But after the act was over, Oliver got him alone outside the box, and
whispered, "For God's sake, Allan, don't make a fool of yourself."

"Why, what's the matter?" asked the other.

"What will people think," exclaimed Oliver, "seeing you sitting there
like a man in a dope dream?"

"Why," laughed the other, "they'll think I'm listening to the music."

To which Oliver responded, "People don't come to the Opera to listen to
the music."

This sounded like a joke, but it was not. To Society the Opera was a
great state function, an exhibition of far more exclusiveness and
magnificence than the Horse Show; and Society certainly had the right
to say, for it owned the opera-house and ran it. The real music-lovers
who came, either stood up in the back, or sat in the fifth gallery,
close to the ceiling, where the air was foul and hot. How much Society
cared about the play was sufficiently indicated by the fact that all of
the operas were sung in foreign languages, and sung so carelessly that
the few who understood the languages could make but little of the
words. Once there was a world-poet who devoted his life to trying to
make the Opera an art; and in the battle with Society he all but
starved to death. Now, after half a century, his genius had triumphed,
and Society consented to sit for hours in darkness and listen to the
domestic disputes of German gods and goddesses. But what Society really
cared for was a play with beautiful costumes and scenery and dancing,
and pretty songs to which one could listen while one talked; the story
must be elemental and passionate, so that one could understand it in
pantomime--say the tragic love of a beautiful and noble-minded
courtesan for a gallant young man of fashion.

Nearly every one who came to the Opera had a glass, by means of which
he could bring each gorgeously-clad society dame close to him, and
study her at leisure. There were said to be two hundred million
dollars' worth of diamonds in New York, and those that were not in the
stores were very apt to be at this show; for here was where they could
accomplish the purpose for which they existed--here was where all the
world came to stare at them. There were nine prominent Society women,
who among them displayed five million dollars' worth of jewels. You
would see stomachers which looked like a piece of a coat of mail, and
were made wholly of blazing diamonds. You would see emeralds and rubies
and diamonds and pearls made in