The Night of the Deadly Opera

by Andamogirl

Episode-tag. This story takes place directly after the end of "TNOT Whirring Death." Artemus Gordon accepts to sing the lead role in the opera "Fidelio" at the demand of an old friend of his, Signore Modena, the conductor of the Roma Orchestra. Dr. Miguelito Loveless and Voltaire are still around, preparing something wicked.

6. Tag

THE NIGHT OF THE DEADLY OPERA

By Andamogirl

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Later, in the parlor car of the Wanderer

Lying on his bed, Artemus regained consciousness slowly and immediately grimaced in pain. His broken wrist hurt like hell!

He noticed Jim sitting on stool beside him. "Hiya Jim," he said glancing at the plaster wrapped around his injured limb, from the last bones in his hand to above the bend of his arm. "I'm not going to be able to play the violin for quite some time, I guess."

Jim nodded. "Doctor Henderson came when you were passed out, Artie. He reduced the fracture and gave you a cast. He said that your wrist will heal nice and that you won't have any aftereffects. He'll come back later to check on you."

Massaging his aching skull, Artie moaned. "Oh boy! I thought that Voltaire was going to crush my head as easily as a nut shell," he said before pulling himself into a sitting position. He grimaced under the assaults of a pounding headache. "What happened?"

Bessie entered the sleeping compartment holding a basin filled with water and a flannel. She sat on the edge of the bed. "I saved your life." She said.

Blinking in surprise Artie said, "You did? Thank you. Thank you so much!"

Bessie wetted the flannel and dabbed it on Artie's face. "I did, yes. I threw fireworks at the bad men, then threw a lit lamp at them. They exploded. I put you in safety while Loveless and his men fled. Then Jim was there. You lost consciousness and he brought you here."

Frowning in worry, Artemus brushed the bruised bump the blond woman had on the top of her forehead – where it had met the crate. "You're hurt."

She smiled. "I'm alright, that's nothing," she said. "Jim put a little ointment that you made on it a few minutes ago, that bruised bump should have vanished by tomorrow." She stroked his stubbled jaw tenderly. "I didn't know that you were a chemist, Artemus."

Artie nodded. "My father was a pharmacist. I learnt a lot of thing from him, and later, in secondary school I took scientific courses, in addition to English and history and performing arts. I studied mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry. I chose to study other sciences like geology, anatomy, astronomy and technology. Then I became an actor for a few years before traveling all around the world as a sailor, learning some foreign languages on the way. Then I went to Harvard University where I specialized in chemistry and mechanical engineering. I became an actor again after that, since the war. Let's say that I have a scientific background."

Bessie was impressed. "Whoa, Artemus! You're a genius." Then she nestled in his arms. "Sing me something, like you did the last time, when we were sitting on that staircase."

Patting his partner's arm Jim said, "See you later buddy." Then he left. He closed the door behind him and headed to the parlor car.

Pulling Bessie in his arms, Artie kissed her lips tenderly before singing with his tenor voice: "La donna è mobile. Qual piuma al vento, muta d'accento e di pensiero. Sempre un amabile, leggiadro viso, in pianto o in riso, è menzognero…" * *

** Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, Rigoletto (1851), La donna è mobile.

The end