Can you not picture her to yourself--beautiful, sinister, like a snake that winds itself about the body"-- his voice fell to a penetrating whisper--"and, in her heart, dreaming of the triumph that shall bring Samson at last a captive to destruction ?" Something in the tense excitement of his whispering tones struck an answering chord within Diana, and oblivious for the moment of all else except Delilah's passionate thirst for vengeance, she sang with her whole soul, so that when she ceased, Baroni, in a sudden access of artistic fervour, leapt from his seat and embraced her rapturously.
"Well done! That is, true art--art and intelligence allied to the voice of gold which the good God has given you." Absorbed in the music, neither master nor pupil had observed that during the course of the song the door had been softly unlatched from outside and held ajar, and now, just as Diana was somewhat blushingly extricating herself from Baroni's fervent clasp, it was thrown open and the unseen listener came into the room.
Baroni whirled round and advanced with outstretched hands, his face wreathed in smiles.
"_A la bonne heure_! You haf come just at a good moment, Mees de Gervais, to hear this pupil of mine who will some day be one of the world's great singers." Adrienne de Gervais shook hands.
"I've been listening, Baroni.

She has a marvellous voice.
But"-- looking at Diana pleasantly--"we are neighbours, surely?
I have seen you in Crailing--where we have just taken a house called Red Gables." "Yes, I live at Crailing," replied Diana, a little shyly.
"And I saw you, there one day--you were sitting in a pony-trap, waiting outside a cottage, and singing to yourself.

I noticed the quality of her voice then," added Miss de Gervais, turning to the _maestro_.
"Yes," said Baroni, with placid content.

"It is superb." Adrienne turned back to Diana with a delightful smile.
"Since we are neighbours in the country, Miss Quentin, we ought to be friends in town.

Won't you come and see me one day ?" Diana flushed.