Book	O
I	O
I.	O
On	O
a	O
January	O
evening	O
of	O
the	O
early	O
seventies	O
,	O
Christine	O
Nilsson	O
was	O
singing	EVENT
in	O
Faust	O
at	O
the	O
Academy	O
of	O
Music	O
in	O
New	O
York	O
.	O

Though	O
there	O
was	O
already	O
talk	O
of	O
the	O
erection	O
,	O
in	O
remote	O
metropolitan	O
distances	O
"	O
above	O
the	O
Forties	O
,	O
"	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
Opera	O
House	O
which	O
should	O
compete	O
in	O
costliness	O
and	O
splendour	O
with	O
those	O
of	O
the	O
great	O
European	O
capitals	O
,	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
fashion	O
was	O
still	O
content	O
to	O
reassemble	O
every	O
winter	O
in	O
the	O
shabby	O
red	O
and	O
gold	O
boxes	O
of	O
the	O
sociable	O
old	O
Academy	O
.	O

Conservatives	O
cherished	O
it	O
for	O
being	O
small	O
and	O
inconvenient	O
,	O
and	O
thus	O
keeping	O
out	O
the	O
"	O
new	O
people	O
"	O
whom	O
New	O
York	O
was	O
beginning	O
to	O
dread	O
and	O
yet	O
be	O
drawn	O
to	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
sentimental	O
clung	O
to	O
it	O
for	O
its	O
historic	O
associations	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
musical	O
for	O
its	O
excellent	O
acoustics	O
,	O
always	O
so	O
problematic	O
a	O
quality	O
in	O
halls	O
built	O
for	O
the	O
hearing	O
of	O
music	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
Madame	O
Nilsson	O
's	O
first	O
appearance	EVENT
that	O
winter	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
the	O
daily	O
press	O
had	O
already	O
learned	O
to	O
describe	O
as	O
"	O
an	O
exceptionally	O
brilliant	O
audience	O
"	O
had	O
gathered	EVENT
to	O
hear	O
her	O
,	O
transported	EVENT
through	O
the	O
slippery	O
,	O
snowy	O
streets	O
in	O
private	O
broughams	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
spacious	O
family	O
landau	O
,	O
or	O
in	O
the	O
humbler	O
but	O
more	O
convenient	O
"	O
Brown	O
coupe	O
.	O
"	O

To	O
come	O
to	O
the	O
Opera	O
in	O
a	O
Brown	O
coupe	O
was	O
almost	O
as	O
honourable	O
a	O
way	O
of	O
arriving	O
as	O
in	O
one	O
's	O
own	O
carriage	O
;	O
and	O
departure	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
means	O
had	O
the	O
immense	O
advantage	O
of	O
enabling	O
one	O
(	O
with	O
a	O
playful	O
allusion	O
to	O
democratic	O
principles	O
)	O
to	O
scramble	O
into	O
the	O
first	O
Brown	O
conveyance	O
in	O
the	O
line	O
,	O
instead	O
of	O
waiting	O
till	O
the	O
cold-and-gin	O
congested	O
nose	O
of	O
one	O
's	O
own	O
coachman	O
gleamed	O
under	O
the	O
portico	O
of	O
the	O
Academy	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
great	O
livery-stableman	O
's	O
most	O
masterly	O
intuitions	O
to	O
have	O
discovered	O
that	O
Americans	O
want	O
to	O
get	O
away	O
from	O
amusement	O
even	O
more	O
quickly	O
than	O
they	O
want	O
to	O
get	O
to	O
it	O
.	O

When	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
opened	EVENT
the	O
door	O
at	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
club	O
box	O
the	O
curtain	O
had	O
just	O
gone	EVENT
up	O
on	O
the	O
garden	O
scene	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
no	O
reason	O
why	O
the	O
young	O
man	O
should	O
not	O
have	O
come	O
earlier	O
,	O
for	O
he	O
had	O
dined	EVENT
at	O
seven	O
,	O
alone	O
with	O
his	O
mother	O
and	O
sister	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
lingered	EVENT
afterward	O
over	O
a	O
cigar	O
in	O
the	O
Gothic	O
library	O
with	O
glazed	O
black-walnut	O
bookcases	O
and	O
finial-topped	O
chairs	O
which	O
was	O
the	O
only	O
room	O
in	O
the	O
house	O
where	O
Mrs.	O
Archer	O
allowed	O
smoking	O
.	O

But	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
place	O
,	O
New	O
York	O
was	O
a	O
metropolis	O
,	O
and	O
perfectly	O
aware	O
that	O
in	O
metropolises	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
not	O
the	O
thing	O
"	O
to	O
arrive	O
early	O
at	O
the	O
opera	O
;	O
and	O
what	O
was	O
or	O
was	O
not	O
"	O
the	O
thing	O
"	O
played	O
a	O
part	O
as	O
important	O
in	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
's	O
New	O
York	O
as	O
the	O
inscrutable	O
totem	O
terrors	O
that	O
had	O
ruled	O
the	O
destinies	O
of	O
his	O
forefathers	O
thousands	O
of	O
years	O
ago	O
.	O

The	O
second	O
reason	O
for	O
his	O
delay	O
was	O
a	O
personal	O
one	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
dawdled	EVENT
over	O
his	O
cigar	O
because	O
he	O
was	O
at	O
heart	O
a	O
dilettante	O
,	O
and	O
thinking	O
over	O
a	O
pleasure	O
to	O
come	O
often	O
gave	O
him	O
a	O
subtler	O
satisfaction	O
than	O
its	O
realisation	O
.	O

This	O
was	O
especially	O
the	O
case	O
when	O
the	O
pleasure	O
was	O
a	O
delicate	O
one	O
,	O
as	O
his	O
pleasures	O
mostly	O
were	O
;	O
and	O
on	O
this	O
occasion	O
the	O
moment	O
he	O
looked	O
forward	O
to	O
was	O
so	O
rare	O
and	O
exquisite	O
in	O
quality	O
that	O
--	O
well	O
,	O
if	O
he	O
had	O
timed	O
his	O
arrival	O
in	O
accord	O
with	O
the	O
prima	O
donna	O
's	O
stage-manager	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
have	O
entered	O
the	O
Academy	O
at	O
a	O
more	O
significant	O
moment	O
than	O
just	O
as	O
she	O
was	O
singing	O
:	O
"	O
He	O
loves	O
me	O
--	O
he	O
loves	O
me	O
not	O
--	O
HE	O
LOVES	O
ME	O
!	O

--	O
"	O
and	O
sprinkling	O
the	O
falling	O
daisy	O
petals	O
with	O
notes	O
as	O
clear	O
as	O
dew	O
.	O

She	O
sang	EVENT
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
"	O
M'ama	O
!	O
"	O

and	O
not	O
"	O
he	O
loves	O
me	O
,	O
"	O
since	O
an	O
unalterable	O
and	O
unquestioned	O
law	O
of	O
the	O
musical	O
world	O
required	O
that	O
the	O
German	O
text	O
of	O
French	O
operas	O
sung	O
by	O
Swedish	O
artists	O
should	O
be	O
translated	O
into	O
Italian	O
for	O
the	O
clearer	O
understanding	O
of	O
English-speaking	O
audiences	O
.	O

This	O
seemed	O
as	O
natural	O
to	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
as	O
all	O
the	O
other	O
conventions	O
on	O
which	O
his	O
life	O
was	O
moulded	O
:	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
duty	O
of	O
using	O
two	O
silver-backed	O
brushes	O
with	O
his	O
monogram	O
in	O
blue	O
enamel	O
to	O
part	O
his	O
hair	O
,	O
and	O
of	O
never	O
appearing	O
in	O
society	O
without	O
a	O
flower	O
(	O
preferably	O
a	O
gardenia	O
)	O
in	O
his	O
buttonhole	O
.	O

"	O
M'ama	O
...	O
non	O
m	O
'	O
ama	O
...	O
"	O
the	O
prima	O
donna	O
sang	EVENT
,	O
and	O
"	O
M'ama	O
!	O
"	O

,	O
with	O
a	O
final	O
burst	EVENT
of	O
love	O
triumphant	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
pressed	EVENT
the	O
dishevelled	O
daisy	O
to	O
her	O
lips	O
and	O
lifted	EVENT
her	O
large	O
eyes	O
to	O
the	O
sophisticated	O
countenance	O
of	O
the	O
little	O
brown	O
Faust-Capoul	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
vainly	O
trying	EVENT
,	O
in	O
a	O
tight	O
purple	O
velvet	O
doublet	O
and	O
plumed	O
cap	O
,	O
to	O
look	O
as	O
pure	O
and	O
true	O
as	O
his	O
artless	O
victim	O
.	O

Newland	O
Archer	O
,	O
leaning	EVENT
against	O
the	O
wall	O
at	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
club	O
box	O
,	O
turned	EVENT
his	O
eyes	O
from	O
the	O
stage	O
and	O
scanned	EVENT
the	O
opposite	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
.	O

Directly	O
facing	O
him	O
was	O
the	O
box	O
of	O
old	O
Mrs.	O
Manson	O
Mingott	O
,	O
whose	O
monstrous	O
obesity	O
had	O
long	O
since	O
made	O
it	O
impossible	O
for	O
her	O
to	O
attend	O
the	O
Opera	O
,	O
but	O
who	O
was	O
always	O
represented	O
on	O
fashionable	O
nights	O
by	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
younger	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
family	O
.	O

On	O
this	O
occasion	O
,	O
the	O
front	O
of	O
the	O
box	O
was	O
filled	EVENT
by	O
her	O
daughter-in-law	O
,	O
Mrs.	O
Lovell	O
Mingott	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
daughter	O
,	O
Mrs.	O
Welland	O
;	O
and	O
slightly	O
withdrawn	O
behind	O
these	O
brocaded	O
matrons	O
sat	O
a	O
young	O
girl	O
in	O
white	O
with	O
eyes	O
ecstatically	O
fixed	EVENT
on	O
the	O
stagelovers	O
.	O

As	O
Madame	O
Nilsson	O
's	O
"	O
M'ama	O
!	O
"	O

thrilled	EVENT
out	O
above	O
the	O
silent	O
house	O
(	O
the	O
boxes	O
always	O
stopped	O
talking	O
during	O
the	O
Daisy	O
Song	O
)	O
a	O
warm	O
pink	O
mounted	EVENT
to	O
the	O
girl	O
's	O
cheek	O
,	O
mantled	EVENT
her	O
brow	O
to	O
the	O
roots	O
of	O
her	O
fair	O
braids	O
,	O
and	O
suffused	EVENT
the	O
young	O
slope	O
of	O
her	O
breast	O
to	O
the	O
line	O
where	O
it	O
met	O
a	O
modest	O
tulle	O
tucker	O
fastened	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
gardenia	O
.	O

She	O
dropped	EVENT
her	O
eyes	O
to	O
the	O
immense	O
bouquet	O
of	O
lilies-of-the-valley	O
on	O
her	O
knee	O
,	O
and	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
saw	EVENT
her	O
white-gloved	O
finger-tips	O
touch	EVENT
the	O
flowers	O
softly	O
.	O

He	O
drew	O
a	O
breath	EVENT
of	O
satisfied	O
vanity	O
and	O
his	O
eyes	O
returned	EVENT
to	O
the	O
stage	O
.	O

No	O
expense	O
had	O
been	O
spared	O
on	O
the	O
setting	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
acknowledged	O
to	O
be	O
very	O
beautiful	O
even	O
by	O
people	O
who	O
shared	O
his	O
acquaintance	O
with	O
the	O
Opera	O
houses	O
of	O
Paris	O
and	O
Vienna	O
.	O

The	O
foreground	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
footlights	O
,	O
was	O
covered	O
with	O
emerald	O
green	O
cloth	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
middle	O
distance	O
symmetrical	O
mounds	O
of	O
woolly	O
green	O
moss	O
bounded	O
by	O
croquet	O
hoops	O
formed	O
the	O
base	O
of	O
shrubs	O
shaped	O
like	O
orange-trees	O
but	O
studded	O
with	O
large	O
pink	O
and	O
red	O
roses	O
.	O

Gigantic	O
pansies	O
,	O
considerably	O
larger	O
than	O
the	O
roses	O
,	O
and	O
closely	O
resembling	O
the	O
floral	O
pen-wipers	O
made	O
by	O
female	O
parishioners	O
for	O
fashionable	O
clergymen	O
,	O
sprang	O
from	O
the	O
moss	O
beneath	O
the	O
rose-trees	O
;	O
and	O
here	O
and	O
there	O
a	O
daisy	O
grafted	O
on	O
a	O
rose-branch	O
flowered	O
with	O
a	O
luxuriance	O
prophetic	O
of	O
Mr.	O
Luther	O
Burbank	O
's	O
far-off	O
prodigies	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
centre	O
of	O
this	O
enchanted	O
garden	O
Madame	O
Nilsson	O
,	O
in	O
white	O
cashmere	O
slashed	O
with	O
pale	O
blue	O
satin	O
,	O
a	O
reticule	O
dangling	O
from	O
a	O
blue	O
girdle	O
,	O
and	O
large	O
yellow	O
braids	O
carefully	O
disposed	O
on	O
each	O
side	O
of	O
her	O
muslin	O
chemisette	O
,	O
listened	EVENT
with	O
downcast	O
eyes	O
to	O
M.	O
Capoul	O
's	O
impassioned	O
wooing	EVENT
,	O
and	O
affected	O
a	O
guileless	O
incomprehension	O
of	O
his	O
designs	O
whenever	O
,	O
by	O
word	EVENT
or	O
glance	EVENT
,	O
he	O
persuasively	O
indicated	EVENT
the	O
ground	O
floor	O
window	O
of	O
the	O
neat	O
brick	O
villa	O
projecting	O
obliquely	O
from	O
the	O
right	O
wing	O
.	O

"	O
The	O
darling	O
!	O
"	O

thought	EVENT
Newland	O
Archer	O
,	O
his	O
glance	EVENT
flitting	EVENT
back	O
to	O
the	O
young	O
girl	O
with	O
the	O
lilies-of-the-valley	O
.	O

"	O
She	O
does	O
n't	O
even	O
guess	O
what	O
it	O
's	O
all	O
about	O
.	O
"	O

And	O
he	O
contemplated	EVENT
her	O
absorbed	O
young	O
face	O
with	O
a	O
thrill	EVENT
of	O
possessorship	O
in	O
which	O
pride	O
in	O
his	O
own	O
masculine	O
initiation	O
was	O
mingled	O
with	O
a	O
tender	O
reverence	O
for	O
her	O
abysmal	O
purity	O
.	O

"	O
We	O
'll	O
read	O
Faust	O
together	O
...	O
by	O
the	O
Italian	O
lakes	O
...	O
"	O
he	O
thought	EVENT
,	O
somewhat	O
hazily	O
confusing	EVENT
the	O
scene	O
of	O
his	O
projected	O
honey-moon	O
with	O
the	O
masterpieces	O
of	O
literature	O
which	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
his	O
manly	O
privilege	O
to	O
reveal	O
to	O
his	O
bride	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
only	O
that	O
afternoon	O
that	O
May	O
Welland	O
had	O
let	EVENT
him	O
guess	EVENT
that	O
she	O
"	O
cared	O
"	O
(	O
New	O
York	O
's	O
consecrated	O
phrase	O
of	O
maiden	O
avowal	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
already	O
his	O
imagination	O
,	O
leaping	EVENT
ahead	O
of	O
the	O
engagement	O
ring	O
,	O
the	O
betrothal	O
kiss	O
and	O
the	O
march	O
from	O
Lohengrin	O
,	O
pictured	EVENT
her	O
at	O
his	O
side	O
in	O
some	O
scene	O
of	O
old	O
European	O
witchery	O
.	O

He	O
did	O
not	O
in	O
the	O
least	O
wish	O
the	O
future	O
Mrs.	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
simpleton	O
.	O

He	O
meant	O
her	O
(	O
thanks	O
to	O
his	O
enlightening	O
companionship	O
)	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
social	O
tact	O
and	O
readiness	O
of	O
wit	O
enabling	O
her	O
to	O
hold	O
her	O
own	O
with	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
married	O
women	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
younger	O
set	O
,	O
"	O
in	O
which	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
recognised	O
custom	O
to	O
attract	O
masculine	O
homage	O
while	O
playfully	O
discouraging	O
it	O
.	O

If	O
he	O
had	O
probed	O
to	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
his	O
vanity	O
(	O
as	O
he	O
sometimes	O
nearly	O
did	O
)	O
he	O
would	O
have	O
found	O
there	O
the	O
wish	O
that	O
his	O
wife	O
should	O
be	O
as	O
worldly-wise	O
and	O
as	O
eager	O
to	O
please	O
as	O
the	O
married	O
lady	O
whose	O
charms	O
had	O
held	O
his	O
fancy	O
through	O
two	O
mildly	O
agitated	O
years	O
;	O
without	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
any	O
hint	O
of	O
the	O
frailty	O
which	O
had	O
so	O
nearly	O
marred	O
that	O
unhappy	O
being	O
's	O
life	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
disarranged	O
his	O
own	O
plans	O
for	O
a	O
whole	O
winter	O
.	O

How	O
this	O
miracle	O
of	O
fire	O
and	O
ice	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
created	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
sustain	O
itself	O
in	O
a	O
harsh	O
world	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
never	O
taken	O
the	O
time	O
to	O
think	O
out	O
;	O
but	O
he	O
was	O
content	O
to	O
hold	O
his	O
view	O
without	O
analysing	O
it	O
,	O
since	O
he	O
knew	O
it	O
was	O
that	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
carefully-brushed	O
,	O
white-waistcoated	O
,	O
button-hole-flowered	O
gentlemen	O
who	O
succeeded	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
the	O
club	O
box	O
,	O
exchanged	O
friendly	O
greetings	O
with	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
turned	O
their	O
opera-glasses	O
critically	O
on	O
the	O
circle	O
of	O
ladies	O
who	O
were	O
the	O
product	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
.	O

In	O
matters	O
intellectual	O
and	O
artistic	O
Newland	O
Archer	O
felt	O
himself	O
distinctly	O
the	O
superior	O
of	O
these	O
chosen	O
specimens	O
of	O
old	O
New	O
York	O
gentility	O
;	O
he	O
had	O
probably	O
read	O
more	O
,	O
thought	O
more	O
,	O
and	O
even	O
seen	O
a	O
good	O
deal	O
more	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
than	O
any	O
other	O
man	O
of	O
the	O
number	O
.	O

Singly	O
they	O
betrayed	O
their	O
inferiority	O
;	O
but	O
grouped	O
together	O
they	O
represented	O
"	O
New	O
York	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
the	O
habit	O
of	O
masculine	O
solidarity	O
made	O
him	O
accept	O
their	O
doctrine	O
on	O
all	O
the	O
issues	O
called	O
moral	O
.	O

He	O
instinctively	O
felt	O
that	O
in	O
this	O
respect	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
troublesome	O
--	O
and	O
also	O
rather	O
bad	O
form	O
--	O
to	O
strike	O
out	O
for	O
himself	O
.	O

"	O
Well	O
--	O
upon	O
my	O
soul	O
!	O
"	O

exclaimed	EVENT
Lawrence	O
Lefferts	O
,	O
turning	EVENT
his	O
opera-glass	O
abruptly	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
stage	O
.	O

Lawrence	O
Lefferts	O
was	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
whole	O
,	O
the	O
foremost	O
authority	O
on	O
"	O
form	O
"	O
in	O
New	O
York	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
probably	O
devoted	O
more	O
time	O
than	O
any	O
one	O
else	O
to	O
the	O
study	O
of	O
this	O
intricate	O
and	O
fascinating	O
question	O
;	O
but	O
study	O
alone	O
could	O
not	O
account	O
for	O
his	O
complete	O
and	O
easy	O
competence	O
.	O

One	O
had	O
only	O
to	O
look	O
at	O
him	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
slant	O
of	O
his	O
bald	O
forehead	O
and	O
the	O
curve	O
of	O
his	O
beautiful	O
fair	O
moustache	O
to	O
the	O
long	O
patent-leather	O
feet	O
at	O
the	O
other	O
end	O
of	O
his	O
lean	O
and	O
elegant	O
person	O
,	O
to	O
feel	O
that	O
the	O
knowledge	O
of	O
"	O
form	O
"	O
must	O
be	O
congenital	O
in	O
any	O
one	O
who	O
knew	O
how	O
to	O
wear	O
such	O
good	O
clothes	O
so	O
carelessly	O
and	O
carry	O
such	O
height	O
with	O
so	O
much	O
lounging	O
grace	O
.	O

As	O
a	O
young	O
admirer	O
had	O
once	O
said	O
of	O
him	O
:	O
"	O
If	O
anybody	O
can	O
tell	O
a	O
fellow	O
just	O
when	O
to	O
wear	O
a	O
black	O
tie	O
with	O
evening	O
clothes	O
and	O
when	O
not	O
to	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
Larry	O
Lefferts	O
.	O
"	O

And	O
on	O
the	O
question	O
of	O
pumps	O
versus	O
patent-leather	O
"	O
Oxfords	O
"	O
his	O
authority	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
disputed	O
.	O

"	O
My	O
God	O
!	O
"	O

he	O
said	EVENT
;	O
and	O
silently	O
handed	EVENT
his	O
glass	O
to	O
old	O
Sillerton	O
Jackson	O
.	O