try the
part of Marian in it. Not much in that,--one aria you can make something
of, but begin easy, hey?"

"I have concluded to give up that scheme, Monsieur."

"Tut! tut! No such thing. Why, you've a master-talent,--that is, with
cultivation, cultivation. A fine gift, Madam. Belongs to the public.
Why," tapping his yellow teeth with his cane-head, "it's shutting up a
bird in a cage, to smother a voice like yours. Must have training,--yes,
yes, 'll see to that; 'n' there are tricks and bits of stage-effect; but
you'll catch 'em,--soon enough. There's other little matters," with a
furtive glance at my square shoulders and bony figure, "necessary to
success. But you'll understand."

I saw how anxious the man was that I should accede to the proposal. I
had not overrated my genius, then?

"If the thing's to be done, let it be done quickly. I'm going to run
back to town to-morrow night, and you'd best go with me, and go in
rehearsal at once. You can break it to your people to-morrow. I'll meet
you in the boat,--that is," with an unwilling hesitation, "if you decide
to go."

Jacky approached us.

"I will let you know," I said; and as he walked away, the water began
its dull throb, throb, again, that lasted all night long.

All night long! Other people may approach the crisis of their fate with
senses and faculties all on guard and alert; but with me, although I
knew the next day would witness my choice for life, I believe that heavy
thud of the water was the most real thought, trying my brain beyond
endurance. I tried to reason coolly in the night about M. Vaux and his
scheme: both vulgar, degrading in outside appearance,--I felt that, to
the quick, keenly enough; but inside lay a career, utterance for
myself,--and I had been dumb and choking so long!

A beam of light from the cabin-chandelier struck just then sharply
across Doctor Manning's face, where he lay asleep in his berth. There
was an unusual look in it, as Jacky had said, now that I looked closely:
a blueness about the mouth, and a contraction of the nostrils. Was it a
hint of any secret disease, that she had looked so terrified, and even
the boys had kept such a sidelong scrutiny over him all day? I sat up.
If I could go to him, put my hands about his head, cling to him, let my
young strength and life ooze into his to atone for all he had lost in
those old days! There was passion and power of love under my
stiff-muscled fingers and hard calculating brain