They could put our town hall inside here and the folks on the roof
wouldn't be so high as those in that main skys'l gallery up aloft there.
Can they see or hear, do you think?"
"Oh, yes. The accepted idea is that they are the real music lovers.
THEY come for the opera itself. Some of the others come because--well,
because it is the proper thing."
"Yes, yes; I see. That's the real article right over our heads, I
suppose."
"Yes. That's the 'Diamond Horseshoe.'"
"All proper things there, hey?"
"Why--er--yes, I suppose so. What makes you ask?"
"Nothing much. I was thinking 'twas better Abbie wa'n't along on this
cruise. She'd probably want to put an 'im' in front of that 'proper.'
I envy those women, Jim; THEY didn't have to stop to hunt up collar
buttons, did they."
He was silent during the first act of the opera. When the curtain fell
his companion asked how he liked it.
"Good singin'," he replied; "best I ever heard. Do you understand what
they say?"
"No. But I'm familiar with the story of Aida, of course. It's a favorite
of mine. And the words don't really matter."
"I suppose not. It's the way they say it. I had an Irishman workin'
round my barn once, and Tim Bailey drove down from Bayport to see me. I
was out and Tim and the Irishman run afoul of each other.
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