part 6-第16节
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She looked guilty and began to laugh。 〃Hasn't he got
over that yet？ I didn't really mean to break it。 I was per…
haps careless。 His things are so over…petted that I was
tempted to be careless with a lot of them。〃
〃How can you be so heartless； when they're all he has
in the world？〃
〃He has me。 I'm a great deal of diversion for him； all he
needs。 There；〃 she said as she opened the door into her
own hall； 〃I shouldn't have said that before the elevator
boy。〃
〃Even an elevator boy couldn't make a scandal about
Oliver。 He's such a catnip man。〃
Dr。 Archie laughed； but Thea； who seemed suddenly to
have thought of something annoying； repeated blankly；
〃Catnip man？〃
〃Yes； he lives on catnip； and rum tea。 But he's not the
only one。 You are like an eccentric old woman I know in
Boston； who goes about in the spring feeding catnip to
street cats。 You dispense it to a lot of fellows。 Your pull
seems to be more with men than with women； you know；
with seasoned men； about my age； or older。 Even on Fri…
day afternoon I kept running into them； old boys I hadn't
seen for years； thin at the part and thick at the girth； until
I stood still in the draft and held my hair on。 They're al…
ways there； I hear them talking about you in the smoking…
room。 Probably we don't get to the point of apprehending
anything good until we're about forty。 Then； in the light
of what is going； and of what； God help us！ is coming； we
arrive at understanding。〃
〃I don't see why people go to the opera； anyway；seri…
ous people。〃 She spoke discontentedly。 〃I suppose they
get something； or think they do。 Here's the coffee。 There；
please；〃 she directed the waiter。 Going to the table she be…
gan to pour the coffee； standing。 She wore a white dress
trimmed with crystals which had rattled a good deal dur…
ing dinner； as all her movements had been impatient and
nervous； and she had twisted the dark velvet rose at her
girdle until it looked rumpled and weary。 She poured the
coffee as if it were a ceremony in which she did not believe。
〃Can you make anything of Fred's nonsense； Dr。 Archie？〃
she asked； as he came to take his cup。
Fred approached her。 〃My nonsense is all right。 The
same brand has gone with you before。 It's you who won't
be jollied。 What's the matter？ You have something on
your mind。〃
〃I've a good deal。 Too much to be an agreeable hos…
tess。〃 She turned quickly away from the coffee and sat
down on the piano bench； facing the two men。 〃For one
thing； there's a change in the cast for Friday afternoon。
They're going to let me sing SIEGLINDE。〃 Her frown did not
conceal the pleasure with which she made this announce…
ment。
〃Are you going to keep us dangling about here forever；
Thea？ Archie and I are supposed to have other things to
do。〃 Fred looked at her with an excitement quite as ap…
parent as her own。
〃Here I've been ready to sing SIEGLINDE for two years；
kept in torment； and now it comes off within two weeks；
just when I want to be seeing something of Dr。 Archie。 I
don't know what their plans are down there。 After Friday
they may let me cool for several weeks； and they may rush
me。 I suppose it depends somewhat on how things go Fri…
day afternoon。〃
〃Oh； they'll go fast enough！ That's better suited to
your voice than anything you've sung here。 That gives
you every opportunity I've waited for。〃 Ottenburg
crossed the room and standing beside her began to play
〃DU BIST DER LENZ。〃
With a violent movement Thea caught his wrists and
pushed his hands away from the keys。
〃Fred； can't you be serious？ A thousand things may
happen between this and Friday to put me out。 Some…
thing will happen。 If that part were sung well； as well as
it ought to be； it would be one of the most beautiful things
in the world。 That's why it never is sung right； and never
will be。〃 She clenched her hands and opened them de…
spairingly； looking out of the open window。 〃It's inac…
cessibly beautiful！〃 she brought out sharply。
Fred and Dr。 Archie watched her。 In a moment she
turned back to them。 〃It's impossible to sing a part like
that well for the first time； except for the sort who will
never sing it any better。 Everything hangs on that first
night； and that's bound to be bad。 There you are；〃 she
shrugged impatiently。 〃For one thing； they change the
cast at the eleventh hour and then rehearse the life out of
me。〃
Ottenburg put down his cup with exaggerated care。
〃Still； you really want to do it； you know。〃
〃Want to？〃 she repeated indignantly； 〃of course I want
to！ If this were only next Thursday night But between
now and Friday I'll do nothing but fret away my strength。
Oh； I'm not saying I don't need the rehearsals！ But I
don't need them strung out through a week。 That sys…
tem's well enough for phlegmatic singers； it only drains
me。 Every single feature of operatic routine is detri…
mental to me。 I usually go on like a horse that's been
fixed to lose a race。 I have to work hard to do my worst；
let alone my best。 I wish you could hear me sing well；
once；〃 she turned to Fred defiantly； 〃I have； a few times
in my life； when there was nothing to gain by it。〃
Fred approached her again and held out his hand。 〃I
recall my instructions； and now I'll leave you to fight it out
with Archie。 He can't possibly represent managerial stu…
pidity to you as I seem to have a gift for doing。〃
As he smiled down at her； his good humor； his good
wishes； his understanding； embarrassed her and recalled
her to herself。 She kept her seat； still holding his hand。
〃All the same； Fred； isn't it too bad； that there are so
many things〃 She broke off with a shake of the head。
〃My dear girl； if I could bridge over the agony between
now and Friday for you But you know the rules of the
game； why torment yourself？ You saw the other night
that you had the part under your thumb。 Now walk； sleep；
play with Archie； keep your tiger hungry； and she'll spring
all right on Friday。 I'll be there to see her； and there'll be
more than I； I suspect。 Harsanyi's on the Wilhelm der
Grosse； gets in on Thursday。〃
〃Harsanyi？〃 Thea's eye lighted。 〃I haven't seen him
for years。 We always miss each other。〃 She paused； hesi…
tating。 〃Yes； I should like that。 But he'll be busy； may…
be？〃
〃He gives his first concert at Carnegie Hall； week after
next。 Better send him a box if you can。〃
〃Yes； I'll manage it。〃 Thea took his hand again。 〃Oh；
I should like that； Fred！〃 she added impulsively。 〃Even
if I were put out； he'd get the idea；〃she threw back
her head；〃for there is an idea！〃
〃Which won't penetrate here；〃 he tapped his brow and
began to laugh。 〃You are an ungrateful huzzy； COMME LES
AUTRES！〃
Thea detained him as he turned away。 She pulled a
flower out of a bouquet on the piano and absently drew
the stem through the lapel of his coat。 〃I shall be walking
in the Park to…morrow afternoon； on the reservoir path；
between four and five； if you care to join me。 You know
that after Harsanyi I'd rather please you than anyone else。
You know a lot； but he knows even more than you。〃
〃Thank you。 Don't try to analyze it。 SCHLAFEN SIE
WOHL！〃 he kissed her fingers and waved from the door；
closing it behind him。
〃He's the right sort； Thea。〃 Dr。 Archie looked warmly
after his disappearing friend。 〃I've always hoped you'd
make it up with Fred。〃
〃Well； haven't I？ Oh； marry him； you mean！ Perhaps
it may come about； some day。 Just at present he's not
in the marriage market any more than I am； is he？〃
〃No； I suppose not。 It's a damned shame that a man
like Ottenburg should be tied up as he is； wasting all the
best years of his life。 A woman with general paresis ought
to be legally dead。〃
〃Don't let us talk about Fred's wife； please。 He had no
business to get
