“I thought,” Lily shot at him from behind sarcastically, “I thought one ought never to swear! It’s wicked to swear, Mr. Fuchs!”
In her dressing-room, she went on laughing at Nunkie and his “Donner-r-r-wetter-r-r!” and his “S-s-satan! S-s-satan!” It made her comb her hair all awry and apply the grease-paint to her cheeks with a trembling hand. She felt a buzzing in her head: that confounded music which seemed to come from everywhere and hissed in her ears! But, when her turn came, she’d show them! Never had she felt so light. She was sure of herself, strangely sure. It seemed to her that, if need be, she’d have shot up to the stars, damn it!
As soon as she was ready, she went down to the stage. She didn’t know why. It was her wish to be everywhere, her craving for movement. The aerobike had been taken from its cage, behind the back-drop; the stage-manager, Jimmy and Jimmy’s assistants were standing round it. Jimmy was testing everything, for the last time, making sure that there would be no hitch:
“Hullo, Lily!” he said, when he saw her. “Are you ready?”
“Ready?” said Lily. “Look!”
And she flung back her wrap with her two bare arms and stood, a figure all charm and grace, with youth, joy and courage sparkling in her eyes. In the mysterious half-light, amid the endless sounds from the band, Lily seemed to shed rays. Jimmy, dazzled, looked at that dainty form, that delicate breast, those rounded shoulders, that splendid body fashioned by years of Spartan life, each muscle of which was quivering with enthusiasm. And she laughed ... laughed ... head thrown back, full-throated; told the story of Nunkie, with furious gestures, as though she were strangling the old beast. And then came sudden displays of feeling, for the Three Graces and the Bambinis.
Jimmy had never seen her like that. The stage-manager also thought her queer, for he looked at Jimmy as though to ask what on earth was the matter with her. And, going up to him, he said:
“Look how she’s trembling! One would think she had a fever.”
“It’s quite true,” said Jimmy.
And the two stared at each other in consternation when Lily, stooping to pick up her cloak, was nearly losing her balance and coming to the ground. They exchanged a few words in a whisper. Then the stage-manager said: