? You are young. What must you have
suffered!"

He clasped her hands tenderly between his own, and stared down into her
eyes.

"Don't touch me," she said brokenly, "I told you--there is blood on
them! I am cursed like Bruennhilde. The curse is in my voice and you
hear it, and it is that that makes you tremble and shudder--just as I
tremble and shudder--at night--when I dream, and I see the body beside
me on the floor--and the red pool--widening. Helmanoff used to tell me
my voice was cold and pure like snow; there was no feeling, no warmth,
no abandon. You see--if I have learned it, it is not Helmanoff who has
taught me--but suffering."

Her eyes were like two fires burning, and she put her hand to her
throat. "To have the gift of tears you must have shed them," she
whispered, looking at him strangely: "You must have--shed them."

"Is it the curse alone," said the Kapellmeister, "that keeps you and
Velasco apart, little one? Forgive me! Don't start like that!
Don't--don't tremble."

Kaya backed away from him, snatching away her hands. Her lips were
quivering and her eyes half closed. "Ah--" she breathed, "You are
cruel. Take the spear and strike me, but don't prod a wound that is
open and will not--heal! Have you no wound of your own hidden that you
must needs bare mine?"

"It is love that has taught you," said the Kapellmeister, "You love
him--Velasco!"

She gave a low moan and flung her arms up, covering her face.

The Kapellmeister stared at her for a moment. The stage was dark, and
only a bulb of light, here and there, gleamed in the distance. Below,
the watchman was pacing the corridor, waiting, and the smell of his
pipe came up through the wings. The scenery looked grim and ghostly;
the couch of Bruennhilde lay bare. Above were ropes and machinery
dangling, and darkness.

He clinched his teeth suddenly and a sound escaped him, half a cry,
half a groan; but smothered, as though seized and choked back. "Come,"
he said. He went to her roughly and took the helmet from her head, and
the shield, and the spear; she standing there heedless with her arms
across her face. They fell to the floor with a crash, first one, then
the other, and the sound was like a blow, repeating itself in loud
echoes.

"Go and take off your things," he said hurriedly, "It is
midnight--past, and the watchman is waiting to lock the stage door.
Rouse yourself--go! I will wait for you here."

He heard the sound