human
You are coming to us, you know, after the holidays.
gpt
And will bring my voice with me, such as it is.
human
But not your smiles, you mean to say.
gpt
They are sure to come with me, for I am always laughing,--unless I am roused to terrible wrath. I am sure that will not be the case at Covent Garden.
human
I hope not. You will find that you have come among a set who are quite prepared to accept you as a friend. Here she made a little curtsy.
gpt
And now I have to offer my sincere apologies for the little proposition I am about to make. It immediately occurred to her that M. Le Gros had betrayed her. He was a very civil spoken, affable, kind old man; but he had betrayed her.
human
M. Le Gros happened to mention that you were anxious to draw in advance for some portion of the salary coming to you for the next two months.
gpt
Well, yes; M. Le Gros explained that the proposition was not _selon les règles_, and it does not matter the least in the world.
human
M. Le Gros has explained that? I did not know that M. Le Gros had explained anything.
gpt
Well, then, he looked it,
human
His looks must be wonderfully expressive. He did not look it to me at all. He simply told me, as one of the managers of the theatre, I was to let you have whatever money you wanted. And he did whisper to me,--may I tell you what he whispered?
gpt
I suppose you may. He seems to me to be a very good-natured kind of man.
human
Poor old Le Gros! A very good-natured man, I should say. He doesn't carry the house, that's all.
gpt
You do that. Then she remembered that the man was a lord.
human
I ought to have said 'my lord,' she said;
gpt
We are not very particular about that in theatrical matters; or, rather, I am particular with some and not with others. You'll learn all about it in process of time. M. Le Gros whispered that he thought there was not the pleasantest understanding in the world between you and the people here.
human
Well, no; there is not,--my lord.
gpt
Bother the lord,--just now.
human
With all my heart, said Rachel, who could not avoid the little bit of fun which was here implied.
gpt
Not but what the--the people here--would find me any amount of money I chose to ask for. There are people, you see, one does not wish to borrow money from. I take my salary here, but nothing more. The fact is, I have not only taken it, but spent it, and to tell the truth, I have not a shilling to amuse myself with during the dull season. Mr. Moss knows all about it, and has simply asked how much I wanted. 'Nothing,' I replied, 'nothing at all; nothing at all.' And that's how I am situated.
human
No debts?
gpt
Not a dollar. Beyond that I shouldn't have a dollar left to get out of London with. Then she remembered herself,--that it was expedient that she should tell this man something about herself.
human
I have got a father, you know, and he has to be paid for as well as me. He is the sweetest, kindest, most generous father that a girl ever had, and he could make lots of money for himself, only the police won't let him.
gpt
What do the police do to him?
human
He is not a burglar, you know, or anything of that kind.
gpt
He is an Irish politician, isn't he?
human
He is very much of a politician; but he is not an Irishman.
gpt
Irish name,
human
Irish name, yes; so are half the names in my country. My father comes from the United States. And he is strongly impressed with the necessity of putting down the horrid injustice with which the poor Irish are treated by the monstrous tyranny of you English aristocrats. You are very nice to look at.
gpt
Thank you, Miss O'Mahony.
human
But you are very bad to go. You are not the kind of horses I care to drive at all. Thieves, traitors, murderers, liars.
gpt
Goodness gracious me!
human
I don't say anything for myself, because I am only a singing girl, and understand nothing about politics. But these are the very lightest words which he has at his tongue's end when he talks about you. He is the most good-tempered fellow in the world, and you would like him very much. Here is Mr. Moss.
gpt
Well, Moss, how are you getting on in this little house?
human
Ah, my lord, you are going to rob us of our one attraction,
gpt
You have no right to keep such a treasure in a little place like this.
human
We can afford to pay for it, you know, my lord. M. Le Gros came here a little behind my back, and carried her off.
gpt
Much to her advantage, I should say.
human
We can pay,
gpt
To such a singer as Mademoiselle O'Mahony paying is not everything. An audience large enough, and sufficiently intelligent to appreciate her, is something more than mere money.
human
We have the most intelligent audience in all London,
gpt
No doubt, said the lord. He had, during this little intercourse of compliments, managed to write a word or two on a slip of paper, which he now handed to Rachel--
human
Will £200 do? This he put into her hand, and then left her, saying that he would do himself the honour of calling upon her again at her own lodgings,
gpt
he said,
human
You cannot get on, my dear young lady, in this world without money. If you have spent your income hitherto, what do you mean to do till the end of November? At Covent Garden the salaries are all paid monthly.