part 6-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
down so low that I couldn't help her none。 That's no way
to send a girl out。 But I guess； whatever there was； she
wouldn't be afraid to tell me now。〃 Mrs。 Kronborg
looked up at the photograph with a smile。 〃She doesn't
look like she was beholding to anybody； does she？〃
〃She isn't； Mrs。 Kronborg。 She never has been。 That
was why she borrowed the money from me。〃
〃Oh； I knew she'd never have sent for you if she'd done
anything to shame us。 She was always proud。〃 Mrs。
Kronborg paused and turned a little on her side。 〃It's
been quite a satisfaction to you and me； doctor； having
her voice turn out so fine。 The things you hope for don't
always turn out like that； by a long sight。 As long as old
Mrs。 Kohler lived； she used always to translate what it
said about Thea in the German papers she sent。 I could
make some of it out myself；it's not very different from
Swedish；but it pleased the old lady。 She left Thea her
piece…picture of the burning of Moscow。 I've got it put
away in moth…balls for her； along with the oboe her grand…
father brought from Sweden。 I want her to take father's
oboe back there some day。〃 Mrs。 Kronborg paused a
moment and compressed her lips。 〃But I guess she'll take
a finer instrument than that with her； back to Sweden！〃
she added。
Her tone fairly startled the doctor； it was so vibrating
with a fierce； defiant kind of pride he had heard often in
Thea's voice。 He looked down wonderingly at his old friend
and patient。 After all； one never knew people to the core。
Did she； within her； hide some of that still passion of
which her daughter was all…compact？
〃That last summer at home wasn't very nice for her；〃
Mrs。 Kronborg began as placidly as if the fire had never
leaped up in her。 〃The other children were acting…up
because they thought I might make a fuss over her and
give her the big…head。 We gave her the dare； somehow；
the lot of us； because we couldn't understand her changing
teachers and all that。 That's the trouble about giving the
dare to them quiet； unboastful children； you never know
how far it'll take 'em。 Well； we ought not to complain；
doctor； she's given us a good deal to think about。〃
The next time Dr。 Archie came to Moonstone； he came
to be a pall…bearer at Mrs。 Kronborg's funeral。 When he
last looked at her； she was so serene and queenly that he
went back to Denver feeling almost as if he had helped
to bury Thea Kronborg herself。 The handsome head in
the coffin seemed to him much more really Thea than did
the radiant young woman in the picture； looking about
at the Gothic vaultings and greeting the Hall of Song。
IV
ONE bright morning late in February Dr。 Archie was
breakfasting comfortably at the Waldorf。 He had got
into Jersey City on an early train； and a red； windy sunrise
over the North River had given him a good appetite。 He
consulted the morning paper while he drank his coffee and
saw that 〃Lohengrin〃 was to be sung at the opera that
evening。 In the list of the artists who would appear was
the name 〃Kronborg。〃 Such abruptness rather startled
him。 〃Kronborg〃： it was impressive and yet； somehow；
disrespectful； somewhat rude and brazen； on the back page
of the morning paper。 After breakfast he went to the hotel
ticket office and asked the girl if she could give him some…
thing for 〃Lohengrin；〃 〃near the front。〃 His manner was
a trifle awkward and he wondered whether the girl noticed
it。 Even if she did； of course； she could scarcely suspect。
Before the ticket stand he saw a bunch of blue posters
announcing the opera casts for the week。 There was
〃Lohengrin；〃 and under it he saw：
ELSA VON BRABANT 。 。 。 。 Thea Kronborg。
That looked better。 The girl gave him a ticket for a seat
which she said was excellent。 He paid for it and went out
to the cabstand。 He mentioned to the driver a number on
Riverside Drive and got into a taxi。 It would not； of
course； be the right thing to call upon Thea when she was
going to sing in the evening。 He knew that much； thank
goodness！ Fred Ottenburg had hinted to him that； more
than almost anything else； that would put one in wrong。
When he reached the number to which he directed his
letters； he dismissed the cab and got out for a walk。 The
house in which Thea lived was as impersonal as the
Waldorf； and quite as large。 It was above 116th Street；
where the Drive narrows； and in front of it the shelving
bank dropped to the North River。 As Archie strolled about
the paths which traversed this slope； below the street level；
the fourteen stories of the apartment hotel rose above him
like a perpendicular cliff。 He had no idea on which floor
Thea lived； but he reflected； as his eye ran over the many
windows； that the outlook would be fine from any floor。
The forbidding hugeness of the house made him feel as if
he had expected to meet Thea in a crowd and had missed
her。 He did not really believe that she was hidden away
behind any of those glittering windows； or that he was to
hear her this evening。 His walk was curiously uninspiring
and unsuggestive。 Presently remembering that Ottenburg
had encouraged him to study his lesson； he went down to
the opera house and bought a libretto。 He had even brought
his old 〃Adler's German and English〃 in his trunk； and
after luncheon he settled down in his gilded suite at the
Waldorf with a big cigar and the text of 〃Lohengrin。〃
The opera was announced for seven…forty…five； but at
half…past seven Archie took his seat in the right front of the
orchestra circle。 He had never been inside the Metropoli…
tan Opera House before； and the height of the audience
room； the rich color； and the sweep of the balconies were
not without their effect upon him。 He watched the house
fill with a growing feeling of expectation。 When the steel
curtain rose and the men of the orchestra took their places；
he felt distinctly nervous。 The burst of applause which
greeted the conductor keyed him still higher。 He found
that he had taken off his gloves and twisted them to a
string。 When the lights went down and the violins began
the overture； the place looked larger than ever； a great pit；
shadowy and solemn。 The whole atmosphere； he reflected；
was somehow more serious than he had anticipated。
After the curtains were drawn back upon the scene beside
the Scheldt； he got readily into the swing of the story。 He
was so much interested in the bass who sang KING HENRY
that he had almost forgotten for what he was waiting so
nervously； when the HERALD began in stentorian tones to
summon ELSA VON BRABANT。 Then he began to realize that
he was rather frightened。 There was a flutter of white at
the back of the stage； and women began to come in： two；
four； six； eight； but not the right one。 It flashed across
him that this was something like buck…fever； the paralyz…
ing moment that comes upon a man when his first elk
looks at him through the bushes； under its great antlers；
the moment when a man's mind is so full of shooting that
he forgets the gun in his hand until the buck nods adieu to
him from a distant hill。
All at once； before the buck had left him； she was there。
Yes； unquestionably it was she。 Her eyes were downcast；
but the head； the cheeks； the chinthere could be no
mistake； she advanced slowly； as if she were walking in
her sleep。 Some one spoke to her； she only inclined her
head。 He spoke again； and she bowed her head still lower。
Archie had forgotten his libretto； and he had not counted
upon these long pauses。 He had expected her to appear
and sing and reassure him。 They seemed to be waiting for
her。 Did she ever forget？ Why in thunder didn't she
She made a sound； a faint one。 The people on the stage
whispered together and seemed confounded。 His nervous…
ness was absurd。 She must have done this often before；
she knew her bearings。 She made another sound； but he
could make nothing of it。 Then the King sang to her； and
Archie began to rememb
