Chapter 22
He began to talk about music, then about Liza, and then again about music. He seemed to pronounce his words more slowly when he spoke of Liza. Lavretsky turned the conversation to the subject of his compositions, and offered, half in jest, to write a libretto for him. "Hm! a libretto!" answered Lemm. "No; that is beyond me. I no longer have the animation, the play of fancy, which are indispensable for an opera. Already my strength has deserted me. But if I could still do something, I should content myself with a romance. Of course I should like good words." He became silent, and sat for a long time without moving, his eyes fixed on the sky. "For instance," he said at length, "something in this way--'O stars, pure stars!'" Lavretsky turned a little, and began to regard him attentively.
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