Evening star., 1940-01-07
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE,

THIS WE
oolored topaz. He paused thoughtfully before
he answered.
my dear, am not sure do it for you"
Rupert" she cried. "Then why"
He put up his long, pale hand. please my
DEAR l am not quite finished. am perfec-
ZIONIST - and your voice is something which
can be made perfect. So few things can."
She had pouted little: For you think
am only an attachment to nice voice."
"A great voice, my dear" he corrected her
gently, "a very great voice"
She was so stung by this that she was cruel.
She wanted to hurt him.
IF loved you," she said, Il would be
jealous of my own voice. would never sing
again, 50 that you could not bear it any more.
and then you would look at me - me-
0UT his quiet eyes did not light. Their gaze,
amused, cool, seemed to float above her head.
Il am glad then that Il shall hear your voice
many times. he said.
Suddenly he began to speak in the abrupt
fashion which meant he had business in mind.
my dear. have decided that Dostin has done
all he can for your voice. You are to have a
holiday of month, and then you are going to
Anigo Tonelli for six months"
But Tonelli never takes pupils!'
He will take you," he replied.
Those months with Tonelli had finished the
teaching. "Now you are the worlds supreme
soprano" Tonelli told her. GO out and sing,
my bird. 1t is your whole duty"
His eyes had been misted with tears. To sing,
to sing - it was her whole duty
Suddenly she turned to Rupert. who stood
there leaning on his stick, and put her head
upon his hard narrow breast. He folded an arm
about her gently and held her. Then he spoke -
to Tonelli: This moment is triumph signor
- for a perfectionist."
She lifted her head. Though she did not love
either of these men, she felt drawn into closer
union than she had ever before known with
human beings. They stood together, creatures
of a common spirit. And then, as he always did,
Rupert put the moment away when he had
savored it. Run along and fetch your things,
my dear. have some matters of business with
Signor Tonelli."
But she left the door of the dressing room
open - heard scraps of his business.
How many years =" she heard Rupert
ask. and AT what age retirement -" he asked
again. She laughed silently at Rupert. Why,
she was going to sing forever!
So she had begun that procession of song
by which she had linked one city to another
in glorious golden chain, ending after five
brilliant seasons in New York.
Rupert had prepared her very carefully for
America: my dear, no falling in love! They
do not like it. Something serious. like marriage,
is all right, but not love-"
She had made little face at him. perhaps
you had better marry me. then," she said
saucily She saw his steady eyes flicker. They
seemed to darken and his lips, always 50 COM
posed beneath his short mustache parted and
quivered.
Il am joking, Rupert" she said hastily.
He put his hand to his mouth and after
second answered her: Quite, he said.
1t was not too hard to obey Rupert's warn
ing because the men in America, as she found.
were very shy much more ready to worship
a woman they adored than to love her. And
for worship one needed to promise no return.
Such a relief" dowagers said to each other,
'to find n Il ,o1co h.<~o