Ida, in her rose-colored robes, dispensing hospitality in his home, took up his whole attention.

She was really radiant.

She sang and played twice for the company, and her perfectly true high soprano filled the whole house.

To Maria it sounded as meaningless as the trill of a canary-bird.

In fact, when it came to music, Ida, although she had a good voice, had the mortification of realizing that her simulation of emotion failed her.