"
"That seems a reasonable division," said Ina, naively. "But"
(apologetically) "he was jealous."
"Jealous!--more shame for him. I'm sure no lady in public life was ever
more discreet."
"No, no; he was only jealous of the public."
"And what had the poor public done?"
"Absorbed me, he said."
"Why, he could take you to the opera, and take you home from the opera,
and, during the opera, he could make one of the public, and applaud you
as loud as the best."
"Yes, but rehearsals!--and--embracing the tenor."
"Well, but only on the stage?"
"Oh, Mr. Ashmead, where else does one embrace the tenor?"
"And was that a grievance? Why, I'd embrace fifty tenors--if I was paid
proportionable."
"Yes; but he said I embraced one poor stick, with a fervor--an
_abandon_-- Well, I dare say I did; for, if they had put a gate-post in
the middle of the stage, and it was in my part to embrace the thing, I
should have done it honestly, for love of my art, and not of a post. The
next time I had to embrace the poor stick it was all I could do not to
pinch him savagely."
"And turn him to a counter-tenor--make him squeak."
Ina Klosking smiled for the first time.
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