part 6-第11节
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ing together。 He is a singer； too； and has his own career to
look after； but he still manages to give me some time。 I
want you to be friends。〃 She smiled from one to the
other。
The rooms； Archie noticed； full of last night's flowers；
were furnished in light colors； the hotel bleakness of them
a little softened by a magnificent Steinway piano； white
bookshelves full of books and scores； some drawings of
ballet dancers； and the very deep sofa behind the piano。
〃Of course；〃 Archie asked apologetically； 〃you have
seen the papers？〃
〃Very cordial； aren't they？ They evidently did not
expect as much as I did。 ELSA is not really in my voice。
I can sing the music； but I have to go after it。〃
〃That is exactly；〃 the doctor came out boldly； 〃what
Fred Ottenburg said this morning。〃
They had remained standing； the three of them； by the
piano； where the gray afternoon light was strongest。 Thea
turned to the doctor with interest。 〃Is Fred in town？
They were from him； thensome flowers that came last
night without a card。〃 She indicated the white lilacs on
the window sill。 〃Yes； he would know； certainly；〃 she said
thoughtfully。 〃Why don't we sit down？ There will be
some tea for you in a minute； Landry。 He's very depend…
ent upon it；〃 disapprovingly to Archie。 〃Now tell me；
Doctor； did you really have a good time last night； or were
you uncomfortable？ Did you feel as if I were trying to
hold my hat on by my eyebrows？〃
He smiled。 〃I had all kinds of a time。 But I had no feel…
ing of that sort。 I couldn't be quite sure that it was you at
all。 That was why I came up here last night。 I felt as if
I'd lost you。〃
She leaned toward him and brushed his sleeve reassur…
ingly。 〃Then I didn't give you an impression of painful
struggle？ Landry was singing at Weber and Fields' last
night。 He didn't get in until the performance was half
over。 But I see the TRIBUNE man felt that I was working
pretty hard。 Did you see that notice； Oliver？〃
Dr。 Archie looked closely at the red…headed young man
for the first time； and met his lively brown eyes； full of a
droll； confiding sort of humor。 Mr。 Landry was not pre…
possessing。 He was undersized and clumsily made； with a
red； shiny face and a sharp little nose that looked as if it
had been whittled out of wood and was always in the air；
on the scent of something。 Yet it was this queer little
beak； with his eyes； that made his countenance anything
of a face at all。 From a distance he looked like the grocery…
man's delivery boy in a small town。 His dress seemed an
acknowledgment of his grotesqueness： a short coat； like a
little boys' roundabout； and a vest fantastically sprigged
and dotted； over a lavender shirt。
At the sound of a muffled buzz； Mr。 Landry sprang up。
〃May I answer the telephone for you？〃 He went to the
writing…table and took up the receiver。 〃Mr。 Ottenburg is
downstairs；〃 he said； turning to Thea and holding the
mouthpiece against his coat。
〃Tell him to come up；〃 she replied without hesitation。
〃How long are you going to be in town； Dr。 Archie？〃
〃Oh； several weeks； if you'll let me stay。 I won't hang
around and be a burden to you； but I want to try to get
educated up to you； though I expect it's late to begin。〃
Thea rose and touched him lightly on the shoulder。
〃Well； you'll never be any younger； will you？〃
〃I'm not so sure about that；〃 the doctor replied gal…
lantly。
The maid appeared at the door and announced Mr。 Fred…
erick Ottenburg。 Fred came in； very much got up； the
doctor reflected； as he watched him bending over Thea's
hand。 He was still pale and looked somewhat chastened；
and the lock of hair that hung down over his forehead was
distinctly moist。 But his black afternoon coat； his gray tie
and gaiters were of a correctness that Dr。 Archie could
never attain for all the efforts of his faithful slave； Van
Deusen； the Denver haberdasher。 To be properly up to
those tricks； the doctor supposed； you had to learn them
young。 If he were to buy a silk hat that was the twin of
Ottenburg's； it would be shaggy in a week； and he could
never carry it as Fred held his。
Ottenburg had greeted Thea in German； and as she
replied in the same language； Archie joined Mr。 Landry at
the window。 〃You know Mr。 Ottenburg； he tells me？〃
Mr。 Landry's eyes twinkled。 〃Yes； I regularly follow
him about； when he's in town。 I would； even if he didn't
send me such wonderful Christmas presents： Russian vodka
by the half…dozen！〃
Thea called to them； 〃Come； Mr。 Ottenburg is calling on
all of us。 Here's the tea。〃
The maid opened the door and two waiters from down…
stairs appeared with covered trays。 The tea…table was in
the parlor。 Thea drew Ottenburg with her and went to
inspect it。 〃Where's the rum？ Oh； yes； in that thing！
Everything seems to be here； but send up some currant
preserves and cream cheese for Mr。 Ottenburg。 And in
about fifteen minutes； bring some fresh toast。 That's all；
thank you。〃
For the next few minutes there was a clatter of teacups
and responses about sugar。 〃Landry always takes rum。
I'm glad the rest of you don't。 I'm sure it's bad。〃 Thea
poured the tea standing and got through with it as quickly
as possible； as if it were a refreshment snatched between
trains。 The tea…table and the little room in which it stood
seemed to be out of scale with her long step； her long reach；
and the energy of her movements。 Dr。 Archie； standing
near her； was pleasantly aware of the animation of her
figure。 Under the clinging velvet； her body seemed in…
dependent and unsubdued。
They drifted； with their plates and cups； back to the
music…room。 When Thea followed them； Ottenburg put
down his tea suddenly。 〃Aren't you taking anything？
Please let me。〃 He started back to the table。
〃No； thank you； nothing。 I'm going to run over that
aria for you presently； to convince you that I can do it。
How did the duet go； with Schlag？〃
She was standing in the doorway and Fred came up to
her： 〃That you'll never do any better。 You've worked
your voice into it perfectly。 Every NUANCEwonder…
ful！〃
〃Think so？〃 She gave him a sidelong glance and spoke
with a certain gruff shyness which did not deceive anybody；
and was not meant to deceive。 The tone was equivalent to
〃Keep it up。 I like it； but I'm awkward with it。〃
Fred held her by the door and did keep it up； furiously；
for full five minutes。 She took it with some confusion； seem…
ing all the while to be hesitating； to be arrested in her
course and trying to pass him。 But she did not really try
to pass； and her color deepened。 Fred spoke in German；
and Archie caught from her an occasional JA？ SO？ mut…
tered rather than spoken。
When they rejoined Landry and Dr。 Archie； Fred took
up his tea again。 〃I see you're singing VENUS Saturday
night。 Will they never let you have a chance at ELIZABETH？〃
She shrugged her shoulders。 〃Not here。 There are so
many singers here； and they try us out in such a stingy way。
Think of it； last year I came over in October； and it was the
first of December before I went on at all！ I'm often sorry
I left Dresden。〃
〃Still；〃 Fred argued； 〃Dresden is limited。〃
〃Just so； and I've begun to sigh for those very limita…
tions。 In New York everything is impersonal。 Your audi…
ence never knows its own mind； and its mind is never twice
the same。 I'd rather sing where the people are pig…headed
and throw carrots at you if you don't do it the way they
like it。 The house here is splendid； and the night audi…
ences are exciting。 I hate the matinees； like singing at a
KAFFEKLATSCH。〃 She rose and turned on the lights。
〃Ah！〃 Fred exclaimed； 〃why do you do that？ That is
a signal that tea is over。〃 He got up and drew out his
gloves。
〃Not at all。 Shall you be here Saturday night？〃 She
sat do
