the price she paid-第64章

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e　five；　including　Hungarian；　and　when　one　swears　in　Hungarian　it　is　‘going　some；'　as　you　say　in　America。　　Yes；　it　is　going　quite　some。''

‘‘I　shall　wear　overshoes；''　said　Mildred。

‘‘And　indigestionyou　have　that？''

‘‘A　little；　I　guess。''

‘‘Muchmuch；　I　tell　you！''　cried　Moldini；　shaking　the　long　finger　at　her。　　‘‘You　Americans！　　You　eat　too　fast　and　you　eat　too　much。　　That　is　why　you　are　always　sick；　and　consulting　the　doctors　who　give　the　medicines　that　make　worse；　not　better。　　Yes；　you　Americans　are　like　children。　　You　know　nothing。　　Sing？　Americans　cannot　sing　until　they　learn　that　a　stomach　isn't　a　waste…basket；　to　toss　everything　into。　　You　have　been　to　that　throat　specialist；　Hicks？''

‘‘Ah；　yes；''　said　Mildred　brightening。　　‘‘He　said　there　was　nothing　organically　wrong。''

‘‘He　is　an　ass；　and　a　criminal。　　He　ruins　throats。　He　likes　to　cut；　and　he　likes　to　spray。　　He　sprays　those　poisons　that　relieve　colds　and　paralyze　the　throat　and　cords。　　Americans　sing？　　It　is　to　laugh！　　They　have　too　many　doctors；　they　take　too　many　pills。　　Do　you　know　what　your　national　emblem　should　be？　　A　dollar…　signyes。　　But　that　for　all　nations。　　No；　a　pilla　pill；　I　tell　you。　　You　take　pills？''

‘‘Now　and　then；''　said　Mildred；　laughing。　　‘‘I　admit　I　have　several　kinds　always　on　hand。''

‘‘You　see！''　cried　he　triumphantly。　　‘‘No；　it　is　not　mere　art　that　America　needs；　but　more　sense　about　eatingand　to　keep　away　from　the　doctors。　　People　full　of　pills；　they　cannot　make　poems　and　pictures；　and　write　operas　and　sing　them。　　Throw　away　those　pills；　dear　young　lady；　I　implore　you。''

‘‘Signor　Moldini；　I've　come　to　ask　you　to　help　me。''

Instantly　the　Italian　cleared　his　face　of　its　half…　humorous；　half…querulous　expression。　　In　its　place　came　a　grave　and　courteous　eagerness　to　serve　her　that　was　a　pleasure；　even　if　it　was　not　altogether　sincere。　　And　Mildred　could　not　believe　it　sincere。　　Why　should　he　care　what　became　of　her；　or　be　willing　to　put　himself　out　for　her？

‘‘You　told　me　one　day　that　you　had　at　one　time　taught　singing；''　continued　she。

‘‘Until　I　was　starved　out？''　replied　he。　　‘‘I　told　people　the　truth。　　If　they　could　not　sing　I　said　so。　　If　they　sang　badly　I　told　them　why；　and　it　was　always　the　upset　stomach；　the　foolish　food；　and　people　will　not　take　care　about　food。　　They　will　eat　what　they　please；　and　they　say　eating　is　good　for　them；　and　that　anyone　who　opposes　them　is　a　crank。　　So　most　of　my　pupils　left；　except　those　I　taught　for　nothingand　they　did　not　heed　me；　and　came　to　nothing。''

‘‘You　showed　me　in　ten　minutes　one　day　how　to　cure　my　worst　fault。　　I've　sung　better；　more　naturally　ever　since。''

‘‘You　could　sing　like　the　birds。　　You　doalmost。　You　could　be　taught　to　sing　as　freely　and　sweetly　and　naturally　as　a　flower　gives　perfume。　　That　is　YOUR　divine　gift；　young　lady　song　as　pure　and　fresh　as　a　bird's　song　raining　down　through　the　leaves　from　the　tree…top。''

‘‘I　have　no　money。　　I've　got　to　get　it；　and　I　shall　get　it；''　continued　Mildred。　　‘‘I　want　you　to　teach　me　at　any　hour　that　you　are　free。　　And　I　want　to　know　how　much　you　will　charge；　so　that　I　shall　know　how　much　to　get。''

‘‘Two　dollars　a　lesson。　　Or；　if　you　take　six　lessons　a　week；　ten　dollars。　　Those　were　my　terms。　　I　could　not　take　less。''

‘‘It　is　too　little；''　said　Mildred。　　‘‘The　poorest　kinds　of　teachers　get　five　dollars　an　hourand　teach　nothing。''

‘‘Two　dollars；　ten　dollars　a　week；''　replied　he。　　‘‘It　is　the　most　I　ever　could　get。　　I　will　not　take　more　from　you。''

‘‘It　is　too　little；''　said　she。　　‘‘But　I'll　not　insist　for　obvious　reasons。　　Now；　if　you'll　give　me　your　home　address；　I'll　go。　　When　I　get　the　money；　I'll　write　to　you。''

‘‘But　wait！''　cried　he；　as　she　rose　to　depart。　　‘‘Why　so　hurried？　　Let　us　see。　　Take　of　the　wrap。　　Step　be…　hind　the　screen　and　loosen　your　corset。　　Perhaps　even　you　could　take　it　off？''

‘‘Not　without　undressing；''　said　Mildred。　　‘‘But　I　can　do　that　if　it's　necessary。''　　She　laughed　queerly。　‘‘From　this　time　on　I'll　do　ANYTHING　that's　necessary。''

‘‘No；never　mind。　　The　dress　of　womanof　your　kind　of　women。　　It　is　not　serious。''　　He　laughed　grimly。　　‘‘As　for　the　other　kind；　their　dress　is　the　only　serious　thing　about　them。　　It　is　a　mistake　to　think　that　women　who　dress　badly　are　serious。　　My　experience　has　been　that　they　are　the　most　foolish　of　all。　　Fashionable　dressit　is　part　of　a　woman's　tools。　　It　shows　that　she　is　good　at　her　business。　　The　women　who　try　to　dress　like　men；　they　are　good　neither　at　men's　business　nor　at　women's。''

This；　while　Mildred　was　behind　the　screen；　loosening　her　corsetthough；　in　fact；　she　wore　it　so　loose　at　all　times　that　she　inconvenienced　herself　simply　to　show　her　willingness　to　do　as　she　was　told。　　When　she　came　out；　Moldini　put　her　through　a　rigid　physical　examination　made　her　breathe　while　he　held　one　hand　on　her　stomach；　the　other　on　her　back；　listened　at　her　heart；　opened　wide　her　throat　and　peered　down；　thrust　his　long　strong　fingers　deep　into　the　muscles　of　her　arms；　her　throat；　her　chest；　until　she　had　difficulty　in　not　crying　out　with　pain。

‘‘The　foundation　is　there；''　was　his　verdict。　　‘‘You　have　a　good　body；　good　muscles；　but　flabbya　lady's　muscles；　not　an　opera　singer's。　　And　you　are　stiff　not　so　stiff　as　when　you　first　came　here；　but　stiff　for　a　professional。　　Ah；　we　must　go　at　this　scientifically；　thoroughly。''

‘‘You　will　teach　me　to　breatheand　how　to　produce　my　voice　naturally？''

‘‘I　will　teach　you　nothing；''　replied　he。　　‘‘I　will　tell　you　what　to　do；　and　you　will　teach　yourself。　　You　must　get　strongstrong　in　the　supple　wayand　then　you　will　sing　as　God　intended。　　The　way　to　sing；　dear　young　lady；　is　to　sing。　　Not　to　breathe　artificially；　and　make　faces；　and　fuss　with　your　throat；　but　simply　to　drop　your　mouth　and　throat　open　and　let　it　out！''

Mildred　produced　from　her　hand…bag　the　Keith　paper。　　‘‘What　do　YOU　think　of　that？''　she　asked。

Presently　he　looked　up　from　his　reading。　　‘‘This　part　I　have　seen　before；''　said　he。　　‘‘It　is　Lucia　Rivi's。　Her　cousin；　Lotta　Drusini；　showed　it　to　meshe　was　a　great　singer　also。''

‘‘You　approve　of　it？''

‘‘If　you　will　follow　that　for　two　years；　faithfully；　you　will　be　securely　great；　and　then　you　will　follow　it　all　your　singing　lifeand　it　will　be　long。　　But　remember；　dear　young　lady；　I　said　IF　you　follow　it；　and　I　said　faithfully。　　I　do　not　believe　you　can。''

‘‘Why　not？''　said　Mildred。

‘‘Because　that　means　self…denial；　colossal　self…denial。　You　love　things　to　eatyes？''

Mildred　nodded。

‘‘We　all　do；''　said　Moldini。　　‘‘And　we　hate　routine；　and　we　like　foolish；　aimless　little　pleasures　of　all　kinds。''

‘‘And　it　will　be　two　years　before　I　can　try　grand　operacan　make　my　living？''　said　Mildred　slowly。

‘‘I　did　not　say　that。　　I　said；　before　you　would　be　great。　　No；　you　can　sing；　I　think；　inwait。''

Moldini　flung　rapidly　through　an　enormous　mass　of　music　on　a　large　table。　　‘‘Ah；　here！''　he　cried；　and　he　showed　her　a　manuscript　of　scales。　　‘‘Those　two　papers。　It　does　not　look　much？　　Well；　I　have　made　it　up；　myself。　　And　when　you　can　sing　those　two　papers　perfectly；　you　will　be　a　greater　singer　than　any　that　ever　lived。''　　He　laughed　delightedly。　　‘‘Yes；　it　is　all　therein　two　pages。　　But　do　not　weep；　dear　lady；　because　you　will　never　sing　them　perfectly。　　You　will　do　very　well　if　　Always　that　if；　remember！　　Now；　let　us　see。　　Take　this；　sit　in　the　chair；　and　begin。　　Don't　bother　about　me。　　I　expect　nothing。　　Just　do　the　best　you　can。''

Desperation；　when　it　falls　short　of　despair；　is　the　best　word　for　achievement。　　Mildred's　voice；　especially　at　the　outset；　was　far　from　perfect　condition。　　Her　high　notes；　which　had　never　been　developed　properly；　were　almost　bad。　　But　she　acquitted　herself　admirably　from　the　standpoint　of　showing　what　her　possibilities　were。　　And　Moldini；　unkempt；　almost　unclean；　but　as　natural　and　simple　and　human　a　soul　as　ever　paid　the　penalties　of　poverty　and　obscurity　and　friendlessness　for　being　natural　and　simple　and　human；　exactly　suited　her　peculiar　temperament。　　She　knew　that　he　liked　her；　that　he　believed　in　her；　she　knew　that　he　was　as　sympathetic　toward　her　as　her　own　self；　that　there　was　no　meanness　anywhere　in　him。　　So　she　sang　like　a　bird　a　bird　that　w