us, beside herself; and
then dropped into her chair again, with her two arms flat on the table,
her head between her arms, among the grease-paints, the powder, the
overturned box of spangles, which rolled about everywhere and strewed the
floor. She felt inclined to bite into her flesh to relieve herself, she
clenched her fists and dug her nails into her skin. Oh, she would have
liked to die, to die! It was so fierce a longing, so desperate a cry that
the force of her prayer ought to have struck her dead where she sat. And
suddenly the tears began to flow and she cried and cried, all convulsed
with sobs, floored, shipwrecked, done for. She cried and cried, as though
stupefied, saw nothing save through a thick veil of water, like a person
drowning, sinking. It seemed to her as if the tears would groove her face,
for always. Oh, what would she give to be at home, in bed! Never, never
again would she have the strength to do a thing. She was done for, buried
alive. And that coward of a Jimmy, to obey Harrasford's order! Oh, the
harm he had done her! She would rather have died smashed to a jelly on the
stage: she would have suffered less! Oh, to behave like that: to flash so
much before her eyes; and then to fling her to the ground! Oh, when she
had thought that he loved her and that she loved him also, perhaps! And
Lily cried and cried....

* * * * *

Meanwhile, in front, the aerobike was receiving endless applause. The
disappearance through the opening, the plunge into space, the star
snatched from up above, that piece of theatrical symbolism filled the
audience with enthusiasm. The aerobike brought down the house, its success
surpassed all expectation, and the Astrarium was opening with a victorious
clamor.

"Yes, but at what a cost!" said Jimmy to himself, in spite of the cheers.

And, as soon as he was able to escape, putting off for a few minutes his
replies to the cards that poured in--the chairman of the Aero Club,
journalists begging for interviews--Jimmy had but one idea, to console
Lily for her disappointment of that evening: poor Lily!

His heart was beating very loudly as he went to her dressing-room. Jimmy
was no longer the fellow who knew no fear. To fly away on the aerobike, to
risk his skin was easy, for him at least; but to face Lily ... to explain
to her ... with all those things seething within him ... and, oh, the pain
he was causing her! How could he approa