the price she paid-第59章
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she was on the threshold of her chosen profession。 What a profession for such a person as she had always been！ She stood beside Moldini； seated at the piano。 She gazed at the darkness； somewhere in whose depths Crossley was hidden。 After several false starts she sang the ‘‘Batti Batti'' through； sang it atrociouslynot like a poor professional； but like a pretentious amateur； a reversion to a manner of singing she had once had； but had long since got rid of。 She paused at the end； appalled by the silence； by the awfulness of her own performance。
From the darkness a slight click。 If she had known！ for； it was Crossley's match…safe。
The sound； slight yet so clear； startled her； roused her。 She called out： ‘‘Mr。 Crossley； won't you please be patient enough to let me try that again？''
A brief hesitation； then： ‘‘Certainly。''
Once more she began。 But this time there was no hesitation。 From first to last she did it as Jennings had coached her； did it with all the beauty and energy of her really lovely voice。 As she ended； Moldini said in a quiet but intense undertone： ‘‘Bravo！ Bravo！ Fresh as a bird on a bright spring morning。'' And from the darkness came： ‘‘Ahthat's better； Miss Gower。 That was professional work。 Now for the other。''
Thus encouraged and with her voice well warmed； she could not but make a success of the song that was nearer to what would be expected of her in musical comedy。 Crossley called out： ‘‘Now； the sight singing； Moldini。 I don't expect you to do this well； Miss Gower。 I simply wish to get an idea of how you'd do a piece we have in rehearsal。''
‘‘You'll have no trouble with this；'' said Moldini； as he opened the comedy song upon the rack with a contemptuous whirl。 ‘‘It's the easy showy stuff that suits the tired business man and his laced…in wife。 Go at it and yell。''
Mildred glanced through it。 There was a subtle something in the atmosphere now that put her at her ease。 She read the words aloud； laughing at their silly sentimentality； she and Moldini and Crossley making jokes about it。 Soon she said： ‘‘I'm ready。''
She sang it well。 She asked them to let her try it again。 And the second time； with the words in her mind and the simple melody； she was able to put expression into it and to indicate； with restraint； the action。 Crossley came down the aisle。
‘‘What do you think； Mollie？'' he said to Moldini。
‘‘We might test her at a few rehearsals。''
Crossley meekly accepted the salutary check on his enthusiasm。 ‘‘Do you wish to try； Miss Gower？''
Mildred was silent。 She knew now the sort of piece in which she was to appear。 She had seen a few of them； those cheap and vulgar farces with their thin music； their more than dubious…looking people。 What a come…down！ What a degradation！ It was as bad in its way as being the wife of General Siddall。 And she was to do this； in preference to marrying Stanley Baird。
‘‘You will be paid； of course； during rehearsal； that is； as long as we are taking your time。 Fifty dollars a week is about as much as we can afford。'' Crossley was watching her shrewdly； was advancing these remarks in response to the hesitation he saw so plainly。 ‘‘Of course it isn't grand opera；'' he went on。 ‘‘In fact； it's pretty lowalmost as low as the public taste。 You see； we aren't subsidized by millionaires who want people to think they're artistic； so we have to hustle to separate the public from its money。 But if you make a hit； you can earn enough to put you into grand opera in fine style。''
‘‘I never heard of anyone's graduating from here into grand opera；'' said Mildred。
‘‘Because our stars make so much money and make it so easily。 It'll be your own fault if you don't。''
‘‘Can't I come to just one rehearsalto see whether I cancan do it？'' pleaded Mildred。
Crossley； made the more eager and the more superstitious by this unprecedented reluctance； shook his head。
‘‘No。 You must agree to stay as long as we want you；'' said he。 ‘‘We can't allow ourselves to be trifled with。''
‘‘Very well；'' said Mildred resignedly。 ‘‘I will rehearse as long as you want me。''
‘‘And will stay for the run of the piece； if we want that？'' said Crossley。 ‘‘You to get a hundred a week if you are put in the cast。 More； of course； if you make a hit。''
‘‘You mean I'm to sign a contract？'' cried Mildred in dismay。
‘‘Exactly；'' said Crossley。 A truly amazing performance。 Moldini was not astonished； however； for he had heard the songs； and he knew Crossley's difficulties through Estelle Howard's flight。 Also； he knew Crossley never so ‘‘weak and soft'' that he trifled with unlikely candidates for his productions。 Crossley had got up because he knew what to do and when to do it。
Mildred acquiesced。 Before she was free to go into the street again； she had signed a paper that bound her to rehearse for three weeks at fifty dollars a week and to stay on at a hundred dollars a week for forty weeks or the run of ‘‘The Full Moon；'' if Crossley so desired； if he did not； she was free at the end of the rehearsals。 A shrewdly one…sided contract。 But Crossley told himself he would correct it； if she should by some remote chance be good enough for the part and should make a hit in it。 This was no mere salve to conscience； by the way。 Crossley would not be foolish enough to give a successful star just cause for disliking and distrusting him and at the earliest opportunity leaving him to make money for some rival manager。
Mrs。 Belloc had not gone out； had been waiting in a fever of anxiety。 When Mildred came into her sitting… room with a gloomy face and dropped to a chair as if her last hope had abandoned her； it was all Agnes Belloc could do to restrain her tears。 Said she：
‘‘Don't be foolish； my dear。 You couldn't expect anything to come of your first attempt。''
‘‘That isn't it；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘I think I'll give it updo something else。 Grand opera's bad enough。 There were a lot of things about it that I was fighting my distaste for。''
‘‘I know；'' said Agnes。 ‘‘And you'd better fight them hard。 They're unworthy of you。''
‘‘Butmusical comedy！ It'sfrightful！''
‘‘It's an honest way of making a living； and that's more than can be said ofof some things。 I suppose you're afraid you'll have to wear tightsor some nonsense like that。''
‘‘No； no。 It's doing it at all。 Such rotten music and what a loathsome mess！''
Mrs。 Belloc's eyes flashed。 ‘‘I'm losing all patience！'' she cried。 ‘‘I know you've been brought up like a fool and always surrounded by fools。 I suppose you'd rather sell yourself to some man。 Do you know what's the matter with you； at bottom？ Why； you're lazy and you're a coward。 Too lazy to work。 And afraid of what a lot of cheap women'll saywomen earning their board and clothes in about the lowest way such a thing can be done。 Haven't you got any self… respect？''
Mildred rose。 ‘‘Mrs。 Belloc；'' she said angrily； ‘‘I can't permit even you to say such things to me。''
‘‘The shoe seems to fit；'' retorted Mrs。 Belloc。 ‘‘I never yet saw a lady； a real； silk…and…diamonds； sit…in… the…parlor lady； who had any self…respect。 If I had my way they wouldn't get a mouthful to eat till they had earned it。 That'd be a sure cure for the lady disease。 I'm ashamed of you； Miss Stevens！ And you're ashamed of yourself。''
‘‘Yes； I am；'' said Mildred； with a sudden change of mood。
‘‘The best thing you can do is to rest till lunch…time。 Then start out after lunch and hunt a job。 I'll go with you。''
‘‘But I've got a job；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘That's what's the matter。''
Agnes Belloc's jaw dropped and her rather heavy eyebrows shot up toward the low sweeping line of her auburn hair。 She made such a ludicrous face that Mildred laughed outright。 Said she：
‘‘It's quite time。 Fifty a week； for three weeks of rehearsal。 No doubt _I_ can go on if I like。 Nothing could be easier。''
‘‘Crossley？''
‘‘Yes。 He was very niceheard me sing three piecesand it was all settled。 I'm to begin to…morrow。''
The color rose in Agnes Belloc's face until she looked apoplectic。 She abruptly retreated to her bedroom。 After a few minutes she came back； her normal complexion restored。 ‘‘I couldn'
