He answered like a man in a mist, and looked neither at her nor at the General, who, in default of his obedience to gestures, came good-humouredly to the box, bringing Captain Weisspriess with him.
'We 're assisting at a pretty show,' he said.
'I am in love with her voice,' said Countess Anna.
'Ay; if it were only a matter of voices, countess.' 'I think that these good people require a trouncing,' said Captain Weisspriess.
'Lieutenant Pierson is not of your opinion,' Countess Anna remarked.
Hearing his own name, Wilfrid turned to them with a weariness well acted, but insufficiently to a jealous observation, for his eyes were quick under the carelessly-dropped eyelids, and ranged keenly over the stage while they were affecting to assist his fluent tongue.
Countess Lena levelled her opera-glass at Carlo Ammiani, and then placed the glass in her sister's hand.

Wilfrid drank deep of bitterness.

'That is Vittoria's lover,' he thought; 'the lover of the Emilia who once loved me!' General Pierson may have noticed this by-play: he said to his nephew in the brief military tone: 'Go out; see that the whole regiment is handy about the house; station a dozen men, with a serjeant, at each of the backdoors, and remain below.

I very much mistake, or we shall have to make a capture of this little woman to-night.' 'How on earth,' he resumed, while Wilfrid rose savagely and went out with his stiffest bow, 'this opera was permitted to appear, I can't guess! A child could see through it.

The stupidity of our civil authorities passes my understanding--it's a miracle! We have stringent orders not to take any initiative, or I would stop the Fraulein Camilla from uttering another note.' 'If you did that, I should be angry with you, General,' said Countess Anna.
'And I also think the Government cannot do wrong,' Countess Lena joined in.
The General contented himself by saying: 'Well, we shall see.' Countess Lena talked to Captain Weisspriess in an undertone, referring to what she called his dispute with Carlo Ammiani.