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And then old Cap Harris thought he could drive his car
and me through a lamp…post and I was laid up with a com…
pound fracture for two months。 So I didn't get to see
Thea。〃
Ottenburg studied the red end of his cigarette attentively。
〃She might have come out to see you。 I remember you
covered the distance like a streak when she wanted you。〃
Archie moved uneasily。 〃Oh； she couldn't do that。 She
had to get back to Vienna to work on some new parts for
this year。 She sailed two days after the New York season
closed。〃
〃Well； then she couldn't； of course。〃 Fred smoked his
cigarette close and tossed the end into the fire。 〃I'm tre…
mendously glad you're going now。 If you're stale； she'll
jack you up。 That's one of her specialties。 She got a rise
out of me last December that lasted me all winter。〃
〃Of course；〃 the doctor apologized； 〃you know so much
more about such things。 I'm afraid it will be rather wasted
on me。 I'm no judge of music。〃
〃Never mind that。〃 The younger man pulled himself
up in his chair。 〃She gets it across to people who aren't
judges。 That's just what she does。〃 He relapsed into his
former lassitude。 〃If you were stone deaf； it wouldn't all
be wasted。 It's a great deal to watch her。 Incidentally；
you know； she is very beautiful。 Photographs give you no
idea。〃
Dr。 Archie clasped his large hands under his chin。 〃Oh；
I'm counting on that。 I don't suppose her voice will sound
natural to me。 Probably I wouldn't know it。〃
Ottenburg smiled。 〃You'll know it； if you ever knew it。
It's the same voice； only more so。 You'll know it。〃
〃Did you； in Germany that time； when you wrote me？
Seven years ago； now。 That must have been at the very
beginning。〃
〃Yes； somewhere near the beginning。 She sang one of
the Rhine daughters。〃 Fred paused and drew himself up
again。 〃Sure； I knew it from the first note。 I'd heard a
good many young voices come up out of the Rhine； but；
by gracious； I hadn't heard one like that！〃 He fumbled
for another cigarette。 〃Mahler was conducting that night。
I met him as he was leaving the house and had a word with
him。 ‘Interesting voice you tried out this evening；' I
said。 He stopped and smiled。 ‘Miss Kronborg； you mean？
Yes； very。 She seems to sing for the idea。 Unusual in a
young singer。' I'd never heard him admit before that a
singer could have an idea。 She not only had it； but she got
it across。 The Rhine music； that I'd known since I was a
boy； was fresh to me； vocalized for the first time。 You
realized that she was beginning that long story； adequately；
with the end in view。 Every phrase she sang was basic。
She simply WAS the idea of the Rhine music。〃 Ottenburg
rose and stood with his back to the fire。 〃And at the end；
where you don't see the maidens at all； the same thing
again： two pretty voices AND the Rhine voice。〃 Fred
snapped his fingers and dropped his hand。
The doctor looked up at him enviously。 〃You see； all
that would be lost on me；〃 he said modestly。 〃I don't
know the dream nor the interpretation thereof。 I'm out of
it。 It's too bad that so few of her old friends can appreciate
her。〃
〃Take a try at it；〃 Fred encouraged him。 〃You'll get
in deeper than you can explain to yourself。 People with no
personal interest do that。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Archie diffidently； 〃that college Ger…
man； gone to seed； wouldn't help me out much。 I used to
be able to make my German patients understand me。〃
〃Sure it would！〃 cried Ottenburg heartily。 〃Don't be
above knowing your libretto。 That's all very well for
musicians； but common mortals like you and me have got
to know what she's singing about。 Get out your dictionary
and go at it as you would at any other proposition。 Her
diction is beautiful； and if you know the text you'll get a
great deal。 So long as you're going to hear her； get all
that's coming to you。 You bet in Germany people know
their librettos by heart！ You Americans are so afraid of
stooping to learn anything。〃
〃I AM a little ashamed；〃 Archie admitted。 〃I guess
that's the way we mask our general ignorance。 However；
I'll stoop this time； I'm more ashamed not to be able to
follow her。 The papers always say she's such a fine ac…
tress。〃 He took up the tongs and began to rearrange the
logs that had burned through and fallen apart。 〃I suppose
she has changed a great deal？〃 he asked absently。
〃We've all changed； my dear Archie；she more than
most of us。 Yes； and no。 She's all there； only there's a
great deal more of her。 I've had only a few words with her
in several years。 It's better not； when I'm tied up this
way。 The laws are barbarous； Archie。〃
〃Your wife isstill the same？〃 the doctor asked
sympathetically。
〃Absolutely。 Hasn't been out of a sanitarium for seven
years now。 No prospect of her ever being out； and as long
as she's there I'm tied hand and foot。 What does society
get out of such a state of things； I'd like to know； except
a tangle of irregularities？ If you want to reform； there's
an opening for you！〃
〃It's bad； oh； very bad； I agree with you！〃 Dr。 Archie
shook his head。 〃But there would be complications under
another system； too。 The whole question of a young man's
marrying has looked pretty grave to me for a long while。
How have they the courage to keep on doing it？ It de…
presses me now to buy wedding presents。〃 For some time
the doctor watched his guest； who was sunk in bitter reflec…
tions。 〃Such things used to go better than they do now；
I believe。 Seems to me all the married people I knew when
I was a boy were happy enough。〃 He paused again and bit
the end off a fresh cigar。 〃You never saw Thea's mother；
did you； Ottenburg？ That's a pity。 Mrs。 Kronborg was a
fine woman。 I've always been afraid Thea made a mistake；
not coming home when Mrs。 Kronborg was ill； no matter
what it cost her。〃
Ottenburg moved about restlessly。 〃She couldn't；
Archie； she positively couldn't。 I felt you never under…
stood that； but I was in Dresden at the time； and though
I wasn't seeing much of her； I could size up the situation
for myself。 It was by just a lucky chance that she got to
sing ELIZABE