lled upon for strength and power of
passion, rises thrillingly and gloriously, and completely sweeps you
away.

Even in Darmstadt we had many notable performances. That of the
"Versunkene Glocke," for instance, was most memorable. We had a splendid
old actor for the _Well Spirit, Nickelmann,_ and nothing could have been
wetter or more unearthly than his sloshing slowly up from the depth of
the well, his webbed, greenish fingers appearing clutchingly first, and
then his grating, fishy croak, "_R-r-r-rautendelein! R-r-r-r-rautendelein!_"
The faun was also excellently done by a young fellow with marvellous
faun-like agility; altogether these unpretentious people realized the
fairy-tale spirit, the wood feeling of the story, in a most imaginative,
subtle way. Where in America in a town of Darmstadt's size could you see
such a performance?

CHAPTER XXIII

COVENT GARDEN AND--AMERICA

In due time we set out for London. One of our cousins had found us
delightful diggings in M---- Street, which I was able to enjoy, as dear
Mr. and Mrs. Jones sent me an extra cheque to impress London with. We
were waited upon by an old butler, and his wife did the cooking. Such
legs of lamb, and deep plum tarts, with lashings of clotted cream! Such
snowy napery, and silver polished as only English butlers can polish it.

It was not by any means my first visit to London, professionally. I had
sung in private drawingrooms in previous seasons, and had also given a
recital. Her Royal Highness Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein,
and her daughter, Princess Victoria, graciously consented to be my
patronesses at this concert. I had not the slightest idea how to arrange
for them, after they had kindly consented to be present, but I gathered
that a special pair of comfortable chairs must be put directly below the
stage, with a little table. Then I thought "Flowers or no flowers?" I
should have loved to send them, but English Royalties are so simple and
natural I instinctively felt that any ostentation would be distasteful.
Somehow one hates to do the wrong thing in the presence of Personages;
it is an un-American feeling, but a human one.

They applauded me a great deal, and after a bow of acknowledgment to the
nice audience I gave the Princesses each time an English,
straight-up-and-down curtsey, and I hope that was right. In Germany a
back-swaying, one-toe-pointed-in-front curtsey was demanded. These
things are at once trivial and va