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wait。〃
Ottenburg placed the cover quickly on the chafing…dish
and took a step backward。 〃You did； old sport？ My word！
None but the brave deserve the fair。 Well；〃he stooped
to turn the wine；〃and how was she？〃
〃She seemed rather dazed； and pretty well used up。 She
seemed disappointed in herself； and said she hadn't done
herself justice in the balcony scene。〃
〃Well； if she didn't； she's not the first。 Beastly stuff to
sing right in there； lies just on the ‘break' in the voice。〃
Fred pulled a bottle out of the ice and drew the cork。
Lifting his glass he looked meaningly at Archie。 〃You
know who； doctor。 Here goes！〃 He drank off his glass
with a sigh of satisfaction。 After he had turned the lamp
low under the chafing…dish； he remained standing； looking
pensively down at the food on the table。 〃Well； she
rather pulled it off！ As a backer； you're a winner； Archie。
I congratulate you。〃 Fred poured himself another glass。
〃Now you must eat something； and so must I。 Here； get
off that bird cage and find a steady chair。 This stuff ought
to be rather good； head waiter's suggestion。 Smells all
right。〃 He bent over the chafing…dish and began to serve
the contents。 〃Perfectly innocuous： mushrooms and truf…
fles and a little crab…meat。 And now； on the level； Archie；
how did it hit you？〃
Archie turned a frank smile to his friend and shook his
head。 〃It was all miles beyond me； of course； but it gave
me a pulse。 The general excitement got hold of me； I sup…
pose。 I like your wine； Freddy。〃 He put down his glass。
〃It goes to the spot to…night。 She WAS all right； then？
You weren't disappointed？〃
〃Disappointed？ My dear Archie； that's the high voice
we dream of； so pure and yet so virile and human。 That
combination hardly ever happens with sopranos。〃 Otten…
burg sat down and turned to the doctor； speaking calmly
and trying to dispel his friend's manifest bewilderment。
〃You see； Archie； there's the voice itself； so beautiful and
individual； and then there's something else； the thing in it
which responds to every shade of thought and feeling；
spontaneously； almost unconsciously。 That color has to
be born in a singer； it can't be acquired； lots of beautiful
voices haven't a vestige of it。 It's almost like another
giftthe rarest of all。 The voice simply is the mind and
is the heart。 It can't go wrong in interpretation； because it
has in it the thing that makes all interpretation。 That's
why you feel so sure of her。 After you've listened to her
for an hour or so； you aren't afraid of anything。 All the
little dreads you have with other artists vanish。 You lean
back and you say to yourself； ‘No； THAT voice will never be…
tray。' TREULICH GEFUHRT； TREULICH BEWACHT。〃
Archie looked envyingly at Fred's excited； triumphant
face。 How satisfactory it must be； he thought； to really
know what she was doing and not to have to take it on
hearsay。 He took up his glass with a sigh。 〃I seem to
need a good deal of cooling off to…night。 I'd just as lief
forget the Reform Party for once。
〃Yes； Fred；〃 he went on seriously； 〃I thought it
sounded very beautiful； and I thought she was very
beautiful； too。 I never imagined she could be as beautiful
as that。〃
〃Wasn't she？ Every attitude a picture； and always the
right kind of picture； full of that legendary； supernatural
thing she gets into it。 I never heard the prayer sung like
that before。 That look that came in her eyes； it went right
out through the back of the roof。 Of course； you get an
ELSA who can look through walls like that； and visions and
Grail…knights happen naturally。 She becomes an abbess；
that girl； after LOHENGRIN leaves her。 She's made to live
with ideas and enthusiasms； not with a husband。〃 Fred
folded his arms； leaned back in his chair； and began to
sing softly：
〃Doesn't she die； then； at the end？〃 the doctor asked
guardedly。
Fred smiled； reaching under the table。 〃Some ELSAS do；
she didn't。 She left me with the distinct impression that
she was just beginning。 Now； doctor； here's a cold one。〃
He twirled a napkin smoothly about the green glass； the
cork gave and slipped out with a soft explosion。 〃And now
we must have another toast。 It's up to you； this time。〃
The doctor watched the agitation in his glass。 〃The
same；〃 he said without lifting his eyes。 〃That's good
enough。 I can't raise you。〃
Fred leaned forward； and looked sharply into his face。
〃That's the point； how COULD you raise me？ Once again！〃
〃Once again； and always the same！〃 The doctor put
down his glass。 〃This doesn't seem to produce any symp…
toms in me to…night。〃 He lit a cigar。 〃Seriously； Freddy；
I wish I knew more about what she's driving at。 It makes
me jealous； when you are so in it and I'm not。〃
〃In it？〃 Fred started up。 〃My God； haven't you seen
her this blessed night？when she'd have kicked any
other man down the elevator shaft； if I know her。 Leave
me something； at least what I can pay my five bucks for。〃
〃Seems to me you get a good deal for your five bucks；〃
said Archie ruefully。 〃And that； after all； is what she cares
about；what people get。〃
Fred lit a cigarette； took a puff or two； and then threw it
away。 He was lounging back in his chair； and his face was
pale and drawn hard by that mood of intense concentration
which lurks under the sunny shallows of the vineyard。 In
his voice there was a longer perspective than usual； a slight
remoteness。 〃You see； Archie； it's all very simple； a natu…
ral development。 It's exactly what Mahler said back there
in the beginning； when she sang WOGLINDE。 It's the idea；
the basic idea； pulsing behind every bar she sings。 She
simplifies a character down to the musical idea it's built on；
and makes everything conform to that。 The people who
chatter about her being a great actress don't seem to get
the notion of where SHE gets the notion。 It all goes back to
her original endowment； her tremendous musical talent。
Instead of inventing a lot of business and expedients to
suggest character； she knows the thing at the root； and lets
the musical pattern take c