human
Only ten weeks, measured by time, he answered her greeting;
gpt
Killing crabs, you would better say, she returned, with a smile.
human
I think you and Sidney must have exterminated the race for all time.
gpt
Can you destroy the future for a race that habitually goes backwards? he questioned, with a boyish gayety which she had never seen in him before.
human
How is Lorimer?
gpt
He is--well.
human
And you?
gpt
I am always in rude health, just now the better for having you invade my loneliness. Do you still take only one lump?
human
Only one. How does it happen that I have the good luck to find you alone?
gpt
Everybody is at Mrs. Stanley's. She has captured a new lion, and has bidden the world to come and inspect her prey.
human
What is he, this time?
gpt
Not he at all; it is a full-fledged Japanese princess whose husband does lectures on some sort of theosophy before all the universities. Your lustre is totally eclipsed by this new comet. There was a short silence; then Beatrix added inconsequently,
human
We all of us have been so delighted at your success, Mr. Thayer.
gpt
How did you know about it?
human
We have followed you in the papers. Bobby had some, and I think Sidney must have bought tons of them. He even talked of subscribing to a clipping bureau. He has read them aloud to us, every night; and we all have tried to act as if it were nothing so very unusual to have one of our friends winning laurels by the wholesale.
gpt
They were very concrete laurels, too, Miss Dane, he returned indifferently, though his face had lighted at her eager accent.
human
Some of the wreaths must have been four feet across, and I invariably tripped over the ribbons, when I carried them off the stage. I did wish they would furnish a dray; garlands are horribly in the way in a carriage.
gpt
And then what became of them?
human
Ask the chambermaids along the route. I don't mean to be unappreciative; but not even the most trusting of publics could expect me to bear my trophies away in my arms, next morning. I came to wish I could ship them back to the florist, to be presented to some other baritone, the next night.
gpt
But you enjoyed the trip?
human
After a fashion. I enjoyed the summer more, though.
gpt
There is a certain satisfaction in dropping off the social harness now and then, and we were comparatively primitive at Monomoy, she assented.
human
The whole summer would have been worth while, just for the sake of seeing Mr. Arlt enjoy it. Has he come back yet?
gpt
Yes, two days ago. The trip has meant a good deal to him, and already he is engaged for two festivals in the spring. I am hoping that a taste of success will give him more self-reliance. He needs it, if ever he is to impose himself upon the dear public. Even the critics are prone to take a man at his own valuation, and one of the best American musicians is working in a corner, to-day, because he finds it a good deal more interesting to work towards future successes than to exploit his past ones in the eyes of the world.
human
Mr. Arlt will succeed in time; he is only a boy yet. But, with genius and energy and his real love for his art, there can be no doubt of his future.
gpt
That is as fate may decree,
human
Or Providence,
gpt
Miss Dane, the more I know of life, I am learning to write fate in capitals, and to spell Providence with a little _p_. Things are pretty well cut out for us.
human
Then I hope the scissors are sharp, and that Moira carries a steady hand. We have to put up with our own indecisions; those of other people are maddening.
gpt
Doesn't that depend upon what the decision finally proves to be?
human
No; I would rather know where I am going. Anything is better than drifting; it is a comfort to look steadily forward to the best or to the worst. Suddenly she roused herself.
gpt
Mr. Thayer, do you realize that it is two months since I have heard you sing?