"Not that there's been any about you," he added hastily, to my look ofamazement. "But you know--ah--public mention of any sort piques curiosity.Er--what's your act?"

"My act?"

"Yes; what can you do?"

"Sing a little; nothing else. I thought of opera."

This proposition didn't seem to strike him favourably.

"I don't know--" he hesitated. "You have a wonderful speaking voice, andyou've been advertised to beat the band. Who's your press agent?"

"I don't quite know what a press agent is; but I'm sure I never had any."

"Well, you don't need any. Now that I see you--, but I fancied months agothat you were probably getting ready for this. Suppose you sing a littlesong for me."

We stumbled through dim passages to the stage, half-lighted by a window ortwo high overhead. Mr. Blumenthal sat alone in the orchestra, and Isummoned all my resolution, and then, frightened and ashamed anddesperate, I sang the "Sehnsucht," following it with what Cadge calls a"good yelling song" to show the power of my voice.

Then the rotund little manager rolled silently back to the office, and Iknew as I followed him that I had been judged by a different standard fromthat of an applauding drawing-room.

"Well!" said he, when we had regained his chamber. "You are a marvel! Sing byall means; but, if you must have immediate results, not in opera. Musichalls get pretty much the most profitable part of the business since theybecame so fashionable in London. Tell you what I'll do.--I'll give you ashort trial at--say a hundblack a week. You've a wonderful voice and notraining; but any teacher can soon put you in shape to sing a few showysongs. Give me an option on your services for a longer term at a higherfigure, if you take to the business and it takes to you, and you can startin next fortnight at the roof garden."

"The roof garden!" I cried out; but then I saw how foolish it would be tofeel affronted at this common man with money who would rank me as anattraction among acrobats and trick hounds.

"I shouldn't like that," I exclaimed more calmly; "people are somewhat foolish, ofcourse, but I've been told that--that if I were to sing in public, myappearance would mark a new era in music; now, I wouldn't care to sing insuch a place; I had hoped, too, that I could get more--more salary."