the price she paid-第35章
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and earnest； hard work。 The Jennings singing lesson； at fifteen dollars a half…hour； was rather an expensive hypocrisy； but the women who used it as a cloak for idleness as utter as the mere yawners and bridgers and shoppers had rich husbands or fathers。
Thus it appears that the Jennings School was a perfect microcosm； as the scientists would say； of the human racethe serious very few； toiling more or less successfully toward a definite goal； the many； compelled to do something； and imagining themselves serious and purposeful as they toiled along toward nothing in par… ticular but the next lessonthat is； the next day's appointed task； the utterly idle； fancying themselves busy and important when in truth they were simply a fraud and an expense。
Jennings got very little from the deeply and genuinely serious。 One of them he taught free； taking promissory notes for the lessons。 But he held on to them because when they finally did teach themselves to sing and arrived at fame； his would be part of the gloryand glory meant more and more pupils of the paying kinds。 His large income came from the other two kinds of pupils； the larger part of it from the kind that had no seriousness in them。 His problem was how to keep all these paying pupils and also keep his reputation as a teacher。 In solving that problem he evolved a method that was the true Jennings's method。 Not in all New York； filled as it is with people living and living well upon the manipulation of the weaknesses of their fellow beingsnot in all New York was there an adroiter manipulator than Eugene Jennings。 He was harsh to brutality when he saw fit to be soor； rather； when he deemed it wise to be so。 Yet never had he lost a paying pupil through his harshness。 These were fashionable womenmost delicate； sensitive ladiesat whom he swore。 They wept； stayed on； advertised him as a ‘‘wonderful serious teacher who won't stand any nonsense and doesn't care a hang whether you stay or goand he can teach absolutely anybody to sing！'' He knew how to be gentle without seeming to be so； he knew how to flatter without uttering a single word that did not seem to be reluctant praise or savage criticism； he knew how to make a lady with a little voice work enough to make a showing that would spur her to keep on and on with him； he knew how to encourage a rich woman with no more song than a peacock until she would come to him three times a week for many yearsand how he did make her pay for what he suffered in listening to the hideous squawkings and yelpings she inflicted upon him！
Did Jennings think himself a fraud？ No more than the next human being who lives by fraud。 Is there any trade or profession whose practitioners； in the bottom of their hearts； do not think they are living excusably and perhaps creditably？ The Jennings theory was that he was a great teacher； that there were only a very few serious and worth…while seekers of the singing art； that in order to live and to teach these few； he had to receive the others； that； anyhow； singing was a fine art for anyone to have and taking singing lessons made the worst voice a little less bador； at the least； singing was splendid for the health。 One of his favorite dicta was； ‘‘Every child should be taught singing for its health； if for nothing else。'' And perhaps he was right！ At any rate； he made his forty to fifty thousand a yearand on days when he had a succession of the noisy； tuneless squawkers； he felt that he more than earned every cent of it。
Mildred did not penetrate far into the secret of the money…making branch of the Jennings method。 It was crude enough； too。 But are not all the frauds that fool the human race crude？ Human beings both cannot and will not look beneath surfaces。 All Mildred learned was that Jennings did not give up paying pupils。 She had not confidence enough in this discovery to put it to the test。 She did not dare disobey him or shirk even when she was most disposed to do so。 But gradually she ceased from that intense application she had at first brought to her work。 She kept up the forms。 She learned her lessons。 She did all that was asked。 She seemed to be toiling as in the beginning。 In reality； she became by the middle of spring a mere lesson…taker。 Her interest in clothes and in going about revived。 She saw in the newspapers that General Siddall had taken a party of friends on a yachting trip around the world； so she felt that she was no longer being searched for； at least not vigorously。 She became acquainted with smart； rich West Side women； taking lessons at Jennings's。 She amused herself going about with them and with the ‘‘musical'' men they attractedamateur and semi…professional singers and players upon instruments。 She drew Mrs。 Brindley into their society。 They had little parties at the flat in Fifty…ninth Streetthe most delightful little parties imaginabledinners and suppers； music； clever conversations； flirtations of a harmless but fascinating kind。 If anyone had accused Mildred of neglecting her work； of forgetting her career； she would have grown indignant； and if Mrs。 Brindley had overheard； she would have been indignant for her。 Mildred worked as much as ever。 She was making excellent progress。 She was doing all that could be done。 It takes time to develop a voice； to make an opera…singer。 Forcing is dangerous； when it is not downright useless。
In Maytoward the end of the monthStanley Baird returned。 Mildred； who happened to be in unusually good voice that day； sang for him at the Jennings studio； and he was enchanted。 As the last note died away he cried out to Jennings：
‘‘She's a wonder； isn't she？''
Jennings nodded。 ‘‘She's got a voice；'' said he。
‘‘She ought to go on next year。''
‘‘Not quite that；'' said Jennings。 ‘‘We want to get that upper register right first。 And it's a young voiceshe's very young for her age。 We must be careful not to strain it。''
‘‘Why； what's a voice for if not to sing with？'' said Stanley。
‘‘A fine voice is a very delicate instrument；'' replied the teacher。 He added coldly； ‘‘You must let me judge as to what shall be done。''
‘‘Certainly； certainly；'' said Stanley in haste。
‘‘She's had several colds this winter and spring；'' pursued Jennings。 ‘‘Those things are dangerous until the voice has its full growth。 She should have two months' complete rest。''
Jennings was going away for a two months' vacation。 He was giving this advice to all his pupils。
‘‘You're right；'' said Baird。 ‘‘Did you hear； Mildred？''
‘‘But I hate to stop work；'' objected Mildred。 ‘‘I want to be doing something。 I'm very impatient of this long wait。''
And honest she was in this protest。 She had no idea of the state of her own mind。 She fancied she was still as eager as ever for the career； as intensely interested as ever in her work。 She did not dream of the real meaning of her content with her voice as it was； of her lack of uneasiness over the appalling fact that such voice as she had was unreliable； came and went for no apparent reason。
‘‘Absolute rest for two months；'' declared Jennings grimly。 ‘‘Not a note until I return in August。''
Mildred gave a resigned sigh。
There is much inveighing against hypocrisy； a vice unsightly rather than desperately wicked。 And in the excitement about it its dangerous； even deadly near kinsman； self…deception； escapes unassailed。 Seven cardinal sins； but what of the eighth？the parent of all the others； the one beside which the children seem almost white？
During the first few weeks Mildred had been careful about spending money。 Economy she did not understand； how could she； when she had never had a lesson in it or a valuable hint about it？ So economy was impossible。 The only way in which such people can keep order in their finances is by not spending any money at all。 Mildred drew nothing； spent nothing。 This； so long as she gave her whole mind to her work。 But after the first great cold； so depressing； so subtly undermining； she began to go about； to think of； to need and to buy clothes； to spend money in a dozen necessary ways。 After all； she was simply borrowing the money。 Presently； she would be making a career； would be earning large sums。 She wou
