the price she paid-第61节

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heater。　　In　town　and　country；　indoors　and　out；　sunlight；　moonlight；　and　rainalways　it　goes　on。　And　the　temptations　and　the　struggles　are　no　more　and　no　less　on　the　stage　than　off。　　No；　there　is　too　much　talk　about　‘morals。'　　The　reason　the　great　one　says　‘don't'　is　the　work。''　　He　shook　his　head　sadly。　‘‘They　do　not　realize；　those　eager　young　beginners。　They　read　the　story…books　and　the　lives　of　the　great　successes　and　they　hear　the　foolish　chatter　of　common…　place　peoplethose　imbecile　‘cultured'　people　who　know　nothing！　　And　they　think　a　career　is　a　triumphal　march。　　What　think　you；　Miss　Gowereh？''

‘‘If　I　had　known　I'd　not　have　had　the　courage；　or　the　vanity；　to　begin；''　said　she。　　‘‘And　if　I　could　realize　what's　before　me；　I　probably　shouldn't　have　the　courage　to　go　on。''

‘‘But　why　not？　　Haven't　you　also　learned　that　it's　just　the　day's　work；　doing　every　day　the　best　you　can？''

‘‘Oh；　I　shall　go　on；''　rejoined　she。

‘‘Yes；''　said　he；　looking　at　her　with　awed　admiration。　‘‘It　is　in　your　face。　　I　saw　it　there；　the　day　you　cameafter　you　sang　the　‘Batti　Batti'　the　first　time　and　failed。''

‘‘There　was　nothing　to　me　then。''

‘‘The　seed；''　replied　he。　　‘‘And　I　saw　it　was　an　acorn；　not　the　seed　of　one　of　those　weak　plants　that　spring　up　overnight　and　wither　at　noon。　　Yes；　you　will　win。''　He　laughed　gayly；　rolled　his　eyes　and　kissed　his　fingers。　‘‘And　then　you　can　afford　to　take　a　little　holiday；　and　fall　in　love。　　Love！　　Ah；　it　is　a　joyous　pastime　for　a　holiday。　　Only　for　a　holiday；　mind　you。　　I　shall　be　there　and　I　shall　seize　you　and　take　you　back　to　your　art。''


In　the　following　winter　and　summer　Crossley　disclosed　why　he　had　been　sufficiently　interested　in　grand　opera　to　begin　to　back　undeveloped　voices。　　Crossley　was　one　of　those　men　who　are　never　so　practical　as　when　they　profess　to　be；　and　fancy　themselves；　impractical。　He　became　a　grand…opera　manager　and　organized　for　a　season　that　would　surpass　in　interest　any　New　York　had　known。　　Thus　it　came　about　that　on　a　March　night　Mildred　made　her　debut。

The　opera　was　‘‘Faust。''　　As　the　three　principal　men　singers　were　all　expensivethe　tenor　alone；　twelve　hundred　a　nightCrossley　put　in　a　comparatively　modestly　salaried　Marguerite。　　She　was　seized　with　a　cold　at　the　last　moment；　and　Crossley　ventured　to　substitute　Mildred　Gower。　　The　Rivi　system　was　still　in　force。　　She　was　readyindeed；　she　was　always　ready；　as　Rivi　herself　had　been。　　And　within　ten　minutes　of　her　coming　forth　from　the　wings；　Mildred　Gower　had　leaped　from　obscurity　into　fame。　　It　happens　so；　often　in　the　story　books；　the　newly　gloriously　arrived　one　having　been　wholly　unprepared；　achieving　by　sheer　force　of　genius。　　It　occurs　so；　occasionally；　in　lifenever　when　there　is　lack　of　preparation；　never　by　force　of　unassisted　genius；　never　by　accident。　　Mildred　succeeded　because　she　had　got　ready　to　succeed。　　How　could　she　have　failed？

Perhaps　you　read　the　stories　in　the　newspapers　how　she　had　discovered　herself　possessed　of　a　marvelous　voice；　how　she　had　decided　to　use　it　in　public；　how　she　had　coached　for　a　part；　had　appeared；　had　become　one　of　the　world's　few　hundred　great　singers　all　in　a　single　act　of　an　opera。　　You　read　nothing　about　what　she　went　through　in　developing　a　hopelessly　uncertain　and　far　from　strong　voice　into　one　which；　while　not　nearly　so　good　as　thousands　of　voices　that　are　tried　and　cast　aside；　yet　sufficed；　with　her　will　and　her　concentration　back　of　it；　to　carry　her　to　fameand　wealth。

That　birdlike　voice！　　So　sweet　and　spontaneous；　so　true；　so　like　the　bird　that　‘‘sings　of　summer　in　full　throated　ease！''　　No　wonder　the　audience　welcomed　it　with　cheers　on　cheers。　　Greater　voices　they　had　heard；　but　none　more　naturaland　that　was　Moldini。

He　came　to　her　dressing…room　at　the　intermission。　He　stretched　out　his　arms；　but　emotion　overcame　him；　and　he　dropped　to　a　chair　and　sobbed　and　cried　and　laughed。　　She　came　and　put　her　arms　round　him　and　kissed　him。　　She　was　almost　calm。　　The　GREAT　fear　had　seized　herCan　I　keep　what　I　have　won？

‘‘I　am　a　fool；''　cried　Moldini。　　‘‘I　will　agitate　you。''

‘‘Don't　be　afraid　of　that；''　said　she。　　‘‘I　am　nerv…　ous；　yes；　horribly　nervous。　　But　you　have　taught　me　so　that　I　could　sing；　no　matter　what　was　happening。''　It　was　true。　　And　her　body　was　like　iron　to　the　touch。

He　looked　at　her；　and　though　he　knew　her　and　had　seen　her　train　herself　and　had　helped　in　it；　he　marveled。　‘‘You　are　happy？''　he　said　eagerly。　　‘‘Surelyyes；　you　MUST　be　happy。''

‘‘More　than　that；''　answered　she。　　‘‘You'll　have　to　find　another　word　than　happinesssomething　bigger　and　stronger　and　deeper。''

‘‘Now　you　can　have　your　holiday；''　laughed　he。　‘‘But''with　mock　sternness‘‘in　moderation！　　He　must　be　an　incident　only。　　With　those　who　win　the　high　places；　sex　is　an　incidenta　charming；　necessary　incident；　but　only　an　incident。　　He　must　not　spoil　your　career。　　If　you　allowed　that　you　would　be　like　a　mother　who　deserts　her　children　for　a　lover。　　He　must　not　touch　your　career！''

Mildred；　giving　the　last　touches　to　her　costume　before　the　glass；　glanced　merrily　at　Moldini　by　way　of　it。　‘‘If　he　did　touch　it；''　said　she；　‘‘how　long　do　you　think　he　would　last　with　me？''

Moldini　paused　half…way　in　his　nod　of　approval；　was　stricken　with　silence　and　sadness。　　It　would　have　been　natural　and　proper　for　a　man　thus　to　put　sex　beneath　the　career。　　It　was　necessary　for　anyone　who　developed　the　strong　character　that　compels　success　and　holds　it。　　But　　The　Italian　could　not　get　away　from　tradition；　woman　was　made　for　the　pleasure　of　one　man；　not　for　herself　and　the　world。

‘‘You　don't　like　that；　maestro？''　said　she；　still　observing　him　in　the　glass。

‘‘No　man　would；''　said　he；　with　returning　cheerfulness。　　‘‘It　hurts　man's　vanity。　　And　no　woman　would；　either；　you　rebuke　their　laziness　and　their　dependence！''

She　laughed　and　rushed　away　to　fresh　triumphs。





End