''
``I do not care for singing.''
``Oh!'' said she in a tone of relief. ``Then you
know nothing about all this.''
``On the contrary, I know everything about a career.
And we were talking of careers, not of singing.''
``You mean that my voice is worthless because I
haven't the other elements?''
``What else could I have meant?'' said he. ``You
haven't the strength. You haven't the health.''
She laughed as she straightened herself. ``Do I
look weak and sickly?'' cried she.
``For the purposes of a career as a female you are
strong and well,'' said he. ``For the purpose of a
career as a singer--'' He smiled and shook his head.
``A singer must have muscles like wire ropes, like a
blacksmith or a washerwoman. The other day we were
climbing a hill--a not very steep hill. You stopped
five times for breath, and twice you sat down to rest.''
She was literally hanging her head with shame. ``I
wasn't very well that day,'' she murmured.
``Don't deceive yourself,'' said he. ``Don't indulge
in the fatal folly of self-excuse.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334