Besides, others would know their value and demand a larger
salary.
He pointed to the performers' exit. "_Allez_!"
As she rode past, Arithelli made him a little bow. It was the salute
of a courteous duellist to his adversary. To his profound surprise the
Manager found himself acknowledging it, with like dignity.
At eight o'clock that evening she sat before the glass in her
dressing-room and awaited the shouted summons of the impish call-boy,
who respected no one on earth, and to whom she was never "Mamzelle" or
"Senora," but only Arithelli. The dresser had gone out for an instant,
leaving the door ajar, and a noisy burst of applause swept along the
passage.
The audience was in a particularly good temper, and ready to be amused
at anything. In view of the royal guests the Manager had provided
several exciting novelties. There was a wonderful troupe of performing
horses who did everything that a horse is popularly supposed to be
incapable of doing; there was a gypsy girl from Seville with a
marvellous bear, whose intelligence appeared to be of a superior
quality to that of the average human being; there were new jokes, new
tricks, fresh costumes.
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