The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-30
CHAPTER XIV.
TIE GREAT MARIANA,


The next night was the last of the
opera season, and the prima donna who
had attained such unexampIcd popular
ity with the New York public was to
bid them farewell in the same charac-
ter in which she had made their ac-
quaintance the Gretchen of Faust"
She had intended to spend the day as
much as possible IN solitude; she wished
to think-to work into her mind and ar
range the throng of ideas that were
crowiling one another there: to review
what was past. to contemplate what
might be to come. But it all turned
out differently. She was allowed no re-
posc from morning till night.
There was a multitude of petty mat
tevs to attend to, many people to see;
at another time much of this might
have seemed to her of no little impor-
tance: but now all passed before her like
troublesome dream, and when night
came she could not have given q clear
account Of anything that had happened.
There had been an unexpected and pain
tul scene with Madame Bemax. who had
fallen INTO u sort of frenzy, and graspsd
the skirts Ut Beatrix's dress, and poured
forth long md revolving story about
the wrongs she had endured from IIaInil-
ton Jocclyn; had ended by calling her
self II wretch, and declaring that unless
Beatrix pardoned her she would kill her
self.
Beatrix pa-,loned her Immediately,
with only a confused understanding of
what she was pardoning 6ier for; but she
could see that the woman was in great
distress of mind. and that was some
thing she could sympathize with. She
had seen Ed and her father and Wallie
Dinsmore; there had been great deal
of discussion and some disputing, end
ing apparently in sOrr of conditional
reconciliation: but she had been unable
to keep her attention fixed on the sub
.ject long enough mt u time to compre-
hend the bearings of it. She had also
seen lingo, who was in an agitated frame
of mind, jumping up from his chair and
sitting down again twenty times, asking
questions which he tried to answer him
self, talking about his reputation, about
his fidelity 10 his contracts, about his
financial liberality and abont Mile. Ma
rama, whom he alternately abused and
praised, and between whom and Beatrix
he seemed anxious to bring about an in
tsrview. Beatrix was willing, exen
desirOus, that the interview should take
place; but nothing of the sort happened,
and the inference was that Mile. Mariana
mast have declined.
Altogether the evening fell ominously
But as Beatrix drove to the theatre in a
covered sleigh kind of calmness, almost
happiness, came over her. These regular
meetings with her audiences had grown
to be an indescribable resource and sup.
port to her. They enabled her to throw
aside herself and her affairs: to appeal
from the narrow and interested circle of
her private friends and enemies to the
vast, impersonal, careless, good hrmored
world of the public, who loved aud ap-
plauded her artistic self, and knew and
cared nothing about her real thoughts
and existence. How would it be when
this resource no longer remained to her?
She put that question aside, and the por-
ter at the stage entrance, who attached
great Importance to the smile of greet
ing he received each evening from the
diva, reported on this occasion that the
dear lady had seemed to be in especially
good spirits. Moreover she had slipped