第85章

Mildred disdainfully fluttered the typewritten copy of the musical comedy.``This is child's play,'' said she.

``The lines are beneath contempt.As for the songs, you never heard such slop.''

``The stars in those pieces get four and five hundred, and more, a week,'' said Mrs.Belloc.``Believe me, those managers don't pay out any such sums for child's play.You look out.You're going at this wrong.''

``I shan't care if I do fail,'' said Mildred.

``Do you mean that?'' demanded Mrs.Belloc.

``No, I don't,'' said Mildred.``Oh, I don't know what I mean.''

``I guess you're just talking,'' said Mrs.Belloc after a reflective silence.``I guess a girl who goes and gets a good job, first crack out of the box, must have a streak of shrewdness.''

``I hope so,'' said Mildred doubtfully.

``I guess you'll work hard, all right.After you went out this morning, I took that paper down to Miss Blond.She's crazy about it.She wants to make a copy of it.I told her I'd ask you.''

``Certainly,'' said Mildred.

``She says she'll return it the same day.''

``Tell her she can keep it as long as she likes.''

Mrs.Belloc eyed her gravely, started to speak, checked herself.Instead, she said, ``No, I shan't do that.I'll have it back in your room by this evening.

You might change your mind, and want to use it.''

``Very well,'' said Mildred, pointedly uninterested and ignoring Mrs.Belloc's delicate but distinct emphasis upon ``might.''

Mrs.Belloc kept a suspicious eye upon her--an eye that was not easily deceived.The more she thought about Mildred's state of depression and disdain the more tolerant she became.That mood was the natural and necessary result of the girl's bringing up and mode of life.The important thing--and the wonderful thing --was her being able to overcome it.After a week of rehearsal she said: ``I'm making the best of it.But I don't like it, and never shall.''

``I should hope not,'' replied Mrs.Belloc.``You're going to the top.I'd hate to see you contented at the bottom.Aren't you learning a good deal that'll be useful later on?''

``That's why I'm reconciled to it,'' said she.``The stage director, Mr.Ransdell, is teaching me everything --even how to sing.He knows his business.''

Ransdell not only knew, but also took endless pains with her.He was a tall, thin, dark man, strikingly handsome in the distinguished way.So distinguished looking was he that to meet him was to wonder why he had not made a great name for himself.An extraordinary mind he certainly had, and an insight into the reasons for things that is given only to genius.He had failed as a composer, failed as a playwright, failed as a singer, failed as an actor.He had been forced to take up the profession of putting on dramatic and musical plays, a profession that required vast knowledge and high talents and paid for them in niggardly fashion both in money and in fame.Crossley owed to him more than to any other single element the series of successes that had made him rich; yet the ten thousand a year Crossley paid him was regarded as evidence of Crossley's lavish generosity and was so.It would have been difficult to say why a man so splendidly endowed by nature and so tireless in improving himself was thus unsuccessful.Probably he lacked judgment;indeed, that lack must have been the cause.He could judge for Crossley; but not for himself, not when he had the feeling of ultimate responsibility.

Mildred had anticipated the most repulsive associations--men and women of low origin and of vulgar tastes and of vulgarly loose lives.She found herself surrounded by simple, pleasant people, undoubtedly erratic for the most part in all their habits, but without viciousness.And they were hard workers, all.Ransdell --for Crossley--tolerated no nonsense.His people could live as they pleased, away from the theater, but there they must be prompt and fit.The discipline was as severe as that of a monastery.She saw many signs that all sorts of things of the sort with which she wished to have no contact were going on about her; but as she held slightly--but not at all haughtily--aloof, she would have had to go out of her way to see enough to scandalize her.She soon suspected that she was being treated with extraordinary consideration.This was by Crossley's orders.But the carrying out of their spirit as well as their letter was due to Ransdell.Before the end of that first week she knew that there was the personal element behind his admiration for her voice and her talent for acting, behind his concentrating most of his attention upon her part.He looked his love boldly whenever they were alone; he was always trying to touch her--never in a way that she could have resented, or felt like resenting.He was not unattractive to her, and she was eager to learn all he had to teach, and saw no harm in helping herself by letting him love.

Toward the middle of the second week, when they were alone in her dressing-room, he--with the ingenious lack of abruptness of the experienced man at the game --took her hand, and before she was ready, kissed her.

He did not accompany these advances with an outburst of passionate words or with any fiery lighting up of the eyes, but calmly, smilingly, as if it were what she was expecting him to do, what he had a right to do.

She did not know quite how to meet this novel attack.

She drew her hand away, went on talking about the part--the changes he had suggested in her entrance, as she sang her best solo.He discussed this with her until they rose to leave the theater.He looked smilingly down on her, and said with the flattering air of the satisfied connoisseur:

``Yes, you are charming, Mildred.I can make a great artist and a great success out of you.We need each other.''

``I certainly need you,'' said she gratefully.``How much you've done for me.''

``Only the beginning,'' replied he.``Ah, I have such plans for you--such plans.Crossley doesn't realize how far you can be made to go--with the right training.Without it--'' He shook his head laughingly.