bout your own silly little affairs.... And the selfishness of it!
Of course you think of nobody but yourself!"

"Upon my word, Miss Beaminster!"

"No, I've no patience with you. Go to your musical comedy if you like,
but leave music like this for people who can appreciate it!"

Oh! she was superb! Entirely superb! She ought to be like this every day
of her life! To think that he should have the chance of winning such a
prize!

Nevertheless she would not speak to him again and they went back to the
box. She would not speak to Lady Carloes nor to her uncle.

Then as the loveliest music in all opera flooded the building her anger
began to melt.

He had looked so charmingly repentant and, after all, the
_Meistersinger_ was long for anyone who did not really care for
music--and then they all did talk. It was only in the gallery that one
found the proper reverence.

Her anger cooled and then descended upon her the quintet, and she was
once again swept, in her cage, to the stars.

Now she and all live things seemed to be opening their hearts together
to God--no shame now to speak of one's deepest and most sacred thoughts.
No fear now of God nor the Archangels nor all the long spaces of
Immortality. The cage had ascended to the highest of all the Heavens,
and there, for a moment, one might stand, worshipping, with bowed head.

The quintet ceased and Rachel felt that she could never be angry with
anyone again. She wished to tell him so.

At last, the revels were over, the "Prieslied" had won its praises,
Sachs had been acclaimed by his world, and they were all in the lobby,
waiting for carriages, talking, laughing, hurrying to the restaurants.

Her face was lighted now with happiness. She touched his arm.

"I didn't mean to be angry--like that. It was silly and rude of me.
Forgive me, please----"

He turned, stuttering. "Forgive you!" He took her hand--"I ought to have
been shot--Yes, I'll never forgive myself. You--you----" And then he
could say no more, but suddenly, raising his hat, bolted away.

As the door swung behind him Lady Carloes turned a perplexed face--

"Why! he said good night! And now I shall never find----"

But Lord John appeared just then and all was well.

Going back, in the dark brougham, Rachel put her head on her uncle's
shoulder and, exhausted with excitement and happiness and something more
than either of them, cried her eyes away.

CHAPTER X

LIZZIE AND BRETON

"What o