text:  We made several awkward attempts so little like that their only result was our being threatened with a policeman it we made any more disturbance; so after a hasty glance round had assured us of the impracticability of making our escape in any more everyday style we sat down with a stern resolution of endurance--lips firmly compressed eyes fixed in a stony gaze on the orchestra whence issued by turns groans shrieks and screams from sundry foully-abused instruments of music; accompanied by equally appalling sounds from flat shrill signorinas quavering to distraction backed by gigantic "basses " (double ones surely ) who with voices like the "seven devils" of the old Grecian bellowed out divers sentimentalisms about dying for love when assuredly their most proximate danger was of apoplexy