part 1-第13部分
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the Baptist Church and Mr。 Kronborg's church。
When Thea asked Mrs。 Johnson whether her rival was
to be allowed to sing； Mrs。 Johnson； with an eagerness
which told how she had waited for this moment； replied
that 〃Lily was going to recite to be obliging； and to give
other children a chance to sing。〃 As she delivered this
thrust； her eyes glittered more than the Ancient Mariner's；
Thea thought。 Mrs。 Johnson disapproved of the way in
which Thea was being brought up； of a child whose chosen
associates were Mexicans and sinners； and who was； as she
pointedly put it； 〃bold with men。〃 She so enjoyed an op…
portunity to rebuke Thea； that； tightly corseted as she was；
she could scarcely control her breathing； and her lace and
her gold watch chain rose and fell 〃with short； uneasy
motion。〃 Frowning； Thea turned away and walked slowly
homeward。 She suspected guile。 Lily Fisher was the most
stuck…up doll in the world； and it was certainly not like her
to recite to be obliging。 Nobody who could sing ever recited；
because the warmest applause always went to the singers。
However； when the programme was printed in the Moon…
stone GLEAM； there it was： 〃Instrumental solo； Thea
Kronborg。 Recitation； Lily Fisher。〃
Because his orchestra was to play for the concert； Mr。
Wunsch imagined that he had been put in charge of the
music； and he became arrogant。 He insisted that Thea
should play a 〃Ballade〃 by Reinecke。 When Thea con…
sulted her mother； Mrs。 Kronborg agreed with her that the
〃Ballade〃 would 〃never take〃 with a Moonstone audi…
ence。 She advised Thea to play 〃something with varia…
tions；〃 or； at least； 〃The Invitation to the Dance。〃
〃It makes no matter what they like；〃 Wunsch replied
to Thea's entreaties。 〃It is time already that they learn
something。〃
Thea's fighting powers had been impaired by an ulcer…
ated tooth and consequent loss of sleep； so she gave in。 She
finally had the molar pulled； though it was a second tooth
and should have been saved。 The dentist was a clumsy；
ignorant country boy； and Mr。 Kronborg would not hear
of Dr。 Archie's taking Thea to a dentist in Denver； though
Ray Kennedy said he could get a pass for her。 What with
the pain of the tooth； and family discussions about it； with
trying to make Christmas presents and to keep up her
school work and practicing； and giving lessons on Satur…
days； Thea was fairly worn out。
On Christmas Eve she was nervous and excited。 It
was the first time she had ever played in the opera house；
and she had never before had to face so many people。
Wunsch would not let her play with her notes； and she was
afraid of forgetting。 Before the concert began； all the par…
ticipants had to assemble on the stage and sit there to be
looked at。 Thea wore her white summer dress and a blue
sash； but Lily Fisher had a new pink silk； trimmed with
white swansdown。
The hall was packed。 It seemed as if every one in Moon…
stone was there； even Mrs。 Kohler； in her hood； and old
Fritz。 The seats were wooden kitchen chairs； numbered；
and nailed to long planks which held them together in
rows。 As the floor was not raised； the chairs were all on the
same level。 The more interested persons in the audience
peered over the heads of the people in front of them to get
a good view of the stage。 From the platform Thea picked
out many friendly faces。 There was Dr。 Archie； who never
went to church entertainments； there was the friendly
jeweler who ordered her music for her；he sold accor…
dions and guitars as well as watches；and the druggist
who often lent her books； and her favorite teacher from the
school。 There was Ray Kennedy； with a party of freshly
barbered railroad men he had brought along with him。
There was Mrs。 Kronborg with all the children； even Thor；
who had been brought out in a new white plush coat。 At
the back of the hall sat a little group of Mexicans； and
among them Thea caught the gleam of Spanish Johnny's
white teeth； and of Mrs。 Tellamantez's lustrous； smoothly
coiled black hair。
After the orchestra played 〃Selections from Erminie；〃
and the Baptist preacher made a long prayer； Tillie Kron…
borg came on with a highly colored recitation； 〃The Polish
Boy。〃 When it was over every one breathed more freely。
No committee had the courage to leave Tillie off a pro…
gramme。 She was accepted as a trying feature of every
entertainment。 The Progressive Euchre Club was the only
social organization in the town that entirely escaped Tillie。
After Tillie sat down； the Ladies' Quartette sang； 〃Beloved；
it is Night；〃 and then it was Thea's turn。
The 〃Ballade〃 took ten minutes； which was five minutes
too long。 The audience grew restive and fell to whispering。
Thea could hear Mrs。 Livery Johnson's bracelets jangling
as she fanned herself； and she could hear her father's nerv…
ous； ministerial cough。 Thor behaved better than any
one else。 When Thea bowed and returned to her seat at the
back of the stage there was the usual applause； but it was
vigorous only from the back of the house where the Mexi…
cans sat； and from Ray Kennedy's CLAQUEURS。 Any one could
see that a good…natured audience had been bored。
Because Mr。 Kronborg's sister was on the programme；
it had also been necessary to ask the Baptist preacher's
wife's cousin to sing。 She was a 〃deep alto〃 from McCook；
and she sang； 〃Thy Sentinel Am I。〃 After her came Lily
Fisher。 Thea's rival was also a blonde； but her hair was
much heavier than Thea's； and fell in long round curls over
her shoulders。 She was the angel…child of the Baptists； and
looked exactly like the beautiful children on soap calen…
dars。 Her pink…and…white face； her set smile of innocence；
were surely born of a color…press。 She had long； drooping
eyelashes； a little pursed…up mouth； and narrow； pointed
teeth； like a squirrel's。
Lily began：
〃ROCK OF AGES； CLEFT FOR ME； carelessly the maiden
sang。〃
Thea drew a long breath。 That was the game； it was a
recitation and a song in one。 Lily trailed the hymn
through half a dozen verses with great effect。 The Baptist
preacher had announced at the beginning of the concert
that 〃owing to the length of the programme； there would
be no encores。〃 But the applause which followed Lily to
her seat was such an unmistakable expression of enthusi…
asm that Thea had to admit Lily was justified in going
back。 She was attended this time by Mrs。 Livery Johnson
herself； crimson with triumph and gleaming…eyed； nerv…
ously rolling and unrolling a sheet of music。 She took off
her bracelets and played Lily's accompaniment。 Lily had
the effrontery to come out with； 〃She sang the song of
Home； Sweet Home； the song that touched my heart。〃 But
this did not surprise Thea； as Ray said later in the evening；
〃the cards had been stacked against her from the begin…
ning。〃 The next issue of the GLEAM correctly stated that
〃unquestionably the honors of the evening must be ac…
corded to Miss Lily Fisher。〃 The Baptists had everything
their own way。
After the concert Ray Kennedy joined the Kronborgs'
party and walked home with them。 Thea was grateful for
his silent sympathy； even while it irritated her。 She in…
wardly vowed that she would never take another lesson
from old Wunsch。 She wished that her father would not
keep cheerfully singing； 〃When Shepherds Watched；〃 as
he marched ahead； carrying Thor。 She felt that silence
would become the Kronborgs for a while。 As a family；
they somehow seemed a little ridiculous； trooping along in
the starlight。 There were so many of them； for one thing。
Then Tillie was so absurd。 She was giggling and talking
to Anna just as if she had not made； as even Mrs。 Kronborg
admitted； an exhibition of herself。
When they got home； Ray took a box from his overcoat
pocket and slipped it into Thea's hand as he said good…
night。 They all hurried in to the glowing stove in the
parlor。 The sleepy children were sent to bed。 Mrs。 Kron…
borg and Anna stayed up to fill the stockings。
〃I guess you're tired； Thea。 You needn't stay up。〃
Mrs。 Kronborg's clear and seemingly indifferent eye usu…
ally measured Thea pretty accurately。
Thea hesitated。 She glanced at the presents laid out on
the dining…room table； but they looked unattractive。 Even
the brown plush monkey she had bought for Thor with such
enthusiasm seemed to have lost his wise and humorous
expression。 She murmured； 〃All right；〃 to her mother； lit
her lantern； and went upstairs。
Ray's box contained a hand…painted white satin fan；
with pond liliesan unfortunate reminder。 Thea smiled
grimly and tossed it into her upper drawer。 She was not
to be consoled by toys。 She undressed quickly and stood
for some time in the cold； frowning in the broken looking…
glass at her flaxen pig…tails； at her white neck and arms。
Her own broad； resolute face set its chin at her； her eyes
flashe
