And, sometimes, he does not come at all,
because the children have a bad heart or a bad conscience.
No one ever sees the Angel; but he is heard by those who are meant
to hear him. He often comes when they least expect him, when they
are sad and disheartened. Then their ears suddenly perceive celestial
harmonies, a divine voice, which they remember all their lives.
Persons who are visited by the Angel quiver with a thrill unknown
to the rest of mankind. And they can not touch an instrument,
or open their mouths to sing, without producing sounds that put
all other human sounds to shame. Then people who do not know
that the Angel has visited those persons say that they have genius.
Little Christine asked her father if he had heard the Angel of Music.
But Daddy Daae shook his head sadly; and then his eyes lit up,
as he said:
"You will hear him one day, my child! When I am in Heaven,
I will send him to you!"
Daddy was beginning to cough at that time.
Three years later, Raoul and Christine met again at Perros.
Professor Valerius was dead, but his widow remained in France
with Daddy Daae and his daughter, who continued to play the violin
and sing, wrapping in their dream of harmony their kind patroness,
who seemed henceforth to live on music alone.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88