during the months that followed mrs. dallas did not see noel again, and the news accidentally reached her that he had gone abroad with his mother and sisters. he had called on her once, probably on the eve of his departure, but she had been ill that evening, and the servant had excused her. it had been reported to her that he had inquired particularly whether her illness was serious and had been informed that it was not. that was the last she had heard of him, until she had made some acquaintances in the society in which he was known, and then she occasionally heard his name mentioned and gained the information alluded to.
her introduction into this society had come about very suddenly. for a long time she had known absolutely no one, and once, in her intense longing for some one to speak to, she had obeyed an ardent impulse and run across the street to a house where a young girl and her mother lived, the former keeping a day-school for small children, and had begged the little teacher to come over and spend the evening with her. out of this a friendship had sprung, which had been for a long time her only resource. her husband’s habit of going to some place of amusement in the evening seemed to be an inveterate one, though he cared little, apparently, for what he saw. she wearied through a great many evenings with him, and then got out of the habit of accompanying him. it was evident he cared little whether she went or stayed.
one sunday afternoon the little school-teacher persuaded her to go with her to a great church near by. they were given seats close to the choir, and when a familiar piece of music began christine, in utter self-forgetfulness, lifted up her voice and sang. when the service was over the conductor of the singing came up to her, and pleading the common bond of music, introduced himself and begged that he and his wife might be allowed to call on her to enlist her interest and services in a great charity entertainment which he was getting up. christine agreed, with the feeling that it would be ungracious to decline, and the next day they called.
the outcome of the visit of mr. and mrs. jannish was an engagement on the part of mrs. dallas to sing the leading rôle in an opera which had become a cherished wish among some of the best amateur musicians of the city. the scheme had halted only for want of a soprano capable of taking the responsibility of the most difficult part. jannish was an authority in this musical set, and he knew that the acquisition he had made for their scheme would be not only approved, but rejoiced over. it was such an infinite improvement upon the idea of securing the services of a professional—a thing that they had almost been compelled to resort to.
mrs. dallas qualified her consent by the securing of her husband’s approval, though she said she felt sure he would not withhold it. he was out at the time, but before the visitors left he came in. he was called and introduced and the request put to him by jannish, in his most elaborate and supplicatory style. consent was immediately given, with an air of slightly impatient wonder at being dragged into it at all. it was precisely what his wife had expected, and as she looked at him as he spoke, there was a different expression on her face from that which it would have worn a few months back. that vague and wondering look was less noticeable and an element of comprehendingness that made her eyes look hard now struggled with it sometimes.
after the visit of jannish and his wife other people called, and immediately mrs. dallas was drifting in a stream of musical engagements and rehearsals that took up most of her time, and formed a strong contrast to her former mode of life. she had opportunities to indulge her taste for dress and to wear some of the charming costumes which belonged to her trousseau—bought with what girlish ardor, and then laid away out of sight! she soon came to be admired for her dressing, as well as her beauty and her voice, and as is usual in such cases, the men regarded her with more favor and less suspicion than the women. the good will of the latter sex was, however, secured to some extent, when it was discovered that the prima donna, who they all perceived was to make their opera a great success and the envy of all sister cities with aspiring musical coteries, was apparently indifferent to the attentions of the men, if not, indeed, embarrassed by them. she never went anywhere, to rehearsals or resorts of any kind, public or private, without her husband, no matter who tried to entice her away. she never left his side, except under the necessity of going through her part, and then she returned to him unvaryingly. he was good-looking and well-dressed, and some of the company of both sexes made an effort to make something out of him, but he always seemed surprised when he was spoken to, and to find it a trouble to respond. he was too free from self-consciousness to be awkward, and would sit passive, twirling his mustache and looking on, and was apparently as satisfied to be a spectator of this performance as to go to see something professional. he had grown accustomed to sameness, perhaps, for he never seemed to object to it.
to see his wife the object of enthusiastic adulation on all sides, whether sincere or put on of necessity, as it was by some of the company, appeared to arouse in the husband no emotions of either satisfaction or displeasure.
