t the wild years of his youth. It had been
evident both to Charmian and to Claude that he began to have great hopes
of the opera. Charmian had become so exultant on noticing this that she
had been unable to refrain from saying to Gillier, "Do you begin to
believe in it?" As she sat now waiting for Susan she remembered his
answer, "Madame, if the whole opera goes like that scene--well!" He had
finished with a characteristic gesture, throwing out his strong hands
and smiling at her. She almost felt as if she liked Gillier. She began
to find excuses for his former conduct. He was a poor man struggling to
make his way, terribly anxious to succeed. Madame Sennier had "got at"
him. It was not unnatural, perhaps, that he had wished to associate
himself with Jacques Sennier. Of course he had had no right to suggest
the withdrawal of his libretto from Claude. That had been insulting. But
still--that day Charmian found room in her heart for charity. She had
not felt so happy, so safe, for a very long time. It was almost as if
she held success in her hand, as a woman may hold a jewel and say, "It
is mine!"

A slight buzzing sound told her that there was someone at the outer door
of the lobby. In a moment Susan walked in, looking as usual temperate,
kind, and absolutely unconscious of herself. She was warmly wrapped in a
fur given to her by Mrs. Shiffney. When she had taken it off and sat
down beside Charmian in the over-heated room, Charmian began at once to
use her as a receptacle. She proceeded to pour her exultation into
Susan. The rehearsal had greatly excited her. She was full of the ardent
impatience of one who had been patient by force of will in defiance of
natural character, and who now felt that a period was soon to be put to
her suffering and that she was to enter into her reward. As, long ago,
in an Algerian garden, she had used Susan, she used her now. And Susan
sat quietly listening, with her odd eyes dropping in their sockets.

"Oh, Susan, do take off your gloves!" Charmian exclaimed presently. "You
are going to stay a good while, aren't you?"

"Yes, if you like me to."

"I should like to be with you every day for hours. You do me good. We'll
have tea."

She went to the telephone, came back quickly, sat down again, and
continued talking enthusiastically. When the tea-table was in front of
her, and the elderly German waiter had gone, she said:

"Isn't it wonderful? I shall never forget how you spoke of destiny