part 6-第13节
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idiot！〃
Ottenburg shot ahead and instructed the driver； while
the doctor put Thea into the cab and shut the door。 She
did not speak to either of them again。 As the driver scram…
bled into his seat she opened the score and fixed her eyes
upon it。 Her face； in the white light； looked as bleak as a
stone quarry。
As her cab slid away； Ottenburg shoved Archie into a
second taxi that waited by the curb。 〃We'd better trail
her；〃 he explained。 〃There might be a hold…up of some
kind。〃 As the cab whizzed off he broke into an eruption of
profanity。
〃What's the matter； Fred？〃 the doctor asked。 He
was a good deal dazed by the rapid evolutions of the last
ten minutes。
〃Matter enough！〃 Fred growled； buttoning his over…
coat with a shiver。 〃What a way to sing a part for the first
time！ That duck really is on my conscience。 It will be a
wonder if she can do anything but quack！ Scrambling on
in the middle of a performance like this； with no rehearsal！
The stuff she has to sing in there is a frightrhythm；
pitch；and terribly difficult intervals。〃
〃She looked frightened；〃 Dr。 Archie said thoughtfully；
〃but I thought she lookeddetermined。〃
Fred sniffed。 〃Oh； determined！ That's the kind of
rough deal that makes savages of singers。 Here's a part
she's worked on and got ready for for years； and now they
give her a chance to go on and butcher it。 Goodness knows
when she's looked at the score last； or whether she can use
the business she's studied with this cast。 Necker's singing
BRUNNHILDE； she may help her； if it's not one of her sore
nights。〃
〃Is she sore at Thea？〃 Dr。 Archie asked wonderingly。
〃My dear man； Necker's sore at everything。 She's
breaking up； too early； just when she ought to be at her
best。 There's one story that she is struggling under some
serious malady； another that she learned a bad method at
the Prague Conservatory and has ruined her organ。 She's
the sorest thing in the world。 If she weathers this winter
through； it'll be her last。 She's paying for it with the last
rags of her voice。 And then〃 Fred whistled softly。
〃Well； what then？〃
〃Then our girl may come in for some of it。 It's dog eat
dog； in this game as in every other。〃
The cab stopped and Fred and Dr。 Archie hurried to the
box office。 The Monday…night house was sold out。 They
bought standing room and entered the auditorium just as
the press representative of the house was thanking the
audience for their patience and telling them that although
Madame Gloeckler was too ill to sing； Miss Kronborg had
kindly consented to finish her part。 This announcement
was met with vehement applause from the upper circles of
the house。
〃She has herconstituents；〃 Dr。 Archie murmured。
〃Yes； up there； where they're young and hungry。 These
people down here have dined too well。 They won't mind；
however。 They like fires and accidents and DIVERTISSEMENTS。
Two SIEGLINDES are more unusual than one； so they'll be
satisfied。〃
After the final disappearance of the mother of Siegfried；
Ottenburg and the doctor slipped out through the crowd
and left the house。 Near the stage entrance Fred found
the driver who had brought Thea down。 He dismissed him
and got a larger car。 He and Archie waited on the sidewalk；
and when Kronborg came out alone they gathered her into
the cab and sprang in after her。
Thea sank back into a corner of the back seat and
yawned。 〃Well； I got through； eh？〃 Her tone was reas…
suring。 〃On the whole； I think I've given you gentlemen a
pretty lively evening； for one who has no social accomplish…
ments。〃
〃Rather！ There was something like a popular uprising
at the end of the second act。 Archie and I couldn't keep
it up as long as the rest of them did。 A howl like that
ought to show the management which way the wind is
blowing。 You probably know you were magnificent。〃
〃I thought it went pretty well；〃 she spoke impartially。
〃I was rather smart to catch his tempo there； at the begin…
ning of the first recitative； when he came in too soon； don't
you think？ It's tricky in there； without a rehearsal。 Oh；
I was all right！ He took that syncopation too fast in the
beginning。 Some singers take it fast therethink it
sounds more impassioned。 That's one way！〃 She sniffed；
and Fred shot a mirthful glance at Archie。 Her boastful…
ness would have been childish in a schoolboy。 In the light
of what she had done； of the strain they had lived through
during the last two hours； it made one laugh；almost
cry。 She went on； robustly： 〃And I didn't feel my din…
ner； really； Fred。 I am hungry again； I'm ashamed to say；
and I forgot to order anything at my hotel。〃
Fred put his hand on the door。 〃Where to？ You must
have food。〃
〃Do you know any quiet place； where I won't be stared
at？ I've still got make…up on。〃
〃I do。 Nice English chop…house on Forty…fourth Street。
Nobody there at night but theater people after the show；
and a few bachelors。〃 He opened the door and spoke to the
driver。
As the car turned； Thea reached across to the front seat
and drew Dr。 Archie's handkerchief out of his breast pocket。
〃This comes to me naturally；〃 she said； rubbing her cheeks
and eyebrows。 〃When I was little I always loved your
handkerchiefs because they were silk and smelled of Col…
ogne water。 I think they must have been the only really
clean handkerchiefs in Moonstone。 You were always
wiping my face with them； when you met me out in the
dust； I remember。 Did I never have any？〃
〃I think you'd nearly always used yours up on your
baby brother。〃
Thea sighed。 〃Yes； Thor had such a way of getting
messy。 You say he's a good chauffeur？〃 She closed her
eyes for a moment as if they were tired。 Suddenly she
looked up。 〃Isn't it funny； how we travel in circles？ Here
you are； still getting me clean； and Fred is still feeding me。
I would have died of starvation at that boarding…house on
Indiana Avenue if he hadn't taken me out to the Bucking…
ham and filled me up once in a while。 What a cavern I was
to fill； too。 The waiters used to look astonished。 I'm still
singing on that food。〃
Fred alighted and gave Thea his arm as they crossed the
icy sidewalk。 They were taken upstairs in an antiquated
lift and found the cheerful chop…room half full of supper
parties。 An English company playing at the Empire had
just come in。 The waiters； in red waistcoats； were hurry…
ing about。 Fred got a table at the back of the room；
in a corner； and urged his waiter to get the oysters on at
once。
〃Takes a few minutes to open them； sir；〃 the man ex…
postulated。
〃Yes； but make it as few as possible； and bring the
lady's first。 Then grilled chops with kidneys； and salad。〃
Thea began eating celery stalks at once； from the base
to the foliage。 〃Necker said something nice to me to…
night。 You might have thought the management would
say something； but not they。〃 She looked at Fred from
under her blackened lashes。 〃It WAS a stunt； to jump in
and sing that second act without rehearsal。 It doesn't
sing itself。〃
Ottenburg was watching her brilliant eyes and her face。
She was much handsomer than she had been early in the
evening。 Excitement of this sort enriched her。 It was only
under such excitement； he reflected； that she was entirely
illuminated； or wholly present。 At other times there was
something a little cold and empty； like a big room with no
people in it。 Even in her most genial moods there was a
shadow of restlessness； as if she were waiting for something
and were exercising the virtue of patience。 During dinner
she had been as kind as she knew how to be； to him and to
Archie； and had given them as much of herself as she could。
But； clearly； she knew only one way of being really kind；
from the core of her heart out； and there was but one way in
which she could
