human
Why, here's a letter for you, Claudie!
gpt
Is there? Another autograph hunter, I suppose.
human
It's from Mrs. Shiffney! he said.
gpt
She arrived to-day on the same ship as Gillier.
human
I knew she would come! cried Charmian.
gpt
Though they all pretended she was going to winter at Cap Martin.
human
And she's brought Susan Fleet with her.
gpt
Susan!
human
But read what she says. It seems to have all been quite unexpected, a sudden caprice.
gpt
You poor thing! said Charmian, looking at him with pitiful eyes.
human
When will you begin to understand?
gpt
What?
human
Us.
gpt
DEAR MR. HEATH,--I've just arrived with Susan Fleet on the _Philadelphia_. I heard such reports of the excitement over your opera out here that I suddenly felt I must run over. After all you told me about it at Constantine I'm naturally interested. Do be nice and let me into a rehearsal. I never take sides in questions of art, and though of course I'm a friend of the Senniers, I'm really praying for you to have a triumph. Surely the sky has room for two stars. What nonsense all this Press got-up rivalry is. Don't believe a word you see in the papers about Henriette and your libretto. She knows nothing whatever about it, of course. Such rubbish! Susan is pining to see her beloved Charmian. Can't you both lunch with us at Sherry's to-morrow at one o'clock? Love to Charmian.--Yours very sincerely, ADELAIDE SHIFFNEY.
human
Well? said Claude, as Charmian sat without speaking, after she had finished the letter.
gpt
Shall we go to Sherry's to-morrow?
human
Yes, Claudie, I think we will.
gpt
What are you thinking?
human
Do you still believe Mrs. Shiffney tricked me at Constantine?
gpt
I know she did.
human
And yet--
gpt
We are in the arena!
human
Ah--I understand.
gpt
If we go to Sherry's, and Mrs. Shiffney speaks about coming to a rehearsal, what do you mean to do?
human
What do you think about it?
gpt
Of course she only wants to come in the hope of being able to carry a bad report to the Senniers.
human
That may be. But--we are in the arena.
gpt
What is it?
human
You dislike Mrs. Shiffney, you distrust her, but you do think she has taste, judgment, don't you?
gpt
Yes--some.
human
A great deal?
gpt
When she isn't biased by personal feeling. But she is biased against you.
human
I think, he said,
gpt
Yes?
human
I only mean that I think it might be the verdict in advance.
gpt
I see, she said slowly.
human
Yes, I see.
gpt
We simply must go to bed.
human
Come along then. But I feel as if I should never want to sleep again.
gpt
We must sleep. The verdict in advance--yes, I see. But Adelaide might make a mistake.
human
She really has a flair.
gpt
I know. Oh, Claudie, the verdict!
human
The verdict!
gpt
Charmian, what is it? Why--
human
Hush! Just put your arms round me for a minute--yes, like that! Claudie, I want you to win, I want you to win. Oh, not altogether selfishly! I--I am an egoist, I suppose. I do care for my husband to be a success. But there's more than that. Yes, yes, there is!
gpt
There's something in you far, far down, that I love, she whispered.
human
I am not always conscious of it, but I am now. It called me to you, I believe, at the very first. And I want that to win, I want that to win!