SHORT STORY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 13

SHORT STORY.

THE COURT OPERA COUP,

(Br J. Si Willox; in "M.A.P.")

~She was the greatest, singer of this or any other age. V ■'■..■' ■.'•:• , ;

.They generally are, 'of , course, but it was her manager who. said so, and as he ■'was /really her;hnsband.,and- ...took :tho name of Blanc when Gavalo becamo famous—weU,'who better than he, should know?../ •,--, ■. :. '.•>. ..-■ - ■ •■.-•■■-.. -i

/Fortunately, the critics : , agreed with hini, : and .what one: calls the "music-lov-ing; public , ', flocked' to tho opera and .yelled."Encore.or "Bravo" or "Bis," according .to tho state of their musical .education. ■ ■ By the. middlo of the season.Cavalo ,had . become/'ftho fashion," and .she refused to appear at charity matinees Aunless.Boyalty.asked her after the'charming manner of Royalty in such matters, r One- may safely say,' therefore, ' that Madame Cavalo had London and the

Court, Opera, management at her feet, 'and ; on,the : .whole.she ■ treated them verv'-well, for she onlySkicked when "she-caught themanagement playing tricks over her finar .appearance,for .the.season.:/":;■> ,:. /..,.:;; [

....The.etory/begiris. really with'.two'other poople.at^the/Cri./-.They had-gone therb' , 4 or iil e . a ;a V a .head because, .as iietty... explained, you .always knewi-, the' 'worst before you.begari.' // ■'/;' •,-■■• ' ..:. .;;V'An'd/ Henry:;is;so/frightfully hard up, : poor, dear !;:. : Yon:-know, I /always have a guilty ..suspicion .that his eyes are watching me with frozen-horror when I tako n jfourth,eclair,'; I've: nevcr/.;darcd:to look,ifor I'do lpye./thein/po." ,".v .I-' ' J lforihough;Henry. was' pbor-and it .was f fv : -W disability "-that.- Betty's father objected : ;tp-^his'natural'honesty ;insisted.^on; tho paying of/,the .bill. Betty. about in the ivnv of. honesty; her :fancy- rioted 'in' all -sorts ot ingenious ways' fur'slipping out'-when .no.one/was /looking'.. But, at; the Cri. -.tner. could. , make 'a ,, leisurely/tea and ;i>etty : . could, eat ./eclairs ■ to'- her.: heart's content and without' violence' to> her con-' /science./ \' : :■>'■■):■'■ ■-'■:•■:. ..--.- •■.-.;..: -:-. ■ ■•■■■

. As was to be expected when-there were gathered ..together';tho,'-daughter of/ the Uurt ■ Opera's -.'manager.' aiid the iunibr/ partner, in a .concert agency, ■'■■ they ' talked music.■■-.■.- _ ■■•;■-.■■, ■:■■:-■: i ■-::■.,:.■.'■:..■ ■■ ■■.

-.Vv.Betty; skewered eclair- thoughtfuliy. ~ V a . Ya lo,ls ßinging-again on Thursday ■week." -,-;"r.-'- : ■■.■■•'•.■■.- ■ ■;••'■:■.■■'•'. ■'■"•.;■•- ■.-..-'

■'■■ S^t lo^ 0 . 11 np ™&"A surprised 'air.-/ ■'.';■ .vßut-.I; thought/last.- night/was 'billed' final.performance this'season," ..-: ••- /It was—until '.this; morning..■■ :Dad wired i asking'her. tbsing.ionce more, and ■at lunch, he got/her; reply agreeing to sing.on-Thursday;.; the,-, nineteenth, I 'thinkiif is.'•■'■■ "■--•..■■■■'■'• ••■■-.■i 1 .;..-.-. ■-.-. ■ .•;.-.■- -..-■

; Henry.;.put. down his/cup with an excited clatter.■/■■/■ •■":•■'. :-•'■ :■'/-';/'..,:,:.;.

':■; ,'lt|s;.nofc::public; is it?" ■eagerly.^;;,-- 1 -:' : . ,■;. ,;:, ,'•;','-.^- : ■■•■■-;,-■■. ,'.-.™ ,^: r N6 ; • -at.'■ least,- r l ; ;don't ; expect; it' will bo-before-to-morrow morning.' Why?" :;_ I have.an:idea, : "'he said briefly.: Then; afteri.a- pause. :.:'.',l''ou'ro'quite sure about , Cavalo?"; ■--. : .".■■,■-■.'.',-.'' -.■■,•:•.>'■-•. .:,'

-■..'• Betty nodded; yigbrously.' ' '■ ; "■'••" '■■'■ :Do,te.ll 'me." •:" :, A :'■-- /You .know that ;when Cavnlo sings at ; the. .Court- they .double the'prices ,, to : all parts pi'; the: house ?" .' Betty -nodded- again' well, .then, : if I: can take up all the-:, seats--that are;left for ; Thursday week- and. pay for them' at the usual rStesj. I?look; like clearing, a fair profit." - - ,- ;; Of courso.-I know.it's'not right,".Betry. conceded, , ."but'.ifi you. think- you•;could make onough.tb '• take me to' tea at Eumpelmeyoi'sV then, I'll ielp/ , •: .:.,.. ■;"I must.think it over,?"-said-kenry." ;. Betly: rosein a;flutter, leaving an' e'clair ; half-eaten.—sure sign of agitation: i' - ■' .■;'■■ "Como ; along!;: Let's' go and think : to'-' gother." ■..;■,• •■,, ■-.■■■■ -.■;■•.-■.. '.::. ; ■•■., ,v-■•■.;. ;-

,':■ Aftermuoli.'hesitaUon, Henryraked to.gother all;.the. money- .ji 6 ' cpvud lay his hands ion.,:, They ;.worked through every' .agent in, London, and.;in-an hour or so they'owned , all. the available seats in the:. Opera. for.-.Thursday, tho nineteenth. ' ."Ir.Bhall como a fearful cropper if 1 ■don't, pull it off,"' Henry remafed nervously.i But .Betty's confidence was not to;-be shaken, and 6he returned home radiant,,-' '-:;..' .-. ■ :.::::{- ; ; ;\.-. : :-. ■ '...- ! .: '. ,-::

rt It : was ; riot nntil ;:iate in '.the- , , after;iioon ■ that the agencies • woke up .to "the ■ fact that hero was a run on Court Opera seats'for-the, nineteenth, although no' performnnco had bfeir announced beyond theifour.teenth. For, half, , an hour the hox--offico at. the I Opera stood tho : strain of continuous telephoning; then the ckrk :scnt; hurriedly; for , the manager. •-.•.-' "■ '■■. ; "Have .you decided 'on wlat ■ we iiro putting :iip' on Thursday,week', J,tr' ; Watson?";he .wanted-' to -know. , '.". : .- '..'■- :\

"Toscn.'inth Cavalo;'. ItS. was' settled to-day."-. ;';■;■■ :'; '".'■':' ".- '_'-.; ■■ ; : . ■ ;.-

"Good Lord! For the last half-hour I've been selling: stoadily : for Thursday. week at the uaual.rates!" - r "-.-:"■ - : --'-'•".• ■•■. ;-. •

■ "-.Mr. , .Watson took oaths on his fair lips. "But I knew, nothing about it!" tho clerk protested.' "We haven't put up the prices for-anybody-'else,-and I understood Cavalo finished Inst night." '■-." ;' ■/■■:-. ;■■■■ : "It hasn't been announced!".-Sir. Watson stormed. "Nobody knows but Cavalo and myself;" ■■'. : .'-.;■ ;• '■.-.■'; ■''■• .- ;' .- "Then, , why this.rush for seats?" Tho telspHbire bell. rnng. furiously... "Look at that." ■ H« look, up the receiver ■■■ and spoke'in. that tired way peculiar' to peo- ; pie who uso the telephone frequently; "Well-? v.'. . .Yes. . .'■-. Yes. . ~ . The ninctoEiith... ... Hold the line, a minute," Ho put his hand, over the'-.mouthpiece. "There's.another!■'. What am I to-do?" .

' - The; 'manager thought '■ furiously' for several seconds!:. It was clear that someone hail'.got- wind of the, .extra.'Cavalo performance nnd ,was : quietly cornering the house.. \ "■■ ' -..- ; '■■■" :.'' ■. - K : ■■■■ ...' -

"Holdon a bit!" he said .briskly, and crossed tho hair to his office. Ho picked up.. his ■ private telephone.: .-.'.''.' ''Hello! . :. . Hello, .;giro.' me 04573 West." There was nu ; , interval of blank silence; then, "Hello! . I'm . Watso'ii, Court Opera. Is that Madame Ciivalo's? Oh, , it's .you, Blane. I say, tho Em* ( >eror of'. Caucasia—he's . hero - incog.,' you knoiv— wants to hear Jfiidnmo sing in ITosca,' but he. is leaving on tho nineteenth. Do you think sho would like'to sing- oh.'the, eighteenth instead? . -.'-. Thanks, ;y*s, if. you don't iniad." -.'. '.'.-.,■

There was another silence, and Mr! Watson _ play«d abstractedly with his paper-knife. Then ho sprang suddenly to . attention.- -"Is that - you, Madame? I was charmed to get - your telegram." Indeed, yousnrpassed yourself last night. I heard the Princess say so myself.' . . . That is eo; yes; ; . . , Has Monsieur Blano explained? . . . Yes. . . . Yes. , -,:-,- :Oh, no, not at all; only too glad, I'm sure. -... .Well, -it, will : alter things a little, but the inconvenience is nothing, I assure -yon. ... .-Thank you,- thank you. .'..-.: Yes; au revoir, Madame!" "Good' old- girl,"... he- murmured on his way back, to tho, box-office. "If s all right,,-Andrews; , sell everything they'll buy at the usual rates;! I'vo queered their pitch.". '■ ', . .

Mr. .Watson , went home/to dinner with his mind full of the wickedness of. ticket speculators, and, of'.course, he talked about it for the moral improvement of the family. And'alsoas an object:lesson on his own cleverness. 1 :'-. . -, 'Tunny thing happened to-day. Somebody tried . to. corner the house for ■ the extra,Cavalo.night." '-'.-■,■ •-. "And. did, they?". Betty: asked, all innocence.' ■ ■-.". , -■ " ■ . •

Her father chuckled.' 'fWelI,-:I let 'em have all they wanted for. the , nineteenth

-when .Cavalo..was. to,.have' sung. 'But .^.niade -freshrarrdngcmeW with her. ■■£ l }J m S. on ; the eighteenth, instead." V' • gripped tho edgo of, tho' table and hung on; to, it desperately,, fortunately,, her, father: did ■ not notice; •. ho' was too' busy- patting himsolf ■ oh' the back. ■:'. She managed to ', get,..'/through .the ■■ evening ..somehow and, ; pleading, a headache-even nor. tather .remarked : on;hbr wont early.to, bed., At loast, «he.wont;to her bedroom./ All through' that /hateful night she : sat amidst tho , . debris 1 of .her' house/of'/cards.:;; :':':/•:' /, ■■.■i,- ! ' , :i' •. ■•.' J 'SHi^??^ % ne ?/ ; . She-simply-couldn t; toll: Henry.; Sho/ must .find some way,;put herself.■',:.lt, was she who; had. got -him ;mtp ■' tho scrape.' iWhatiiwas-to ■J?: done?' , What/TOS—? About ibpera' tietets and- their manipulation, mud ■ the , wiles', of the'.agents she .had picked/up' a. fair/knowledge from, hor ■'father;' /■ She considered/ overy possible -and- impossible way. out of: the difficulty, , : but : every, path she took in her,hurried.search led to an-' other, impasse, -and 'she' -had: to h start afresh. /. . .: : ':"/ ' '..-';'■ . .\-j'.; /';' i,-,--■'... ■■ ■;-Grey ; . niorning; crept' .out:: of the .east... The:sun found her: still -starliig in/a.blank 'dosp,air'.ata'.highfwbodeu hoarding.. that • screened' the beginnings of; a now, block' of flats' aci'o'ss, the 'road. 7 Hoi- father had/done'his work',-quickly, for already' , 'soinef'men v wero"'fixing"-up a .large'..poster/.-.thai .-lannounced l Madame Cavalo s; final" appearance—"on the eieh'teenth.":-':-',,!,,',-: ■'■ ! ':?:'"-\' ~*:;'•".',' . :

: It/was when : she saw'Cavalb's name in, prin t , that,the : idea came to"her; It was. .tho 'frailest. of' reeds, i but/ with /careful. propping: it m^ght.be,induced;to 'support ■them:/■ -. ! '. r './.--. I .j>: >:.■/,;,/;//. \,\ ] '■'. ■ ' : // .'.

:. In, the'course, of ; tho morning, lionsiour Blanc was called. upon •to receive a:rather lagitated young lady who had.some-(lit..■ culty, in' explaining her -requirements. .It' appeared,- in the forefront, of that bUo' must sco Madamo... ■■: - ':■■■'. .-

"But I ;'am ~ Jlidamb's Bocrotary," : . he explained. ; ."Perhaps I can do what' you •wish?" ,'-.:.,'■■,'■■■ .'.'■■lγ'.':- , ;-.:-'.-,'- .; ,:■,-.■'■ ■■:'■ : ■' i: '.: "No!" saidlibtty, on the- verge of desperate toars. -"No,. I must see : Madariie norself." ■ .- ■::';■.:.%■:: .■.■'.-'.• V-'" '•'• ■

;-A.,vision of. that morning's post,.with begging. letters' running .into' a • financial total of live:, figures,' hardened the 1 little ;manVheart. ~...; -.. ■■ . : -U,••,-.•-.;.■

--It is: impossible!" , ho-■ said briefly; Enough condemned to remain for" life "the husband of Cavalo,". he took- a certain pride .in , his 'post ••'■of , gatekeeper to her presence. (:/:-.. -./.-/, :■,:.'.'.-:-■'- /,,-;:. .-.-.

■ Betty fell back. on .'a line of attack she had not wanted, to- use. ■ \ :'■• '. -i- ; 'But iny i-ather. is r Mr. Watson' of the Court. Opera/'.. r ■,'- .■' -■ ~.-.. .Blanc':glanced again' 'at: the .card in .his hand;: , : ; ■-.'. . . .'.: ::-

•■"Ah, Watson/of course.'Then you havo come on business? So?"'. :.- *■;.■■-■*" smiled .encouragement. - v "Tes that's. it,r.she gasped eagerly. ; ■•■ .. '. : Blanc fugged .his shoulders .and brought his hands together with a'.quick should .see? -J-'-he impressed upon her! again— j. am 'Madame s secretary." And ¥ ™ I ; d :i"''satisfied-way;. he was^o- %\& ■ °iT Ihoso1 hoso y o «ngwomen! .. -•' T htvl tn a ? n e i?^ e rcc ¥es3- -r-"Biif. what; X Uave. to tell;Madame is of a very deli ■ cate and private■ nahire." ' ■■ ■ ™-™ 1 Into, little: Blanc's ..hot southern brain ! there flashed a: horrible suspicion. Ho' to ? s D ri dly - i B,lt, beforo h = time ™ s P e ak, a door, was WTonched violentlv ; Zoh- a > ld ' "1° .8 r , c^ t Gavalo herself post' tivoly leaped into .the room. Tho er''temper, always rise in.exact proportion ■baMW tfc Pv ," ,s 'efficient, to , ,' state "? .!2,?'- t S, a . t ? f n<l"rao was furious. . ' '' R»?fc screamed. "' -■'■ ' . I X t y'"' m 'J,4 e; l'f?sty. preparations for n low. Madame simmered: down for' nn ■ -"Ho's gone I" sho. shrieked.. '!"riiev sairl to hear me S mg; and-She^ . S?he boat; a frantic- .tattoo' with h n W L P l, r tf S A n tLo I, \ tl ° ; pi, i 1 • i BlLllc '™ hurriedly, straightBett? SH«T k '-' n , s,uI f dc "- li?litcamo to iSetty Sho.kacir her fatbef's little ways, dan K & : U e^ d h-S? ;baitCilVa,Ohad^d I;came i From that'moment sho ; had the ™-- ihH i'' ■ n , tt ? nt , ion °t her. audience. S^ T vTit «■ " ,akc n ,, c !° nn breast of it. Shctold thorn everything. She even told, them Hint she had done it all for love: of filthy sold-nt which Madamo ; looked very shockcd.indcod. ShoboßKod Madame. She: implored. Jfadame. .' gho'l throw horself on-Madnmn's mercy ' ■■'-■■- T- 1 .■"'L'Stis it that, you would have mo to .do ?V'Madame ;gaspp'd, striving in a bewildered way to. stem tho :tido of lipttys eloquence.'■'■•■■ . : ...- t Tn. Betty, her."'requirements wero 'so ''< obvious that she. almost smiled. -. ■ : ■~'lγ Mndanio would sing on the 'nineteenth as. ivns at first arranged, wo should bo saved. '■ '.■ ■■■'■: ■ •■ -.. ■

Now Mailome^and.it was a.picco 'of luck tor Betty—lfadamo had a senso of humour, and the idea of the opera manager and his daughter plotting against'each-other, struck nor is decidedly

piquant. She'smiled; then she frowned. For a "Queen of Song" to find herself reduced to the position of'a mere pawn was'an exceedingly,'nasty shock. Human nature—and Italian operatic prima donna human nature , at that-has its limits of patience. • .. • Cavalo tamed to her husband. ' _ Has tho contract for the final performanco been signed?" -'" V • , Monsieur Blano shook his head quickly No; it has not yet arrived.. Tho contract for a performance on tho nineteonth has been signed;.that will not bo de ,stroyed until the new one arrives." ■' i.hen don't destroy it; and return the now ono when it comes.. I■. believe," cavalo went on viciously, "I believe they tho .time-that the Emperor would not bo there. Tell them, tell them from mo, that I sing on Thursday or"Tnn,i5 C ,^ ed her , arms s«Perbly-"or ■ v?n S^ aU nGTer hcar me again.'' ■ When Madame's ultimatum was delivered, ; tho -language of Mr. Watson was oo awful. But the pUI had to be swallowed. Cavalo-which, of course, includes l[on Sl eur - Blanc-swore '.to- tell no one; anda S] she preferred ,to ignore her imponal disappointment, she did her best to keep, her. word. : But in the end Mr Wat son got to hear of the whole /affair.. : It, was some little time before his sense of. humour .got into operation, but the great Cavalo herself acted as peacemaker,' and ho apeed to forgive-though at,forgettog. aS All •B.*^-■ t- 0 .culpnta was reserved for Betty's wedthng day,.when he took Henry aS ?^ d ,, ad ™ e d; nim for his.own „' ■ NeTe f>,, he -cautioned -him uravelv talk 'ehop' before 5"