the pit-第5部分

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le　world。〃

But　the　orchestra　was　returning；　the　musicians　crawling　out　one　by　one　from　a　little　door　beneath　the　stage　hardly　bigger　than　the　entrance　of　a　rabbit　hutch。　They　settled　themselves　in　front　of　their　racks；　adjusting　their　coat…tails；　fingering　their　sheet　music。　　Soon　they　began　to　tune　up；　and　a　vague　bourdon　of　many　soundsthe　subdued　snarl　of　the　cornets；　the　dull　mutter　of　the　bass　viols；　the　liquid　gurgling　of　the　flageolets　and　wood…wind　instruments；　now　and　then　pierced　by　the　strident　chirps　and　cries　of　the　violins；　rose　into　the　air　dominating　the　incessant　clamour　of　conversation　that　came　from　all　parts　of　the　theatre。

Then　suddenly　the　house　lights　sank　and　the　foot…lights　rose。　　From　all　over　the　theatre　came　energetic　whispers　of　〃Sh！　Sh！〃　Three　strokes；　as　of　a　great　mallet；　sepulchral；　grave；　came　from　behind　the　wings；　the　leader　of　the　orchestra　raised　his　baton；　then　brought　it　slowly　down；　and　while　from　all　the　instruments　at　once　issued　a　prolonged　minor　chord；　emphasised　by　a　muffled　roll　of　the　kettle…drum；　the　curtain　rose　upon　a　mediaeval　public　square。　　The　soprano　was　seated　languidly　upon　a　bench。　　Her　_grande　scene_　occurred　in　this　act。　　Her　hair　was　un…bound；　she　wore　a　loose　robe　of　cream　white；　with　flowing　sleeves；　which　left　the　arms　bare　to　the　shoulder。　At　the　waist　it　was　caught　in　by　a　girdle　of　silk　rope。

〃This　is　the　great　act；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Cressler；　leaning　over　Laura's　shoulder。　　〃She　is　superb　later　on。　　Superb。〃

〃I　wish　those　_men_　would　stop　talking；〃　murmured　Laura；　searching　the　darkness　distressfully；　for　between　the　strains　of　the　music　she　had　heard　the　words：

〃Clearing　House　balance　of　three　thousand　dollars。〃

Meanwhile　the　prima　donna；　rising　to　her　feet；　delivered　herself　of　a　lengthy　recitative；　her　chin　upon　her　breast；　her　eyes　looking　out　from　under　her　brows；　an　arm　stretched　out　over　the　footlights。　　The　baritone　entered；　striding　to　the　left　of　the　footlights；　apostrophising　the　prima　donna　in　a　rage。　She　clasped　her　hands　imploringly；　supplicating　him　to　leave　her；　exclaiming　from　time　to　time：


　　　　　〃Ya　via；　va　via　　　　　　Vel　chieco　per　pieta。〃


Then　all　at　once；　while　the　orchestra　blared；　they　fell　into　each　other's　arms。

〃Why　do　they　do　that？〃　murmured　Aunt　Wess'　perplexed。　〃I　thought　the　gentleman　with　the　beard　didn't　like　her　at　all。〃

〃Why；　that's　the　duke；　don't　you　see；　Aunt　Wess'？〃　said　Laura　trying　to　explain。　　〃And　he　forgives　her。　　I　don't　know　exactly。　　Look　at　your　libretto。〃

〃a　conspiracy　of　the　Bears　。。。　　seventy　cents　。。。　and　naturally　he　busted。〃

The　mezzo…soprano；　the　confidante　of　the　prima　donna；　entered；　and　a　trio　developed　that　had　but　a　mediocre　success。　　At　the　end　the　baritone　abruptly　drew　his　sword；　and　the　prima　donna　fell　to　her　knees；　chanting：


　　　　　〃Io　tremo；　ahime！〃


〃And　now　he's　mad　again；〃　whispered　Aunt　Wess'；　consulting　her　libretto；　all　at　sea　once　more。　　〃I　can't　understand。　　She　saysthe　opera　book　_says_　she　says；　'I　tremble。'　I　don't　see　why。〃

〃Look　now；〃　said　Page；　〃here　comes　the　tenor。　　Now　they're　going　to　have　it　out。〃

The　tenor；　hatless；　debouched　suddenly　upon　the　scene；　and　furious；　addressed　himself　to　the　baritone；　leaning　forward；　his　hands　upon　his　chest。　　Though　the　others　sang　in　Italian；　the　tenor；　a　Parisian；　used　the　French　book　continually；　and　now　villified　the　baritone；　crying　out：


　　　　　〃O　traitre　infame　　　　　　　O　lache　et　coupable〃


〃I　don't　see　why　he　don't　marry　the　young　lady　and　be　done　with　it；〃　commented　Aunt　Wess'。

The　act　drew　to　its　close。　　The　prima　donna　went　through　her　〃great　scene；〃　wherein　her　voice　climbed　to　C　in　alt；　holding　the　note　so　long　that　Aunt　Wess'　became　uneasy。　　As　she　finished；　the　house　rocked　with　applause；　and　the　soprano；　who　had　gone　out　supported　by　her　confidante；　was　recalled　three　times。　　A　duel　followed　between　the　baritone　and　tenor；　and　the　latter；　mortally　wounded；　fell　into　the　arms　of　his　friends　uttering　broken；　vehement　notes。　　The　chorus　made　up　of　the　city　watch　and　town's　peoplecrowded　in　upon　the　back　of　the　stage。　　The　soprano　and　her　confidante　returned。　　The　basso；　a　black…bearded；　bull　necked　man；　sombre；　mysterious；　parted　the　chorus　to　right　and　left；　and　advanced　to　the　footlights。　　The　contralto；　dressed　as　a　boy；　appeared。　　The　soprano　took　stage；　and　abruptly　the　closing　scene　of　the　act　developed。

The　violins　raged　and　wailed　in　unison；　all　the　bows　moving　together　like　parts　of　a　well…regulated　machine。　The　kettle…drums；　marking　the　cadences；　rolled　at　exact　intervals。　　The　director　beat　time　furiously；　as　though　dragging　up　the　notes　and　chords　with　the　end　of　his　baton；　while　the　horns　and　cornets　blared；　the　bass　viols　growled；　and　the　flageolets　and　piccolos　lost　themselves　in　an　amazing　complication　of　liquid　gurgles　and　modulated　roulades。

On　the　stage　every　one　was　singing。　　The　soprano　in　the　centre；　vocalised　in　her　highest　register；　bringing　out　the　notes　with　vigorous　twists　of　her　entire　body；　and　tossing　them　off　into　the　air　with　sharp　flirts　of　her　head。　　On　the　right；　the　basso；　scowling；　could　be　heard　in　the　intervals　of　the　music　repeating


　　　　　〃Il　perfido；　l'ingrato〃


while　to　the　left　of　the　soprano；　the　baritone　intoned　indistinguishable；　sonorous　phrases；　striking　his　breast　and　pointing　to　the　fallen　tenor　with　his　sword。　At　the　extreme　left　of　the　stage　the　contralto；　in　tights　and　plush　doublet；　turned　to　the　audience；　extending　her　hands；　or　flinging　back　her　arms。　　She　raised　her　eyebrows　with　each　high　note；　and　sunk　her　chin　into　her　ruff　when　her　voice　descended。　　At　certain　intervals　her　notes　blended　with　those　of　the　soprano's　while　she　sang：


　　　　　〃Addio；　felicita　del　ciel！〃


The　tenor；　raised　upon　one　hand；　his　shoulders　supported　by　his　friends；　sustained　the　theme　which　the　soprano　led　with　the　words：


　　　　　〃Je　me　meurs　　　　　　　Ah　malheur　　　　　　　Ah　je　souffre　　　　　　　Mon　ame　s'envole。〃


The　chorus　formed　a　semi…circle　just　behind　him。　　The　women　on　one　side；　the　men　on　the　other。　　They　left　much　to　be　desired；　apparently　scraped　hastily　together　from　heaven　knew　what　sources；　after　the　manner　of　a　management　suddenly　become　economical。　　The　women　were　fat；　elderly；　and　painfully　homely；　the　men　lean；　osseous；　and　distressed；　in　misfitting　hose。　　But　they　had　been　conscientiously　drilled。　　They　made　all　their　gestures　together；　moved　in　masses　simultaneously；　and；　without　ceasing；　chanted　over　and　over　again：


　　　　　〃O　terror；　O　blasfema。〃


The　_finale_　commenced。　　Everybody　on　the　stage　took　a　step　forward；　beginning　all　over　again　upon　a　higher　key。　　The　soprano's　voice　thrilled　to　the　very　chandelier。　　The　orchestra　redoubled　its　efforts；　the　director　beating　time　with　hands；　head；　and　body。


　　　　　〃Il　perfido；　l'ingrato〃


thundered　the　basso。


　　　　　〃Ineffabil　mistero；〃


answered　the　baritone；　striking　his　breast　and　pointing　with　his　sword；　while　all　at　once　the　soprano's　voice；　thrilling　out　again；　ran　up　an　astonishing　crescendo　that　evoked　veritable　gasps　from　all　parts　of　the　audience；　then　jumped　once　more　to　her　famous　C　in　alt；　and　held　it　long　enough　for　the　chorus　to　repeat


　　　　　〃O　terror；　O　blasfema〃


four　times。

Then　the　director's　baton　descended　with　the　violence　of　a　blow。　　There　was　a　prolonged　crash　of　harmony；　a　final　enormous　chord；　to　which　every　voice　and　every　instrument　contributed。　　The　singers　struck　tableau　attitudes；　the　tenor　fell　back　with　a　last　wail：


　　　　　〃Je　me　meurs；〃


and　the　soprano　fainted　into　the　arms　of　her　confidante。　　The　curtain　fell。

The　house　roared　with　applause。　　The　scene　was　recalled　again　and　again。　　The　tenor；　scrambling　to　his　feet；　joined　hands　with　the　baritone；　soprano；　and　other　artists；　and　all　bowed　repeatedly。　　Then　the　curtain　fell　for　the　last　time；　the　lights　of　the　great　chandelier　clicked　and　blazed　up；　and　from　every　quarter　of　the　house　came　the　cries　of　the　programme　sellers：

〃Opera　books。　　Books　of　the　opera。　　Words　and　music　of　the　opera。〃

During　this；　the　last　_entr'acte；_　Laura　remained　in　the　box　with　Mrs。　Cressler；　Corthell；　and　Jadwin。　　The　others　went　out　to　look　down　upon　the　foyer　from　a　certain　balcony。

In　the　box　the　conversation　turned　upon　stage　management；　and　Corthell　told　how；　in　〃L'Africaine；〃　at　the　Opera；　in　Paris；　the　entire　superstructure　of　the　stagewings；　drops；　and　backsturned　when　Vasco　da　Gama　put　the　ship　about。　　Jadwin　having　criticised　the　effect　because　none　of　the　actors　turned　with　it；　was　voted　a　Philistine　by　Mrs。　Cressler　and　Corthell。　　But　as　he　was　about　to　answer；　Mrs。　Cressler　turned　to　the　artist；　passing　him　her　opera　glasses；　and　asking：

〃Who　are　those　people　down　there　in　the　third　row　of　the　parquetsee；　on　the　middle　aislethe　woman　is　in　red。　　Aren't　those　the　Gretrys？〃

This　left　Jadwin　and　Laura　out　of　the　conversation；　and　the　capitalist　was　quick　to　seize　the　chance　of　talking　to　her。　　Soon　she　was　surprised　to　notice　that　he　was　trying　hard　to　be　agreeable；　and　before　they　had　exchanged　a　dozen　sentences；　he　had　turned　an　awkward　compliment。　　She　guessed　by　his　manner　that　paying　attention　to　young　girls　was　for　him　a　thing　altogether　unusual。　　Intuitively　she　divined　that　she；　on　this；　the　very　first　night　of　their　acquaintance；　had　suddenly　interested　him。

She　had　had　neither　opportunity　nor　inclination　to　observe　him　closely　during　their　interview　in　the　vestibule；　but　now；　as　she　sat　and　listened　to　him　talk；　she　could　not　help　being　a　little　attracted。　　He　was　a　heavy…built　man；　would　have　made　two　of　Corthell；　and　his　hands　were　large　and　broad；　the　hands　of　a　man　of　affairs；　who　knew　how　to　grip；　and；　above　all；　how　to　hang　on。　　Those　broad；　strong　hands；　and　keen；　calm　eyes　would　enfold　and　envelop　a　Purpose　with　tremendous　strength；　and　they　would　persist　and　persist　and　persist；　unswerving；　unwavering；　untiring；　till　the　Purpose　was　driven　home。　　And　the　two　long；　lean；　fibrous　arms　of　him；　what　a　reach　they　could　attain；　and　how　wide　and　huge　and　even　formidable　would　be　their　embrace　of　affairs。　　One　of　those　great　manoeuvres　of　a　fellow　money…captain　had　that　very　day　been　concluded；　the　Helmick　failure；　and　between　the　chords