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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