as hung up in the foyer of the theatre,
amongst all the dead immortals; and as a result her head began to swell.

One day she was standing on a pier, the sea was very rough and there
was a strong current. The conductor, of course, stood by her side, and
a great many young men were present, paying her court. The beauty was
playing with a rose; all the cavaliers coveted the flower, but she said
that it should become the property of him who knew how to earn it,
and she flung it far out into the sea. The cavaliers looked at it
with longing glances, but the conductor jumped off the pier without a
moment's hesitation, swam like a sea-gull on the crests of the waves and
soon held the flower between his lips.

The cavaliers cheered, and the swimmer could read the promise of love in
his lady's eyes. But when he struck out for the shore, he found that
he could not move from the spot. He had been caught in the current. The
singer on the pier did not realise his danger, but merely thought he
was fooling, and therefore she laughed. But the conductor, who saw death
staring him in the face, misunderstood her laughter; a bitter pang shot
through his heart, and then his love for her was dead.

However, he came ashore at last, with bleeding hands, for he had cut
them at the pier in many places.

"I will marry you," said the beauty.

"No, thank you," replied the conductor; turned, and walked away.

This was an offence for which she swore that she would be revenged.

Only the people connected with the theatre, who understand these things,
know how it happened that the conductor lost his post. He had been
firmly established, and it took two years to get rid of him.

But he was got rid of; she watched the downfall of her benefactor and
triumphed, and her head swelled still more, in fact it swelled so much
that everybody noticed it. The public, who realised that the heart
underneath the beautiful form was wicked, ceased to be touched by her
singing, and no longer believed in her smiles and tears.

She soon became aware of it, and it embittered her. But she continued
ruling at the theatre, suppressed all young talents, and used her
influence with the press to ruin their careers.

She lost the love and respect of her audiences, but she did not
mind that as long as she remained in power; and as she was wealthy,
influential, and contented, she throve and prospered.

Now, when people are prosperous, they do not lose flesh; on the
contr