the price she paid-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



‘‘You　must　decide　that　whatever　you　can　make　shall　be　for　you　a　living；''　said　the　older　woman。　　‘‘I　have　lived　on　my　fixed　income；　which　is　under　two　thousand　a　year。　　And　I　am　ready　to　do　it　again　rather　than　tolerate　anything　or　anybody　that　does　not　suit　me。''

‘‘I　shall　have　to　be　extremely　careful；''　laughed　Mildred。　　‘‘I　shall　be　a　dreadful　hypocrite　with　you。''

Mrs。　Brindley　smiled；　but　underneath；　Mildred　saw　or　perhaps　feltthat　her　new　friend　was　indeed　not　one　to　be　trifled　with。　　She　said：

‘‘You　and　I　will　get　on。　　We'll　let　each　other　alone。　We　have　to　be　more　or　less　intimate；　but　we'll　never　be　familiar。''

After　a　time　she　discovered　that　Mrs。　Brindley's　first　name　was　Cyrilla；　but　Mrs。　Brindley　and　Miss　Stevens　they　remained　to　each　other　for　a　long　timeuntil　circumstances　changed　their　accidental　intimacy　into　enduring　friendship。　　Not　to　anticipate；　in　the　course　of　that　same　conversation　Mildred　said：

‘‘If　there　is　anything　about　meabout　my　life　that　you　wish　me　to　explain；　I　shall　be　glad　to　do　so。''

‘‘I　know　all　I　wish　to　know；''　replied　Cyrilla　Brindley。　　‘‘Your　face　and　your　manner　and　your　way　of　speaking　tell　me　all　the　essentials。''

‘‘Then　you　must　not　think　it　strange　when　I　say　I　wish　no　one　to　know　anything　about　me。''

‘‘It　will　be　impossible　for　you　entirely　to　avoid　meeting　people；''　said　Cyrilla。　　‘‘You　must　have　some　simple　explanation　about　yourself；　or　you　will　attract　attention　and　defeat　your　object。''

‘‘Lead　people　to　believe　that　I'm　an　orphanperhaps　of　some　obscure　familywho　is　trying　to　get　up　in　the　world。　　That　is　practically　the　truth。''

Mrs。　Brindley　laughed。　　‘‘Quite　enough　for　New　York；''　said　she。　　‘‘It　is　not　interested　in　facts。　　All　the　New…Yorker　asks　of　you　is；　‘Can　you　pay　your　bills　and　help　me　pay　mine？'　''

Competent　men　are　rare；　but；　thanks　to　the　advantage　of　the　male　sex　in　having　to　make　the　struggle　for　a　living；　they　are　not　so　rare　as　competent　women。　Mrs。　Brindley　was　the　first　competent　woman　Mildred　had　ever　known。　　She　had　spent　but　a　few　hours　with　her　before　she　began　to　appreciate　what　a　bad　atmosphere　she　had　always　breathedbad　for　a　woman　who　has　her　way　to　make　in　the　world；　or　indeed　for　any　woman　not　willing　to　be　content　as　mere　more　or　less　shiftless；　more　or　less　hypocritical　and　pretentious；　dependent　and　parasite。　　Mrs。　Brindleywell　bred　and　well　educatedknew　all　the　little　matters　which　Mildred　had　been　taught　to　regard　as　the　whole　of　a　lady's　education。　　But　Mildred　saw　that　these　trifles　were　but　a　trifling　incident　in　Mrs。　Brindley's　knowledge。　　She　knew　real　things；　this　woman　who　was　a　thorough…going　housekeeper　and　who　trebled　her　income　by　giving　music　lessons　a　few　hours　a　day　to　such　pupils　as　she　thought　worth　the　teaching。　　When　she　spoke；　she　always　said　something　one　of　the　first　things　noticed　by　Mildred；　who；　being　too　lazy　to　think　except　as　her　naturally　good　mind　insisted　on　exercising　itself；　usually　talked　simply　to　kill　time　and　without　any　idea　of　getting　anywhere。　　But　while　Cyrillawithout　in　the　least　intending　itroused　her　to　a　painful　sense　of　her　own　limitations；　she　did　not　discourage　her。　　Mildred　also　began　to　feel　that　in　this　new　atmosphere　of　ideas；　of　work；　of　accomplishment；　she　would　rapidly　develop　into　a　different　sort　of　person。　　It　was　extremely　fortunate　for　her；　thought　she；　that　she　was　living　with　such　a　person　as　Cyrilla　Brindley。　　In　the　old　atmosphere；　or　with　any　taint　of　it；　she　would　have　been　unable　to　become　a　serious　person。　　She　would　simply　have　dawdled　along；　twaddling　about　‘‘art''　and　seriousness　and　careers　and　sacrifice；　content　with　the　amateur's　methods　and　the　amateur's　resultsand　deluding　herself　that　she　was　making　progress。　　Now　It　was　as　different　as　public　school　from　private　school　public　school　where　the　mind　is　rudely　stimulated；　private　school　where　it　is　sedulously　mollycoddled。　　She　had　come　out　of　the　hothouse　into　the　open。

At　first　she　thought　that　Jennings　was　to　be　as　great　a　help　to　her　as　Cyrilla　Brindley。　　Certainly　if　ever　there　was　a　man　with　the　air　of　a　worker　and　a　place　with　the　air　of　a　workshop；　that　man　and　that　place　were　Eugene　Jennings　and　his　studio　in　Carnegie　Hall。　When　Mildred　entered；　on　that　Saturday　morning；　at　exactly　half…past　ten；　Jenningsin　a　plain　if　elegant　house…suitlooked　at　her；　looked　at　the　clock；　stopped　a　girl　in　the　midst　of　a　burst　of　tremulous　noisy　melody。

‘‘That　will　do；　Miss　Bristow；''　said　he。　　‘‘You　have　never　sung　it　worse。　　You　do　not　improve。　　Another　lesson　like　this；　and　we　shall　go　back　and　begin　all　over　again。''

The　girl；　a　fattish；　‘‘temperamental''　blonde；　burst　into　tears。

‘‘Kindly　take　that　out　into　the　hall；''　said　Jennings　coldly。　　‘‘Your　time　is　up。　　We　cannot　waste　Miss　Stevens's　time　with　your　hysterics。''

Miss　Bristow　switched　from　tears　to　fury。　　‘‘You　brute！　　You　beast！''　she　shrieked；　and　flung　herself　out　of　the　room；　slamming　the　door　after　her。　　Jennings　took　a　book　from　a　pile　upon　a　table；　opened　it；　and　set　it　on　a　music…stand。　　Evidently　Miss　Bristow　was　forgottenindeed；　had　passed　out　of　his　mind　at　half…past　ten　exactly；　not　to　enter　it　again　until　she　should　appear　at　ten　on　Monday　morning。　　He　said　to　Mildred：

‘‘Now；　we'll　see　what　you　can　do。　　Begin。''

‘‘I'm　a　little　nervous；''　said　Mildred　with　a　shy　laugh。　　‘‘If　you　don't　mind；　I'd　like　to　wait　till　I've　got　used　to　my　surroundings。''

Jennings　looked　at　her。　　The　long　sharp　nose　seemed　to　be　rapping　her　on　the　forehead　like　a　wood…　pecker's　beak　on　the　bark　of　the　tree。　　‘‘Begin；''　he　said；　pointing　to　the　book。

Mildred　flushed　angrily。　　‘‘I　shall　not　begin　until　I　CAN　begin；''　said　she。　　The　time　to　show　this　man　that　he　could　not　treat　her　brutally　was　at　the　outset。

Jennings　opened　the　door　into　the　hall。　　‘‘Good　day；　Miss　Stevens；''　he　said　with　his　abrupt　bow。

Mildred　looked　at　him；　he　looked　at　her。　　Her　lip　trembled；　the　hot　tears　flooded　and　blinded　her　eyes。　She　went　unsteadily　to　the　music…stand　and　tried　to　see　the　notes　of　the　exercises。　　Jennings　closed　the　door　and　seated　himself　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　　She　begana　ridiculous　attempt。　　She　stopped；　gritted　her　teeth；　began　again。　　Once　more　the　result　was　absurd；　but　this　time　she　was　able　to　keep　on；　not　improving；　but　maintaining　her　initial　off…key　quavering。　She　stopped。

‘‘You　see；''　said　she。　　‘‘Shall　I　go　on？''

‘‘Don't　stop　again　until　I　tell　you　to；　please；''　said　he。

She　staggered　and　stumbled　and　somersaulted　through　two　pages　of　DO…RE…ME…FA…SOL…LA…SI。　　Then　he　held　up　his　finger。

‘‘Enough；''　said　he。

Silence；　an　awful　silence。　　She　recalled　what　Mrs。　Belloc　had　told　her　about　him；　what　Mrs。　Brindley　had　implied。　　But　she　got　no　consolation。　　She　said　timidly：

‘‘Really；　Mr。　Jennings；　I　can　do　better　than　that。　Won't　you　let　me　try　a　song？''

‘‘God　forbid！''　said　he。　　‘‘You　can't　stand。　　You　can't　breathe。　　You　can't　open　your　mouth。　　Naturally；　you　can't　sing。''

She　dropped　to　a　chair。

‘‘Take　the　book；　and　go　over　the　same　thing；　sitting；''　said　he。

She　began　to　remove　her　wraps。

‘‘Just　as　you　are；''　he　commanded。　　‘‘Try　to　forget　yourself。　　Try　to　forget　me。　　Try　to　forget　what　a　brute　I　am；　and　what　a　wonderful　singer　you　are。　　Just　open　your　mouth　and　throw　the　notes　out。''

She　was　rosy　with　rage。　　She　was　reckless。　　She　sang。　　At　the　end　of　three　pages　he　stopped　her　with　an　enthusiastic　hand…clapping。　　‘‘Good！　　Good！''　he　cried。　　‘‘I'll　take　you。　　I'll　make　a　singer　of　you。　Yes；　yes；　there's　something　to　work　on。''

The　door　opened。　　A　tall；　thin　woman　with　many　jewels　and　a　superb　fur　wrap　came　gliding　in。　　Jennings　looked　at　the　clock。　　The　hands　pointed　to　eleven。　Said　he　to　Mildred：

‘‘Take　that　book　with　you。　　Practice　what　you've　done　to…day。　　Learn　to　keep　your　mouth　open。　　We'll　go　into　that　further　next　time。''　　He　was　holding　the　door　open　for　her。　　As　she　passed　out；　she　heard　him　say：

‘‘Ah；　Mrs。　Roswell。　　We'll　go　at　that　third　song　first。''

The　door　closed。　　Reviewing　all　that　had　occurred；　Mildred　decided　that　she　must　revise　her　opinion　of　Jennings。　　A　money…maker　he　no　doubt　was。　　And　why　not？　　Did　he　not　have　to　live？　　But　a　teacher　also；　and　a　great　teacher。　　Had　he　not　destroyed　her　vanity　at　one　blow；　demolished　it？yet　without　discouraging　her。　　And　he　went　straight　to　the　bottom　of　things　very　different　from　any　of　the　teachers　she　used　to　have　when　she　was　posing　in　drawing…rooms　as　a　person　with　a　voice　equal　to　the　most　difficult　opera；　if　only　she　weren't　a　lady　and　therefore　not　forced　to　be　a　professional　singing　person。　　Yes；　a　great　teacherand　in　deadly　earnest。　　He　would　permit　no　trifling！　　How　she　would　have　to　work！

And　she　went　to　work　with　an　energy　she　would　not　have　believed　she　possessed。　　He　instructed　her　minutely　in　how　to　stand；　in　how　to　breathe；　in　how　to　open　her　mouth　and　keep　it　open；　in　how　to　relax　her　throat　and　leave　it　relaxed。　　He　filled　every　second　of　her　half…hour；　she　had　never　before　realized　how　much　time　half　an　hour　was；　how　use　could　be　made　of　every　one　of　its　eighteen　hundred　seconds。　　She　went　to　hear　other　teachers　give　lessons；　and　she　understood　why　Jennings　could　get　such　prices；　could　treat