part 6-第24章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
knee in a rapid tattoo。 At the moment when SIEGLINDE
entered from the side door； she leaned toward him and
whispered in his ear； 〃Oh； the lovely creature！〃 But he
made no response； either by voice or gesture。 Throughout
the first scene he sat sunk in his chair； his head forward
and his one yellow eye rolling restlessly and shining like a
tiger's in the dark。 His eye followed SIEGLINDE about the
stage like a satellite； and as she sat at the table listening to
SIEGMUND'S long narrative； it never left her。 When she
prepared the sleeping draught and disappeared after
HUNDING； Harsanyi bowed his head still lower and put
his hand over his eye to rest it。 The tenor；a young
man who sang with great vigor； went on：
〃WALSE！ WALSE！
WO IST DEIN SCHWERT？〃
Harsanyi smiled； but he did not look forth again until
SIEGLINDE reappeared。 She went through the story of her
shameful bridal feast and into the Walhall' music； which
she always sang so nobly； and the entrance of the one…
eyed stranger：
〃MIR ALLEIN
WECKTE DAS AUGE。〃
Mrs。 Harsanyi glanced at her husband； wondering whether
the singer on the stage could not feel his commanding
glance。 On came the CRESCENDO：
〃WAS JE ICH VERLOR；
WAS JE ICH BEWEINT
WAR' MIR GEWONNEN。〃
（All that I have lost；
All that I have mourned；
Would I then have won。）
Harsanyi touched his wife's arm softly。
Seated in the moonlight； the VOLSUNG pair began their
loving inspection of each other's beauties； and the music
born of murmuring sound passed into her face； as the old
poet said；and into her body as well。 Into one lovely
attitude after another the music swept her； love impelled
her。 And the voice gave out all that was best in it。 Like
the spring； indeed； it blossomed into memories and prophe…
cies； it recounted and it foretold； as she sang the story of
her friendless life； and of how the thing which was truly
herself； 〃bright as the day； rose to the surface〃 when in
the hostile world she for the first time beheld her Friend。
Fervently she rose into the hardier feeling of action and
daring； the pride in hero…strength and hero…blood； until in
a splendid burst； tall and shining like a Victory； she chris…
tened him：
〃SIEGMUND
SO NENN ICH DICH！〃
Her impatience for the sword swelled with her antici…
pation of his act； and throwing her arms above her head；
she fairly tore a sword out of the empty air for him； before
NOTHUNG had left the tree。 IN HOCHSTER TRUNKENHEIT； in…
deed； she burst out with the flaming cry of their kinship：
〃If you are SIEGMUND； I am SIEGLINDE！〃 Laughing； sing…
ing； bounding； exulting；with their passion and their
sword；the VOLSUNGS ran out into the spring night。
As the curtain fell； Harsanyi turned to his wife。 〃At
last；〃 he sighed； 〃somebody with ENOUGH！ Enough voice
and talent and beauty； enough physical power。 And such
a noble； noble style！〃
〃I can scarcely believe it； Andor。 I can see her now； that
clumsy girl； hunched up over your piano。 I can see her shoul…
ders。 She always seemed to labor so with her back。 And I
shall never forget that night when you found her voice。〃
The audience kept up its clamor until； after many re…
appearances with the tenor； Kronborg came before the cur…
tain alone。 The house met her with a roar； a greeting that
was almost savage in its fierceness。 The singer's eyes；
sweeping the house； rested for a moment on Harsanyi； and
she waved her long sleeve toward his box。
〃She OUGHT to be pleased that you are here；〃 said Mrs。
Harsanyi。 〃I wonder if she knows how much she owes to
you。〃
〃She owes me nothing；〃 replied her husband quickly。
〃She paid her way。 She always gave something back；
even then。〃
〃I remember you said once that she would do nothing
common；〃 said Mrs。 Harsanyi thoughtfully。
〃Just so。 She might fail； die； get lost in the pack。 But
if she achieved； it would be nothing common。 There are
people whom one can trust for that。 There is one way in
which they will never fail。〃 Harsanyi retired into his own
reflections。
After the second act Fred Ottenburg brought Archie
to the Harsanyis' box and introduced him as an old friend
of Miss Kronborg。 The head of a musical publishing house
joined them； bringing with him a journalist and the presi…
dent of a German singing society。 The conversation was
chiefly about the new SIEGLINDE。 Mrs。 Harsanyi was gra…
cious and enthusiastic； her husband nervous and uncom…
municative。 He smiled mechanically； and politely an…
swered questions addressed to him。 〃Yes； quite so。〃 〃Oh；
certainly。〃 Every one； of course； said very usual things
with great conviction。 Mrs。 Harsanyi was used to hearing
and uttering the commonplaces which such occasions de…
manded。 When her husband withdrew into the shadow；
she covered his retreat by her sympathy and cordiality。
In reply to a direct question from Ottenburg； Harsanyi
said； flinching； 〃ISOLDE？ Yes； why not？ She will sing all
the great roles； I should think。〃
The chorus director said something about 〃dramatic
temperament。〃 The journalist insisted that it was 〃ex…
plosive force；〃 〃projecting power。〃
Ottenburg turned to Harsanyi。 〃What is it； Mr。 Har…
sanyi？ Miss Kronborg says if there is anything in her；
you are the man who can say what it is。〃
The journalist scented copy and was eager。 〃Yes； Har…
sanyi。 You know all about her。 What's her secret？〃
Harsanyi rumpled his hair irritably and shrugged his
shoulders。 〃Her secret？ It is every artist's secret；〃he
waved his hand；〃passion。 That is all。 It is an open
secret； and perfectly safe。 Like heroism； it is inimitable
in cheap materials。〃
The lights went out。 Fred and Archie left the box as
the second act came on。
Artistic growth is； more than it is anything else； a refining
of the sense of truthfulness。 The stupid believe that to
be truthful is easy； only the artist； the great artist； knows
how difficult it is。 That afternoon nothing new came to
Thea Kronborg； no enlightenment； no inspiration。 She
merely came into full possession of things she had been
refining and perfecting for so long。 Her inhibitions chanced
to be fewer than usual； and； within herself； she entered
into the inheritance that she herself had laid up； into the
fullness of the faith she had kept before she knew its name
or its meaning。
Often when she sang； the best she had was unavailable；
she could not break through to it； and every sort of dis…
traction and mischance came between it and her。 But
this afternoon the closed roads opened； the gates dropped。
What she had so often tried to reach； lay under her hand。
She had only to touch an idea to make it live。
While she was on the stage she was conscious that every
movement was the right movement； that her body was
absolutely the instrument of her idea。 Not for
