This last circumstance being noised abroad, the next time she appeared
on the stage she was greeted with more enthusiastic plaudits than
ever, and thicker showers of flowers fell upon her from the hands of
her true friends, the public. She was more fortunate than Consuelo in
not being compelled to sing to a public of Prussian corporals."
Indeed, the picture of Frederic's opera-audience, with the pit full of
his tall grenadiers with their wives on their shoulders, never daring
to applaud except when he gave the order, as if by tap of drum,
opposed to the tender and expansive nature of the artist, is one of
the best tragicomedies extant. In Russia, too, all is military; as
soon as a new musician arrives, he is invested with a rank in the
army. Even in the church Nicholas has lately done the same. It seems
as if he could not believe a man to be alive, except in the army;
could not believe the human heart could beat, except by beat of drum.
But we believe in Russia there is at least a mask of gayety thrown
over the chilling truth. The great Frederic wished no disguise;
everywhere he was chief corporal, and trampled with his everlasting
boots the fair flowers of poesy into the dust.
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