the pit-第4节

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footlights；　a　famous　contralto；　dressed　as　a　boy；　was　bowing　to　the　audience；　her　arms　full　of　flowers。

〃Too　bad；〃　whispered　Corthell　to　Laura；　as　they　followed　the　others　down　the　side…aisle　to　the　box。　〃Too　bad；　this　is　the　second　act　already；　you've　missed　the　whole　first　actand　this　song。　　She'll　sing　it　over　again；　though；　just　for　you；　if　I　have　to　lead　the　applause　myself。　　I　particularly　wanted　you　to　hear　that。〃

Once　in　the　box；　the　party　found　itself　a　little　crowded；　and　Jadwin　and　Cressler　were　obliged　to　stand；　in　order　to　see　the　stage。　　Although　they　all　spoke　in　whispers；　their　arrival　was　the　signal　for　certain　murmurs　of　〃Sh！　Sh！〃　Mrs。　Cressler　made　Laura　occupy　the　front　seat。　　Jadwin　took　her　cloak　from　her；　and　she　settled　herself　in　her　chair　and　looked　about　her。　She　could　see　but　little　of　the　house　or　audience。　All　the　lights　were　lowered；　only　through　the　gloom　the　swaying　of　a　multitude　of　fans；　pale　coloured；　like　night…moths　balancing　in　the　twilight；　defined　itself。

But　soon　she　turned　towards　the　stage。　　The　applause　died　away；　and　the　contralto　once　more　sang　the　aria。　The　melody　was　simple；　the　tempo　easily　followed；　it　was　not　a　very　high　order　of　music。　　But　to　Laura　it　was　nothing　short　of　a　revelation。

She　sat　spell…bound；　her　hands　clasped　tight；　her　every　faculty　of　attention　at　its　highest　pitch。　　It　was　wonderful；　such　music　as　that；　wonderful；　such　a　voice；　wonderful；　such　orchestration；　wonderful；　such　exaltation　inspired　by　mere　beauty　of　sound。　　Never；　never　was　this　night　to　be　forgotten；　this　her　first　night　of　Grand　Opera。　　All　this　excitement；　this　world　of　perfume；　of　flowers；　of　exquisite　costumes；　of　beautiful　women；　of　fine；　brave　men。　　She　looked　back　with　immense　pity　to　the　narrow　little　life　of　her　native　town　she　had　just　left　forever；　the　restricted　horizon；　the　petty　round　of　petty　duties；　the　rare　and　barren　pleasuresthe　library；　the　festival；　the　few　concerts；　the　trivial　plays。　　How　easy　it　was　to　be　good　and　noble　when　music　such　as　this　had　become　a　part　of　one's　life；　how　desirable　was　wealth　when　it　could　make　possible　such　exquisite　happiness　as　hers　of　the　moment。　　Nobility；　purity；　courage；　sacrifice　seemed　much　more　worth　while　now　than　a　few　moments　ago。　　All　things　not　positively　unworthy　became　heroic；　all　things　and　all　men。　　Landry　Court　was　a　young　chevalier；　pure　as　Galahad。　　Corthell　was　a　beautiful　artist…priest　of　the　early　Renaissance。　　Even　Jadwin　was　a　merchant　prince；　a　great　financial　captain。　　And　she　herselfah；　she　did　not　know；　she　dreamed　of　another　Laura；　a　better；　gentler；　more　beautiful　Laura；　whom　everybody；　everybody　loved　dearly　and　tenderly；　and　who　loved　everybody；　and　who　should　die　beautifully；　gently；　in　some　garden　far　awaydie　because　of　a　great　lovebeautifully；　gently　in　the　midst　of　flowers；　die　of　a　broken　heart；　and　all　the　world　should　be　sorry　for　her；　and　would　weep　over　her　when　they　found　her　dead　and　beautiful　in　her　garden；　amid　the　flowers　and　the　birds；　in　some　far…off　place；　where　it　was　always　early　morning　and　where　there　was　soft　music。　　And　she　was　so　sorry　for　herself；　and　so　hurt　with　the　sheer　strength　of　her　longing　to　be　good　and　true；　and　noble　and　womanly；　that　as　she　sat　in　the　front　of　the　Cresslers'　box　on　that　marvellous　evening；　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　again　and　again；　and　dropped　upon　her　tight…shut；　white…gloved　fingers。

But　the　contralto　had　disappeared；　and　in　her　place　the　tenor　held　the　stagea　stout；　short　young　man　in　red　plush　doublet　and　grey　silk　tights。　　His　chin　advanced；　an　arm　extended；　one　hand　pressed　to　his　breast；　he　apostrophised　the　pavilion；　that　now　and　then　swayed　a　little　in　the　draught　from　the　wings。

The　aria　was　received　with　furor；　thrice　he　was　obliged　to　repeat　it。　　Even　Corthell；　who　was　critical　to　extremes；　approved；　nodding　his　head。　　Laura　and　Page　clapped　their　hands　till　the　very　last。　　But　Landry　Court；　to　create　an　impression；　assumed　a　certain　disaffection。

〃He's　not　in　voice　to…night。　　Too　bad。　　You　should　have　heard　him　Friday　in　'Aida。'〃

The　opera　continued。　　The　great　soprano；　the　prima　donna；　appeared　and　delivered　herself　of　a　song　for　which　she　was　famous　with　astonishing　eclat。　　Then　in　a　little　while　the　stage　grew　dark；　the　orchestration　lapsed　to　a　murmur；　and　the　tenor　and　the　soprano　reentered。　　He　clasped　her　in　his　arms　and　sang　a　half…　dozen　bars；　then　holding　her　hand；　one　arm　still　about　her　waist；　withdrew　from　her　gradually；　till　she　occupied　the　front…centre　of　the　stage。　　He　assumed　an　attitude　of　adoration　and　wonderment；　his　eyes　uplifted　as　if　entranced；　and　she；　very　softly；　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　sustained；　dreamy　chords　of　the　orchestra；　began　her　solo。

Laura　shut　her　eyes。　　Never　had　she　felt　so　soothed；　so　cradled　and　lulled　and　languid。　　Ah；　to　love　like　that！　To　love　and　be　loved。　　There　was　no　such　love　as　that　to…day。　　She　wished　that　she　could　loose　her　clasp　upon　the　sordid；　material　modern　life　that；　perforce；　she　must　hold　to；　she　knew　not　why；　and　drift；　drift　off　into　the　past；　far　away；　through　rose…coloured　mists　and　diaphanous　veils；　or　resign　herself；　reclining　in　a　silver　skiff　drawn　by　swans；　to　the　gentle　current　of　some　smooth…flowing　river　that　ran　on　forever　and　forever。

But　a　discordant　element　developed。　　Close　bythe　lights　were　so　low　she　could　not　tell　wherea　conversation；　kept　up　in　low　whispers；　began　by　degrees　to　intrude　itself　upon　her　attention。　　Try　as　she　would；　she　could　not　shut　it　out；　and　now；　as　the　music　died　away　fainter　and　fainter；　till　voice　and　orchestra　blended　together　in　a　single；　barely　audible　murmur；　vibrating　with　emotion；　with　romance；　and　with　sentiment；　she　heard；　in　a　hoarse；　masculine　whisper；　the　words：

〃The　shortage　is　a　million　bushels　at　the　very　least。　Two　hundred　carloads　were　to　arrive　from　Milwaukee　last　night〃

She　made　a　little　gesture　of　despair；　turning　her　head　for　an　instant；　searching　the　gloom　about　her。　　But　she　could　see　no　one　not　interested　in　the　stage。　　Why　could　not　men　leave　their　business　outside；　why　must　the　jar　of　commerce　spoil　all　the　harmony　of　this　moment。

However；　all　sounds　were　drowned　suddenly　in　a　long　burst　of　applause。　　The　tenor　and　soprano　bowed　and　smiled　across　the　footlights。　　The　soprano　vanished；　only　to　reappear　on　the　balcony　of　the　pavilion；　and　while　she　declared　that　the　stars　and　the　night…bird　together　sang　〃He　loves　thee；〃　the　voices　close　at　hand　continued：

〃one　hundred　and　six　carloads〃

〃paralysed　the　bulls〃

〃fifty　thousand　dollars〃

Then　all　at　once　the　lights　went　up。　　The　act　was　over。

Laura　seemed　only　to　come　to　herself　some　five　minutes　later。　　She　and　Corthell　were　out　in　the　foyer　behind　the　boxes。　　Everybody　was　promenading。　　The　air　was　filled　with　the　staccato　chatter　of　a　multitude　of　women。　　But　she　herself　seemed　far　awayshe　and　Sheldon　Corthell。　　His　face；　dark；　romantic；　with　the　silky　beard　and　eloquent　eyes；　appeared　to　be　all　she　cared　to　see；　while　his　low　voice；　that　spoke　close　to　her　ear；　was　in　a　way　a　mere　continuation　of　the　melody　of　the　duet　just　finished。

Instinctively　she　knew　what　he　was　about　to　say；　for　what　he　was　trying　to　prepare　her。　　She　felt；　too；　that　he　had　not　expected　to　talk　thus　to　her　to…night。　　She　knew　that　he　loved　her；　that　inevitably；　sooner　or　later；　they　must　return　to　a　subject　that　for　long　had　been　excluded　from　their　conversations；　but　it　was　to　have　been　when　they　were　alone；　remote；　secluded；　not　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd；　brilliant　electrics　dazzling　their　eyes；　the　humming　of　the　talk　of　hundreds　assaulting　their　ears。　　But　it　seemed　as　if　these　important　things　came　of　themselves；　independent　of　time　and　place；　like　birth　and　death。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　accept　the　situation；　and　it　was　without　surprise　that　at　last；　from　out　the　murmur　of　Corthell's　talk；　she　was　suddenly　conscious　of　the　words：

〃So　that　it　is　hardly　necessary；　is　it；　to　tell　you　once　more　that　I　love　you？〃

She　drew　a　long　breath。

〃I　know。　　I　know　you　love　me。〃

They　had　sat　down　on　a　divan；　at　one　end　of　the　promenade；　and　Corthell；　skilful　enough　in　the　little　arts　of　the　drawing…room；　made　it　appear　as　though　they　talked　of　commonplaces；　as　for　Laura；　exalted；　all　but　hypnotised　with　this　marvellous　evening；　she　hardly　cared；　she　would　not　even　stoop　to　maintain　appearances。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　know　you　love　me。〃

〃And　is　that　all　you　can　say？〃　he　urged。　　〃Does　it　mean　nothing　to　you　that　you　are　everything　to　me？〃

She　was　coming　a　little　to　herself　again。　　Love　was；　after　all；　sweeter　in　the　actualeven　in　this　crowded　foyer；　in　this　atmosphere　of　silk　and　jewels；　in　this　show…place　of　a　great　city's　societythan　in　a　mystic　garden　of　some　romantic　dreamland。　　She　felt　herself　a　woman　again；　modern；　vital；　and　no　longer　a　maiden　of　a　legend　of　chivalry。

〃Nothing　to　me？〃　she　answered。　　〃I　don't　know。　I　should　rather　have　you　love　me　thannot。〃

〃Let　me　love　you　then　for　always；〃　he　went　on。　　〃You　know　what　I　mean。　　We　have　understood　each　other　from　the　very　first。　　Plainly；　and　very　simply；　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart。　　You　know　now　that　I　speak　the　truth；　you　know　that　you　can　trust　me。　　I　shall　not