human
O Claude! she said, as he looked round.
gpt
Such a day! Well?
human
Well?
gpt
Is anything the matter?
human
No, why should there be? Where have you been?
gpt
With Alston. He insisted on my keeping out of the way. Crayford I mean, of course. Has it gone well? Did you play the whole of it; all you've composed, I mean?
human
Yes.
gpt
What did he say? What did he think of it?
human
It isn't easy to know exactly what that kind of man thinks.
gpt
Was he disagreeable? Didn't you get on?
human
Oh, I suppose we did.
gpt
What did he say, then?
human
All sorts of things.
gpt
Go on eating. You look dreadfully tired. Tell me some of the things.
human
Well, he liked some of it.
gpt
Only some?
human
He seemed to like a good deal. But he suggested quantities of alterations.
gpt
Where? Which part?
human
I should have to show you.
gpt
Drink some wine. I'm sure you need it. Give me some idea. You can easily do that without showing me to-night.
human
He says a march should be introduced. You know, in that scene--
gpt
I know, the soldiers, the Foreign Legion. Well, that would be easy enough. You could do that in a day.
human
Do you think one has only to sit down?
gpt
Two days, then; a week if you like! You have wonderful facility when you choose. And what else? Here, I'll pour out the wine. What else?
human
Heaps of things. He wants to pull half the opera to pieces, I think.
gpt
Oh, no, Claudie! You are exaggerating. You always do, dear old boy. And if you do what he says, what then?
human
How d'you mean?
gpt
Would he take it? Would he produce it?
human
He didn't commit himself.
gpt
Of course not! They never do. But would he? You must have gathered something from his manner, from what he said, what he looked like.
human
He seemed very much struck with the libretto. He said there were great opportunities for new scenic effects.
gpt
He is going to take it! He is! He is! she cried exultantly.
human
I knew he would. I always knew. Why, why do you look so grim, Claudie?
gpt
Don't look like that when we are on the eve of everything we've been working for, waiting--longing for, for months and years! Caroline! Caroline!
human
Come up! The darling, she shall have a piece of cake, two pieces! There! And the sugary part, too!
gpt
You'll make her ill.
human
Never mind. If she is ill it is in a good cause. Claudie, just think, you are going to be another Jacques Sennier! It's too wonderful. And yet I knew it. Didn't I tell you that night in the opera house? I said it would be so. Didn't I? Can you deny it?
gpt
I don't deny it. But--
human
You are made of buts. If it were not for me you would go and hide away your genius, and no one would ever know you existed at all. It's pathetic. But you've married a wife who knows what you are, and others shall know too. The whole world shall know.
gpt
You are going too fast, Charmian. I'm not at all sure that I shall be able to consent to make changes in the opera.