'I suppose you are not afraid to come here and sing before an
impresario and three or four musicians, are you?' inquired the singer.
'No!' cried Margaret. 'But that is different.' 'Did you think that any manager would engage you, even for one night,
merely on my word, my child? You will have to show what you can do. But
I can tell you one thing, little Miss Donne!' A great, good-natured
laugh rolled out before Madame Bonanni proceeded to state the one thing
she could tell. 'When you have sung the waltz song in Romeo and
Juliet, and the duo in the fifth act, to four or five of the men who
make a living out of us artists, you will be surprised at what happens
afterwards! Those people will not risk their money for your handsome
eyes, my dear! And they know their business, don't they, Logotheti?' He answered by speaking directly to Margaret.
'I think,' he said quietly, 'that you can have confidence in Madame
Bonanni's opinion.' 'Listen to me,' said the prima donna--suddenly, and for some unknown
reason, rubbing all the rouge off her right cheek with the corner of
her napkin and then inspecting curiously the colour that adhered to the
linen--'listen to me! I sing day after to-morrow, for the last time
before going to London. Come to my dressing-room after the second act.
I will have Schreiermeyer there, and we will make an appointment for
the next day, and settle the matter at once. It's understood, isn't
it?' Margaret was delighted, for Logotheti's quiet words had reassured her a
little. Madame Bonanni rose suddenly, untying her napkin from her neck
as she got up, and throwing it on the floor behind her. Before she had
reached the door she yawned portentously.
'I always go to sleep when I have eaten,' she said. 'Find a cab for
little Miss Donne, Logotheti--for the famous Señorita da Cordova!' She
laughed sleepily, and waved her hand to Margaret.
'I don't know how to thank you,' the young girl began, but before she
got any further Madame Bonanni had disappeared.
A few moments later Margaret and Logotheti were in the street. The
noonday air was warm and bright and she drew in deep breaths of it, as
she had done in the morning. Logotheti looked at her from under the
brim of his Panama hat.
'We shall find a cab in a minute,' he said, in an indifferent tone.
'Yes.' They walked a few steps in silence.
'I hope you don't really mean to do what Madame Bonanni asked of you,'
Margaret said, rather awkwardly. 'I mean, about my début, if it
really comes off.' Logotheti laughed lightly.