part 6-第13章

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of　them。　　Her　conceptions　are　colored　in　so　many　different



ways。　　You've　heard　her　ELIZABETH？　　Wonderful；　isn't　it？



She　was　working　on　that　part　years　ago　when　her　mother



was　ill。　　I　could　see　her　anxiety　and　grief　getting　more



and　more　into　the　part。　　The　last　act　is　heart…breaking。



It's　as　homely　as　a　country　prayer　meeting：　might　be



any　lonely　woman　getting　ready　to　die。　　It's　full　of　the



thing　every　plain　creature　finds　out　for　himself；　but　that



never　gets　written　down。　　It's　unconscious　memory；　maybe；



inherited　memory；　like　folk…music。　　I　call　it　personality。〃







　　　　　Fred　laughed；　and　turning　to　the　piano　began　coaxing



the　FRICKA　music　again。　　〃Call　it　anything　you　like；　my



boy。　　I　have　a　name　for　it　myself；　but　I　shan't　tell　you。〃



He　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　Landry；　stretched　out　by



the　fire。　　〃You　have　a　great　time　watching　her；　don't



you？〃







　　　　　〃Oh；　yes！〃　replied　Landry　simply。　　〃I'm　not　interested



in　much　that　goes　on　in　New　York。　　Now；　if　you'll　excuse



me；　I'll　have　to　dress。〃　　He　rose　with　a　reluctant　sigh。



〃Can　I　get　you　anything？　　Some　whiskey？〃







　　　　　〃Thank　you；　no。　　I'll　amuse　myself　here。　　I　don't　often



get　a　chance　at　a　good　piano　when　I'm　away　from　home。



You　haven't　had　this　one　long；　have　you？　　Action's　a　bit



stiff。　　I　say；〃　he　stopped　Landry　in　the　doorway；　〃has



Thea　ever　been　down　here？〃



















　　　　　Landry　turned　back。　　〃Yes。　　She　came　several　times



when　I　had　erysipelas。　　I　was　a　nice　mess；　with　two



nurses。　　She　brought　down　some　inside　window…boxes；



planted　with　crocuses　and　things。　　Very　cheering；　only　I



couldn't　see　them　or　her。〃







　　　　　〃Didn't　she　like　your　place？〃







　　　　　〃She　thought　she　did；　but　I　fancy　it　was　a　good　deal



cluttered　up　for　her　taste。　　I　could　hear　her　pacing　about



like　something　in　a　cage。　　She　pushed　the　piano　back



against　the　wall　and　the　chairs　into　corners；　and　she　broke



my　amber　elephant。〃　　Landry　took　a　yellow　object　some



four　inches　high　from　one　of　his　low　bookcases。　　〃You　can



see　where　his　leg　is　glued　on；a　souvenir。　　Yes；　he's



lemon　amber；　very　fine。〃







　　　　　Landry　disappeared　behind　the　curtains　and　in　a　moment



Fred　heard　the　wheeze　of　an　atomizer。　　He　put　the　amber



elephant　on　the　piano　beside　him　and　seemed　to　get　a　great



deal　of　amusement　out　of　the　beast。



























　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IX











　　　　　WHEN　Archie　and　Ottenburg　dined　with　Thea　on



Saturday　evening；　they　were　served　downstairs　in



the　hotel　dining…room；　but　they　were　to　have　their　coffee



in　her　own　apartment。　　As　they　were　going　up　in　the　ele…



vator　after　dinner；　Fred　turned　suddenly　to　Thea。　　〃And



why；　please；　did　you　break　Landry's　amber　elephant？〃







　　　　　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　res