part 6-第21节
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She got quickly into bed and moved about freely be…
tween the sheets。 Yes; she was warm all over。 A cold;
dry breeze was coming in from the river; thank goodness!
She tried to think about her little rock house and the Ari…
zona sun and the blue sky。 But that led to memories which
were still too disturbing。 She turned on her side; closed
her eyes; and tried an old device。
She entered her father's front door; hung her hat and
coat on the rack; and stopped in the parlor to warm her
hands at the stove。 Then she went out through the dining…
room; where the boys were getting their lessons at the long
table; through the sitting…room; where Thor was asleep in
his cot bed; his dress and stocking hanging on a chair。 In
the kitchen she stopped for her lantern and her hot brick。
She hurried up the back stairs and through the windy loft
to her own glacial room。 The illusion was marred only by
the consciousness that she ought to brush her teeth before
she went to bed; and that she never used to do it。 Why?
The water was frozen solid in the pitcher; so she got over
that。 Once between the red blankets there was a short;
fierce battle with the cold; then; warmerwarmer。 She
could hear her father shaking down the hard…coal burner
for the night; and the wind rushing and banging down the
village street。 The boughs of the cottonwood; hard as
bone; rattled against her gable。 The bed grew softer and
warmer。 Everybody was warm and well downstairs。 The
sprawling old house had gathered them all in; like a hen;
and had settled down over its brood。 They were all warm
in her father's house。 Softer and softer。 She was asleep。
She slept ten hours without turning over。 From sleep like
that; one awakes in shining armor。
On Friday afternoon there was an inspiring audience;
there was not an empty chair in the house。 Ottenburg
and Dr。 Archie had seats in the orchestra circle; got from
a ticket broker。 Landry had not been able to get a seat;
so he roamed about in the back of the house; where he
usually stood when he dropped in after his own turn in
vaudeville was over。 He was there so often and at such
irregular hours that the ushers thought he was a singer's
husband; or had something to do with the electrical
plant。
Harsanyi and his wife were in a box; near the stage;
in the second circle。 Mrs。 Harsanyi's hair was noticeably
gray; but her face was fuller and handsomer than in those
early years of struggle; and she was beautifully dressed。
Harsanyi himself had changed very little。 He had put on
his best afternoon coat in honor of his pupil; and wore a
pearl in his black ascot。 His hair was longer and more
bushy than he used to wear it; and there was now one
gray lock on the right side。 He had always been an elegant
figure; even when he went about in shabby clothes and
was crushed with work。 Before the curtain rose he was
restless and nervous; and kept looking at his watch and
wishing he had got a few more letters off before he left his
hotel。 He had not been in New York since the advent of
the taxicab; and had allowed himself too much time。 His
wife knew that he was afraid of being disappointed this
afternoon。 He did not often go to the opera because the
stupid things that singers did vexed him so; and it always
put him in a rage if the conductor held the tempo or in
any way accommodated the score to the singer。
When the lights went out and the violins began to
quaver their long D against the rude figure of the basses;
Mrs。 Harsanyi saw her husband's fingers fluttering on his
knee in a rapid tattoo。 At the moment when SIEGLINDE
entered from the side door; she leaned toward him and
whispered in his ear; 〃Oh; the lovely creature!〃 But he
made no response; either by voice or gesture。 Throughout
the first scene he sat sunk in his chair; his head forward
and his one yellow eye rolling restlessly and shining like a
tiger's in the dark。 His eye followed SIEGLINDE about the
stage like a satellite; and as she sat at the table listening to
SIEGMUND'S long narrative; it never left her。 When she
prepared the sleeping draught and disappeared after
HUNDING; Harsanyi bowed his head still lower and put
his hand over his eye to rest it。 The tenor;a young
man who sang with great vigor; went on:
〃WALSE! WALSE!
WO IST DEIN SCHWERT?〃
Harsanyi smiled; but he did not look forth again until
SIEGLINDE reappeared。 She went through the story of her
shameful bridal feast and into the Walhall' music; which
she always sang so nobly; and the entrance of the one…
eyed stranger:
〃MIR ALLEIN
WECKTE DAS AUGE。〃
Mrs。 Harsanyi glanced at her husband; wondering whether
the singer on the stage could not feel his commanding
glance。 On came the CRESCENDO:
〃WAS JE ICH VERLOR;
WAS JE ICH BEWEINT
WAR' MIR GEWONNEN。〃
(All that I have lost;
All that I have mourned;
Would I then have won。)
Harsanyi touched his wife's arm softly。
Seated in the moonlight; the VOLSUNG pair began their
loving inspection of each other's beauties; and the music
born of murmuring sound passed into her face; as the old
poet said;and into her body as well。 Into one lovely
attitude after another the music swept her; love impelled
her。 And the voice gave out all that was best in it。 Like
the spring; indeed; it blossomed into memories and prophe…
cies; it recounted and it foretold; as she sang the story of
her friendless life; and of how the thing which was truly
herself; 〃bright as the day; rose to the surface〃 when in
the hostile world she for the first time beheld her Friend。
Fervently she rose into the hardier feeling of action and
daring; the pride in hero…strength and hero…blood; until in
a splendid burst; tall and shining like a Victory; she chris…
tened him:
〃SIEGMUND
SO NENN ICH DICH!〃
Her impatience for the sword swelled with her antici…
pation of his act; and throwing her arms above her head;
she fairly tore a sword out of the empty air for him; before
NOTHUNG had left the tree。 IN HOCHSTER TRUNKENHEIT; in…
deed; she burst out with the flaming cry of their kinship:
〃If you are SIEGMUND; I am SIEGLINDE!〃 Laughing; sing…
ing; bounding; exulting;with their passion and their
sword;the VOLSUNGS ran out into the spring night。
As the curtain fell; Harsanyi turned to his wife。 〃At
last;〃 he sighed; 〃somebody with ENOUGH! Enough voice
and talent and beauty; enough physical power。 And such
a noble; noble style!〃
〃I can scarcely believe it; Andor。 I can see her now; that
clumsy girl; hunched up over your piano。 I can see her shoul…
ders。 She always seemed to labor so with her back。 And I
shall never forget that night when you found her voice。〃
The audience kept up its clamor until; after many re…
appearances with the tenor; Kronborg came before the cur…
tain alone。 The house met her with a roar; a greeting that
was almost savage in its fierceness。 The singer's eyes;
sweeping the house; rested for a moment on Harsanyi; and
she waved her long sleeve toward his box。
〃She OUGHT to be pleased that you are here;〃 said Mrs。
Harsanyi。 〃I wonder if she knows how much she owes to
you。〃
〃She owes me nothing;〃 replied her husband quickly。
〃She paid her way。 She always gave something back;
even then。〃
〃I remember you said once that she would do nothing
common;〃 said Mrs。 Harsanyi thoughtfully。
〃Just so。 She might fail; die; get lost in the pack。 But
if she achieved; it would be nothing common。 There are
people whom one can trust for that。 There is one way in
which they will never fail。〃 Harsanyi retired into his own
reflections。
After the second act Fred Ottenburg brought Archie
to the Harsanyis' box and introduced him as an old friend
of Miss Kronborg。 The head of a musical publishing house