Part 20 (1/2)

”She ought to start again with De Reszke,” said the musical critic, puffing out his fat cheeks and looking suddenly like a fish.

”Well, I must go down. It's getting late,” said Mrs. Mansfield.

”It isn't a real soprano,” said someone in a husky voice. ”It's a forced-up mezzo.”

Beneath them Millie Deans was standing by Mrs. s.h.i.+ffney, who was saying:

”Charming! No, I haven't heard _Crepe de Chine_. I don't care much for Fournier's music. He imitates the Russians. Such a pity! Are you really going back to-morrow? Good-bye, then! Now, Rades, be amiable! Give us _Enigme_.” Mr. Brett had disappeared.

”No, Mr. Elliot, it's no use talking to me, not a bit of use!” Millie Deans exclaimed vehemently in the hall as Rades began _Enigme_ in his most velvety voice. ”London has no taste, it has only fas.h.i.+ons. In Paris that man is not a singer at all. He is merely a _diseur_. No one would dream of putting him in a programme with me.”

”But, my dear Miss Deans, you knew he was singing to-night. And my programmes are always eclectic. There is no intention--”

”I don't know anything about eplectic,” said Millie Deans, whose education was one-sided, but who had temperament and talent, and also a very strong temper. ”But I do know that Mr. Brett, who seems to rule you all here, is as ignorant of music as--as a carp, isn't it? Isn't it, I say!”

”I daresay it is. But, my dear Miss Deans, people were delighted. You will come back, you--”

”Never! He means to keep me out. I can see it. He has that Dantini in his pocket. A woman with a voice like a dwarf in a gramophone!”

At this moment, perhaps fortunately, Miss Deans's hired electric brougham came up, and Max Elliot got rid of her.

Although she had lost her temper Miss Deans had not lost her shrewdness.

Mr. Brett shrugged his shoulders and confessed that the talent of Miss Deans did not appeal to him.

”Her singing bored me,” was the verdict of Mrs. s.h.i.+ffney.

And many of Max Elliot's guests found that they had been subject to a similar ennui when the American was singing.

”Poor woman!” thought Mrs. Mansfield, who was unprejudiced, and who, with Max Elliot and other genuine musicians, recognized the gifts of Miss Deans.

And again her mind went to Claude Heath.

”Better to keep out of it! Better to keep out of it!” a voice said within her.

And apparently Heath was of one mind with her on this matter.

As Mrs. Mansfield and Charmian were going away they met Mrs. s.h.i.+ffney in the hall with Ferdinand, who was holding her cloak.

”Oh, Charmian!” she said, turning quickly, with the cloak over one of her broad shoulders. ”I heard from Claude Heath to-day.”

”Did you?” said Charmian languidly, looking about her at the crowd.

”Yes. He can't come. His mother's got a cold and he doesn't like to leave her, or something. And he's working very hard on a composition that n.o.body is ever to hear. And--I forget what else. But there were four sides of excuses.”

She laughed.

”Poor boy! He hasn't much savoir-faire. Good-night! I'll let you know when we start.”

Her eyes pierced Charmian.

”Come, Ferdinand! No, you get in first. I hate being pa.s.sed and trodden on when once I'm in, and I take up so much room.”