part 6-第14节
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from the core of her heart out； and there was but one way in
which she could give herself to people largely and gladly；
spontaneously。 Even as a girl she had been at her best in
vigorous effort； he remembered； physical effort； when there
was no other kind at hand。 She could be expansive only in
explosions。 Old Nathanmeyer had seen it。 In the very first
song Fred had ever heard her sing； she had unconsciously
declared it。
Thea Kronborg turned suddenly from her talk with
Archie and peered suspiciously into the corner where Otten…
burg sat with folded arms； observing her。 〃What's the
matter with you； Fred？ I'm afraid of you when you're
quiet；fortunately you almost never are。 What are you
thinking about？〃
〃I was wondering how you got right with the orchestra
so quickly； there at first。 I had a flash of terror；〃 he re…
plied easily。
She bolted her last oyster and ducked her head。 〃So
had I！ I don't know how I did catch it。 Desperation； I
suppose； same way the Indian babies swim when they're
thrown into the river。 I HAD to。 Now it's over； I'm glad I
had to。 I learned a whole lot to…night。〃
Archie； who usually felt that it behooved him to be silent
during such discussions； was encouraged by her geniality
to venture； 〃I don't see how you can learn anything in such
a turmoil； or how you can keep your mind on it； for that
matter。〃
Thea glanced about the room and suddenly put her hand
up to her hair。 〃Mercy； I've no hat on！ Why didn't you
tell me？ And I seem to be wearing a rumpled dinner dress；
with all this paint on my face！ I must look like something
you picked up on Second Avenue。 I hope there are no
Colorado reformers about； Dr。 Archie。 What a dreadful
old pair these people must be thinking you！ Well； I had to
eat。〃 She sniffed the savor of the grill as the waiter uncov…
ered it。 〃Yes； draught beer； please。 No； thank you； Fred；
NO champagne。 To go back to your question； Dr。 Archie；
you can believe I keep my mind on it。 That's the whole
trick； in so far as stage experience goes； keeping right there
every second。 If I think of anything else for a flash； I'm
gone； done for。 But at the same time； one can take things
inwith another part of your brain； maybe。 It's different
from what you get in study； more practical and conclusive。
There are some things you learn best in calm； and some in
storm。 You learn the delivery of a part only before an
audience。〃
〃Heaven help us；〃 gasped Ottenburg。 〃Weren't you
hungry； though！ It's beautiful to see you eat。〃
〃Glad you like it。 Of course I'm hungry。 Are you stay…
ing over for ‘Rheingold' Friday afternoon？〃
〃My dear Thea；〃Fred lit a cigarette；〃I'm a seri…
ous business man now。 I have to sell beer。 I'm due in
Chicago on Wednesday。 I'd come back to hear you； but
FRICKA is not an alluring part。〃
〃Then you've never heard it well done。〃 She spoke up
hotly。 〃Fat German woman scolding her husband； eh？
That's not my idea。 Wait till you hear my FRICKA。 It's a
beautiful part。〃 Thea leaned forward on the table and
touched Archie's arm。 〃You remember； Dr。 Archie； how
my mother always wore her hair； parted in the middle
and done low on her neck behind； so you got the shape of
her head and such a calm； white forehead？ I wear mine like
that for FRICKA。 A little more coronet effect； built up a lit…
tle higher at the sides； but the idea's the same。 I think
you'll notice it。〃 She turned to Ottenburg reproachfully：
〃It's noble music； Fred； from the first measure。 There's
nothing lovelier than the WONNIGER HAUSRATH。 It's all such
comprehensive sort of musicfateful。 Of course； FRICKA
KNOWS；〃 Thea ended quietly。
Fred sighed。 〃There； you've spoiled my itinerary。
Now I'll have to come back； of course。 Archie； you'd bet…
ter get busy about seats to…morrow。〃
〃I can get you box seats； somewhere。 I know nobody
here； and I never ask for any。〃 Thea began hunting among
her wraps。 〃Oh； how funny！ I've only these short woolen
gloves； and no sleeves。 Put on my coat first。 Those Eng…
lish people can't make out where you got your lady； she's
so made up of contradictions。〃 She rose laughing and
plunged her arms into the coat Dr。 Archie held for her。 As
she settled herself into it and buttoned it under her chin；
she gave him an old signal with her eyelid。 〃I'd like to
sing another part to…night。 This is the sort of evening I
fancy； when there's something to do。 Let me see： I have to
sing in ‘Trovatore' Wednesday night； and there are re…
hearsals for the ‘Ring' every day this week。 Consider me
dead until Saturday； Dr。 Archie。 I invite you both to dine
with me on Saturday night； the day after ‘Rheingold。'
And Fred must leave early； for I want to talk to you alone。
You've been here nearly a week； and I haven't had a seri…
ous word with you。 TAK FOR MAD； Fred； as the Norwegians
say。〃
VIII
THE 〃Ring of the Niebelungs〃 was to be given at the
Metropolitan on four successive Friday afternoons。
After the first of these performances； Fred Ottenburg went
home with Landry for tea。 Landry was one of the few pub…
lic entertainers who own real estate in New York。 He lived
in a little three…story brick house on Jane Street； in Green…
wich Village； which had been left to him by the same aunt
who paid for his musical education。
Landry was born； and spent the first fifteen years of
his life； on a rocky Connecticut farm not far from Cos Cob。
His father was an ignorant； violent man； a bungling farmer
and a brutal husband。 The farmhouse； dilapidated and
damp； stood in a hollow beside a marshy pond。 Oliver had
worked hard while he lived at home； although he was never
clean or warm in winter and had wretched food all the year
round。 His spare； dry figure； his prominent larynx； and the
peculiar red of his face and hands belonged to the chore…
boy he had never outgrown。 It was as if the farm； knowing
he would escape from it as early as he could； had ground its
mark on him deep。 When he was fifteen Oliver ran away
and went to live with his Catholic aunt； on Jane Street；
whom his mother was never allowed to visit。 The priest of
St。 Joseph's Parish discovered that he had a voice。
Landry had an affection for the house on Jane Street；
where he had first learned what cleanliness and order and
courtesy were。 When his aunt died he had the place done
over； got an Irish housekeeper； and lived there with a great
many beautiful things he had collected。 His living ex…
penses were never large； but he could not restrain himself
from buying graceful and useless objects。 He was a collec…
tor for much the same reason that he was a Catholic； and
he was a Catholic chiefly because his father used to sit
in the kitchen and read aloud to his hired men disgusting
〃exposures〃 of the Roman Church； enjoying equally the
hideous stories and the outrage to his wife's feelings。
At first Landry bought books； then rugs； drawings；
china。 He had a beautiful collection of old French and
Spanish fans。 He kept them in an escritoire he had brought
from Spain； but there were always a few of them lying
about in his sitting…room。
While Landry and his guest were waiting for the tea to
be brought； Ottenburg took up one of these fans from the
low marble mantel…shelf and opened it in the firelight。 One
side was painted with a pearly sky and floating clouds。
On the other was a formal garden where an elegant shep…
herdess with a mask and crook was fleeing on high heels
from a satin…coated shepherd。
〃You ought not to keep these things about； like this；
Oliver。 The dust from your grate must get at them。〃
〃It does； but I get them to enjoy them； not to have
them。 They're pleasant to glance at and to play with at
odd times like this； when one is waiting for tea or some…
thing。〃
Fred smiled。 The idea of Landry stretched out before his
fire playing with his fans； amused him。 Mrs。 McGinnis
brought the tea a
