was the
man with the cancer, who laughed till he laughed
his neckcloth off. Then it was the donkey-boy,
who began to clap his hands.
Then they all began. It was madness, but that
they did not understand. It is not in the land of
the old Greeks that people can bear barbarians who
sing false. Donna Pepa and Donna Tura laughed
as they had never done before in their lives. “ Not
one true note! By the Madonna and San Pasquale,
not one true note! ”
They had eaten their fill for once in their lives.
It was natural that intoxication and madness should
take hold of them. And why should they not laugh?
She had not given them food in order to torture
their ears with files and saws. Why should they
not defend themselves by laughing? Why should
they not mimic and hiss and scream? Why should
they not lean backward and split their sides with
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