'She hates this girl you are all so crazy about.... Everybody heard her. You can't keep a thing like that quiet once it has been said publicly.'
'But she is wonderful, the most delicate Ariel. Mann isn't worrying us. I cleared him out.'
'Excuse me,' said Verschoyle, intervening. 'I can assure you there will be no trouble. I have seen to that. You have nothing to fear.'
'How sweet of you! Then I can tell everybody there is not a word of truth in it.'
Verschoyle turned his back on them, and went in search of Clara, whom he found trembling with fury on the stairs leading from her dressing-room to the stage.
'How dare you let that woman insult me publicly?' she cried. 'How dare you? How dare you? You ought to have killed her.'
Verschoyle stammered,—
'One can't kill people in the stalls of a London theatre.'
'She ought not to be allowed to live. Publicly! In the middle of the play! ... Either she or I will leave the theatre.'
'I'll see what I can do,' he mumbled, 'only for God's sake don't make it worse than it is.... Your only answer can be to ignore her. She'll be crawling to you in a few months, for you are marvellous.'