sition on
the broad pad saddle to Don Juan's back, and without waiting for the
word of command, reined him to a standstill in front of the Manager.

"You must let me go," she said. "I can't do any better now."

The Manager stepped back a pace, and dropped his whip with sheer
astonishment. For an instant he stared with open mouth, then he found
speech.

"You sit there, do you, and tell me you refuse to work! You with your
insolence! When you fall and that long neck of yours goes _crack_" (he
snapped a finger and thumb together in expressive pantomime), "then I
shall laugh--_nom d'un chien_!--how I shall laugh."

Arithelli waited in silence, a faint smile curling her lips. One hand,
laden with rings, moved caressingly up and down Don Juan's silky mane.
She had hitherto answered abuse with maddening indifference. Now she
flung back her head and mocked him.

"So you hope I'll fall," she said. "Perhaps I hope so too. Do you
think I care, that I'm afraid of breaking my neck?"

Her voice was not raised a tone from its ordinary level, but passion
and contempt vibrated in every accent. An unwilling admiration stirred
the man's dull brutality. He could dismiss her to-morrow, but he would
never find another woman who would be her match for physique and
endurance. Besides, others would know their value and demand a larger
salary.

He pointed to the performers' exit. "_Allez_!"

As she rode past, Arithelli made him a little bow. It was the salute
of a courteous duellist to his adversary. To his profound surprise the
Manager found himself acknowledging it, with like dignity.

At eight o'clock that evening she sat before the glass in her
dressing-room and awaited the shouted summons of the impish call-boy,
who respected no one on earth, and to whom she was never "Mamzelle" or
"Senora," but only Arithelli. The dresser had gone out for an instant,
leaving the door ajar, and a noisy burst of applause swept along the
passage.

The audience was in a particularly good temper, and ready to be amused
at anything. In view of the royal guests the Manager had provided
several exciting novelties. There was a wonderful troupe of performing
horses who did everything that a horse is popularly supposed to be
incapable of doing; there was a gypsy girl from Seville with a
marvellous bear, whose intelligence appeared to be of a superior
quality to that of the average human being; there were new jokes, new
tricks, fresh cost