the ways of men-第16部分

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losely　packed　parquet　and　first　balcony。

Third；　and　last；　come　the　lovers　of　music；　who　mostly　inhabit　　greater　altitudes。

The　motive　of　the　typical　box…owner　is　simple。　　Her　night　at　　the　opera　is　the　excuse　for　a　cosy　little　dinner；　one　woman　　friend　（two　would　spoil　the　effect　of　the　box）　and　four　men；　　without　counting　the　husband；　who　appears　at　dinner；　but　　rarely　goes　further。　　The　pleasant　meal　and　the　subsequent　　smoke　are　prolonged　until　9　or　9。30；　when　the　men　are　finally　　dragged　murmuring　from　their　cigars。　　If　she　has　been　　fortunate　and　timed　her　arrival　to　correspond　with　an　　ENTR'ACTE；　my　lady　is　radiant。　　The　lights　are　up；　she　can　see　　who　are　present；　and　the　public　can　inspect　her　toilet　and　　jewels　as　she　settles　herself　under　the　combine　d　gaze　of　the　　house；　and　proceeds　to　hold　an　informal　reception　for　the　rest　　of　the　evening。　　The　men　she　has　brought　with　her　quickly　cede　　their　places　to　callers；　and　wander　yawning　in　the　lobby　or　　invade　the　neighboring　boxes　and　add　their　voices　to　the　　general　murmur。

Although　there　is　much　less　talking　than　formerly；　it　is　the　　toleration　of　this　custom　at　all　by　the　public　that　indicates　　（along　with　many　other　straws）　that　we　are　not　a　music…loving　　people。　　Audible　conversation　during　a　performance　would　not　　be　allowed　for　a　moment　by　a　Continental　audience。　　The　little　　visiting　that　takes　place　in　boxes　abroad　is　done　during　the　　ENTR'ACTES；　when　people　retire　to　the　salons　back　of　their　　LOGES　to　eat　ices　and　chat。　　Here　those　little　parlors　are　　turned　into　cloak…rooms；　and　small　talk　goes　on　in　many　boxes　　during　the　entire　performance。　　The　joke　or　scandal　of　the　day　　is　discussed；　strangers　in　town；　or　literary　and　artistic　　lights　…　〃freaks；〃　they　are　discriminatingly　called　…　are　　pointed　out；　toilets　passed　in　review；　and　those　dreadful　two　　hours　passed　which；　for　some　undiscovered　reason；　must　elapse　　between　a　dinner　and　a　dance。　　If　a　favorite　tenor　is　singing；　　and　no　one　happens　to　be　whispering　nonsense　over　her　　shoulder；　my　lady　may　listen　in　a　distrait　way。　　It　is　not　　safe；　however；　to　count　on　prolonged　attention　or　ask　her　　questions　about　the　performance。　　She　is　apt　to　be　a　bit　hazy　　as　to　who　is　singing；　and　with　the　exception　of　FAUST　and　　CARMEN；　has　rudimentary　ideas　about　plots。　　Singers　come　and　　go；　weep；　swoon；　or　are　killed；　without　interfering　with　her　　equanimity。　　She　has；　for　instance；　seen　the　HUGUENOTS　and　the　　RHEINGOLD　dozens　of　times；　but　knows　no　more　why　Raoul　is　　brought　blindfolded　to　Chenonceaux；　or　what　Wotan　and　Erda　say　　to　each　other　in　their　interminable　scenes；　than　she　does　of　　the　contents　of　the　Vedas。　　For　the　matter　of　that；　if　three　　or　four　principal　airs　were　suppressed　from　an　opera　and　the　　scenery　and　costumes　changed；　many　in　that　chattering　circle　　would；　I　fear；　not　know　what　they　were　listening　to。

Last　winter；　when　Melba　sang　in　AIDA；　disguised　by　dark　hair　　and　a　brown　skin；　a　lady　near　me　vouchsafed　the　opinion　that　　the　〃little　black　woman　hadn't　a　bad　voice；〃　a　gentleman　（to　　whom　I　remarked　last　week　〃that　as　Sembrich　had　sung　Rosina　in　　the　BARBER；　it　was　rather　a　shock　to　see　her　appear　as　that　　lady's　servant　in　the　MARIAGE　DE　FIGARO〃）　looked　his　blank　　amazement　until　it　was　explained　to　him　that　one　of　those　　operas　was　a　continuation　of　the　other。　　After　a　pause　he　　remarked；　〃They　are　not　by　the　same　composer；　anyway！　　Because　　the　first's　by　Rossini；　and　the　MARIAGE　is　by　Bon　Marche。　　　I've　been　at　his　shop　in　Paris。〃

The　presence　of　the　second　category　…　the　would…be　fashionable　　people　…　is　not　so　easily　accounted　for。　　Their　attendance　can　　hardly　be　attributed　to　love　of　melody；　as　they　are；　if　　anything；　a　shade　less　musical　than　the　box…dwellers；　who；　by　　the　bye；　seem　to　exercise　an　irresistible　fascination；　to　　judge　by　the　trend　of　conversation　and　direction　of　glasses。　　　Although　an　imposing　and　sufficiently　attentive　throng；　it　　would　be　difficult　to　find　a　less　discriminating　public　than　　that　which　gathers　nightly　in　the　Metropolitan　parterre。　　One　　wonders　how　many　of　those　people　care　for　music　and　how　many　　attend　because　it　is　expensive　and　〃swell。〃

They　will　listen　with　the　same　bland　contentment　to　either　bad　　or　good　performances　so　long　as　a　world…renowned　artist　（some　　one　who　is　being　paid　a　comfortable　little　fortune　for　the　　evening）　is　on　the　stage。　　The　orchestra　may　be　badly　led　（it　　often　is）；　the　singers　may　flat　…　or　be　out　of　voice；　the　　performance　may　go　all　at　sixes　and　sevens　…　there　is　never　a　　murmur　of　dissent。　　Faults　that　would　set　an　entire　audience　　at　Naples　or　Milan　hissing　are　accepted　herewith　ignorant　　approval。

The　unfortunate　part　of　it　is　that　this　weakness　of　ours　has　　become　known。　　The　singers　feel　they　can　give　an　American　　audience　any　slipshod　performance。　　I　have　seen　a　favorite　　soprano　shrug　her　shoulders　as　she　entered　her　dressing…room　　and　exclaim：　〃MON　DIEU！　　How　I　shuffled　through　that　act！　　　They'd　have　hooted　me　off　the　stage　in　Berlin；　but　here　no　one　　seems　to　care。　　Did　you　notice　the　baritone　to…night？　　He　　wasn't　on　the　key　once　during　our　duo。　　I　cannot　sing　my　best；　　try　as　I　will；　when　I　hear　the　public　applauding　good　and　bad　　alike！〃

It　is　strange　that　our　pleasure…loving　rich　people　should　have　　hit　on　the　opera　as　a　favorite　haunt。　　We　and　the　English　are　　the　only　race　who　will　attend　performances　in　a　foreign　　language　which　we　don't　understand。　　How　can　intelligent　　people　who　don't　care　for　music　go　on；　season　after　season；　　listening　to　operas；　the　plots　of　which　they　ignore；　and　which　　in　their　hearts　they　find　dull？

Is　it　so　very　amusing　to　watch　two　middle…aged　ladies　nagging　　each　other；　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　on　a　public　square；　　as　they　do　in　LOHENGRIN？　　Do　people　find　the　lecture　that　　Isolde's　husband　delivers　to　the　guilty　lovers　entertaining？　　　Does　an　opera　produce　any　illusion　on　my　neighbors？　　I　wish　it　　did　on　me！　　I　see　too　plainly　the　paint　on　the　singers'　hot　　faces　and　the　cords　straining　in　their　tired　throats！　　I　sit　　on　certain　nights　in　agony；　fearing　to　see　stout　Romeo　roll　on　　the　stage　in　apoplexy！　　The　sopranos；　too；　have　a　way；　when　　about　to　emit　a　roulade；　that　is　more　suggestive　of　a　　dentist's　chair；　and　the　attendant　gargle；　than　of　a　love　　phrase。

When　two　celebrities　combine　in　a　final　duo；　facing　the　public　　and　not　each　other；　they　give　the　impression　of　victims　whom　　an　unseen　inquisitor　is　torturing。　　Each　turn　of　his　screw　　draws　out　a　wilder　cry。　　The　orchestra　（in　the　pay　of　the　　demon）　does　all　it　can　to　prevent　their　shrieks　from　reaching　　the　public。　　The　lovers　in　turn　redouble　their　efforts；　they　　are　purple　in　the　face　and　glistening　with　perspiration。　　　Defeat；　they　know；　is　before　them；　for　the　orchestra　has　the　　greater　staying　power！　　The　flutes　bleat；　the　trombones　grunt；　　the　fiddles　squeal；　an　epileptic　leader　cuts　wildly　into　the　　air　about　him。　　When；　finally；　their　strength　exhausted；　the　　breathless　human　beings；　with　one　last　ear…piercing　note；　give　　up　the　struggle　and　retire；　the　public；　excited　by　the　unequal　　contest；　bursts　into　thunders　of　applause。

Why　wouldn't　it　be　a　good　idea；　in　order　to　avoid　these　　painful　exhibitions；　to　have　an　arrangement　of　screens；　with　　the　singing　people　behind　and　a　company　of　young　and　　attractive　pantomimists　going　through　the　gestures　and　　movements　in　front？　　Otherwise；　how　can　the　most　imaginative　　natures　lose　themselves　at　an　opera？　　Even　when　the　singers　　are　comely；　there　is　always　that　eternal　double　row　of　stony…　faced　witnesses　in　full　view；　whom　no　crimes　astonish　and　no　　misfortunes　melt。　　It　takes　most　of　the　poetry　out　of　Faust's　　first　words　with　Marguerite；　to　have　that　short　interview　　interrupted　by　a　line　of　old；　weary　women　shouting；　〃Let　us　　whirl　in　the　waltz　o'er　the　mount　and　the　plain！〃　　Or　when　　Scotch　Lucy　appears　in　a　smart　tea…gown　and　is　good　enough　to　　perform　difficult　exercises　before　a　half…circle　of　Italian　　gentlemen　in　pantalets　and　ladies　in　court　costumes；　does　she　　give　any　one　the　illusion　of　an　abandoned　wife　dying　of　a　　broken　heart　alone　in　the　Highlands？　　Broken　heart；　indeed！　　　It's　much　more　likely　she'll　die　of　a　ruptured　blood…vessel！

Philistines　in　matters　musical；　like　myself；　unfortunate　　mortals　whom　the　sweetest　sounds　fail　to　enthrall　when　　connected　with　no　memory　or　idea；　or　when　prolonged　beyond　a　　limited　period；　must　approach　the　third　group　with　hesitation　　and　awe。　　That　they　are　sincere；　is　evident。　　The　rapt　　expressions　of　their　faces；　and　their　patience；　bear　testimony　　to　this　fact。　　For　a　long　time　I　asked　myself；　〃Where　have　I　　seen　that　intense；　absorbed　attitude　before？〃　　Suddenly　one　　evening　another　scene　rose　in　my　memory。

Have　you　ever　visited　Tangiers？　　In　the　market…place　of　that　　city　you　will　find　the　inhabitants　crouched　by　hundreds　around　　their　native　musicians。　　When　we　were　there；　one　old　duffer　…　　the　Wagner；　doubtless；　of　the　place　…　was　having　an　immense　　success。　　No　matter　at　what　hour　of　the　day　we　passed　through　　that　square；　there　was　always　the　same　spellbound　circle　of　　half…clad　Turks　and　Arabs　squatting　silent　while　〃Wagner〃　　tinkled　to　them　on　a　three…stringed　lute　and　chanted　in　a　　high…pitched；　dismal　whine　…　like　the　squeaking　of　an　　unfastened　door　in　the　wind。　　At　times；　for　no　apparent　　reason；　the　never…varying；　never…ending　measure　would　be　　interrupted　by　a　flutter　of　applause；　but　his　audience　　remained　mostly　sunk　in　a　hypnotic　apathy。　　I　never　see　a　　〃Ring〃　audience　now　without　thinking　of　that　scene　outside　the　　Bab…el…Marsa　gate；　which　has　led　me　to　ask　different　people　　just　what　sensations　serious　music　produced　upon　them。　　The　　answers　have　been　varied　and　interesting。　　One　good　lady　who　　rarely　misses　a　German　opera　confessed　that　sweet　sounds　acted　　upon　her　like　opium。　　Neither　scenery　nor　acting　nor　plot　were　　of　any　importance。　　From　the　first　notes　of　the　overture　to　　the　end；　she　floated　in　an　ecstatic　dream；　oblivious　of　time　　and　place。　　When　it　was　over　she　came　back　to　herself　faint　　with　fatigue。　　Another　professed　lover　of　Wagner　said　that　his　　greatest　pleasure　was　in　following　the　different　〃motives〃　as　　they　recurred　in　the　music。　　My　fai