A Woman-Hater

a humble hotel, not used by gay

angers in the salle a' manger, seated at small tables a

der than sculptors affect; her long hair, coiled tight, in a great many smooth snakes, upon her snowy nape, was almost flaxen, yet her eyebrows and long lashes not pale but a reddish brown; her gray eyes large and pr

e year, and studying each to see whether it looked real or assumed. Interspersed were flippant comments, and verses adapted to draw a smile of amusement or contempt; but this

sharp-faced middle-aged man of business; Joseph Ashmead, operatic and theatrical agent-at his wits' end; a female singer at the Homburg Opera had fallen really ill; he was com

eir appetites. He affected, therefore, to look on them as people who had not ye

hful; he gave his order in German with an English accent. But the lady, when

e! It wants four

e, and said, slowly, and very distin

th an exclamation, and bent his eyes eagerly on the melodious speaker. He could only see her back hair and her figure; but, apparently, this quick-eared gentleman had also quick eyes, for he said aloud,

ried Ashme

little, but in pure English, and with a compos

again. When I heard you had left the Munich Opera so sudden, I said, 'There goes one more

Ash

ny it. You kn

was a very hard-working singer; and I had the advantage of being supported, in my early career, by a gentleman of judgment and spi

you, and spoken with that mellow voice which would charm a rattlesnake; but w

lways to think-if but for half a moment-before she spoke, and to say things, whether about herself or others, only because they were the truth. The reader who shall condescend to bear this in mind will possess some little clew

off the ladder so near the top? Oh, of course I know-the old story-but y

on," said Ina, naively. "But" (

. I'm sure no lady in public

s only jealous

d the poor p

ed me,

from the opera, and, during the opera, he could make o

rsals!-and-embr

only on t

here else does one

y, I'd embrace fifty tenors-i

-post in the middle of the stage, and it was in my part to embrace the thing, I should have done it honestly, for love of

a counter-tenor

eaded and absurd, and did not understand the true artist. However, having discoursed for some time in this strain, he began to fear it might be unpalatable to her; so he stopped abruptly, and said, "But there-what is done is done. We must make the best of it; and you mustn't think I m

t him, but s

d you to dine with me at the Kursaal, and then adjourn to the Royal Box. You

ed look on him. "My kind, old faithful friend!" said she, then shook her head

" he said dryly. "But at least introduce me t

en in my powe

ood enough for him,"

stice, and him too,"

l, t

she, deprecatingly

will be dull till he comes back. Come wi

ured eyes away. "I

er?" said he. "You are in trouble. I declare you are trembling, and yo

ushed, hesitated, faltered, and at last laid one white hand upon her bosom, that wa

ent and incredulity. "Deserted!"

t forever." Her noble eyes filled to the b

st be an idiot!"

waiter is listening: le

tude, her voice faltered, under the eye of sympathy. "You are my old friend," she said. "I'll try and tell you all." But she could not

illain." Then she dried her eyes, and said, resolutely, "If I am to tell you, you must

said Ashmead, submissi

her tale. Dealing now with longer se

e was born so, and I the opposite. His love for me was too violent to last forever in any man, and it soon cooled in him, because he is inconstant by nature. He was jealous of the public: he must have all my heart, and all my time, and so he wore his own passion out. Then his great restlessnes

is there an

for it, and I fear I wearied him by my remonstrances. He dragged me about from one gambling-place to another, and I saw that i

ill-temper, and asked, grimly,

t affection, which was my all, gliding gradually away from me; and the tortured will cry out. I am not an ungoverned woman

have the heart to leave you?

go to my mother in Denmark. He would send his next letter to me there. Ah! he knew I should need my mother when his second letter came. He had planned it all, that the blow might not kill me. He wrote to tell me he was a ruined man, and he was too proud to let me supp

spatch, to the other end of the salle; and there, being out of Ina's hearing, he spoke his mind t

nd much relieved, and was now enabled to say, cheerfully, "Let us take a business view of it. H

Ashmead! And the moment I saw your friendly face, I said to

re of that," said Ashmead, ea

o find him. That i

is in

ld not stay eight months in any country; b

ht months searching Eu

rong, and I said, 'Here I stay till h

ra

d my anger, and leaving my affection undiminished. At last I c

t on a wild-goose chase," said Ashmea

se I have you to assist me with your experience and ability.

e trusted, implies a fine sense and power of touch; so, in virtue of her sex, she pats a horse before she rides him, a

swelled with gratified vanity and said, "You are quite right;

ourse

e he is not at Homburg at all. If he is, he most li

hat I am aware of." She was strictly on her g

"of course he is, and not th

my incompeten

for him is the gambli

, n

you

Me! A

th your

; I said you w

s in Homburg. And suppose we do find

unwelcome. I sha

him to Homburg, wherever he is

tell m

good turn int

le? Can I be

y to recover a man is not to run after him, but to make him run to you. It is like catching moths; you don't

for you?" asked Ina, getting

"Why, only to sing for me in this little opera, that is all."

a, panting a little, and turning

catch it again 'moping' won't. And surely you will not refuse to draw him, merely because you can pull me out of a fix into the bargain. Look here, I have undertaken to find a

this is driving m

; "I'm quite unscrupulous, because

back to the stage make

ng experience I never knew an instance to the contrary. It

is the

bel in 'Faust,' w

, I do not

erybody

know neither the music nor the words, and

airs in a day, and the

he book-oh! he calls the poet's words the cackle-and t

shows the school you were bred i

ot a moment to waste. You have te

y, there is something

as they w

; but give

a farm in dear old Denmark. But I really sing for you more than for Homburg, so make no difficulties. Above all,

eturn to the opera. She had refused at first; but he had used all his influence with her, and at last had obtained a half promise on conditions-a two mont

demurred to

an Alboni; her low notes like a trumpet,

nd came back to the inn triumphant. He waved the agreement over his head, then submitted it to h

Ashmead. "Come," said he, authoritatively, "y

and looked at him like a

ing the paper before he

proachful glance, th

turning fretful,

ly. He went to the landlord and inqui

re is one

e," said a sha

eg the u

inster. "I cannot have it strummed o

lady I want it for is a professi

st strumme

going to sing at the opera. She m

] she need n

must leave

y], that is a

ould take her to another hotel kept by a Frenchman: these Germans were bear

piano strummed. But as your hotel is quiet and respectable, and I am unwilling to leave it, wi

the speaker, and, after a moment's reflection, said, half sullenly, "No, m

ed room on the first-floor, and unlocked the

performed a compos

your music-what stuff! Such things are null. They v

he Klosking was amused, and rather pleased. "Mademoiselle

spise forty-nine compositions out of fifty; but the fiftieth I ado

tter old-fashioned. She said, quietly, "Will mademoiselle do me the ho

ll' onda." It is a small thing, but there is no limit to the genius of song. The Klosking sung this trifle with a voice so grand, sonorous, and sweet, and, above all, with such feeling, taste, and purity, that somehow s

her eyes. At the last, she made three strides, as a soldier marches, and fell all of a piece, like a wooden

ot conceal her pleasure. "I am very

n a great fright at what she had undertaken, she studied and practiced her part night and day. Sh

; he stood before her with an

, sir," said she, severely, "no

," said Ashmea

f those who think that an unmanly trembling

name is

imperfect-contentedly imperfect, How can p

makes it so

olical compact you made me, I have been in a state of terror, agitation, misgiving, and misery-and I thank and bless you for i

d her fortitude female fortitude, she gave

, as we must leave her for a time, to battle her bu