“Then you must see the doctor. You must not trifle with yourself.”
“No, no: I beg of you, no! I don’t know any doctor here and a stranger would only be a nuisance. I’ll be better. I don’t like being a trouble; and I’ll come anyhow, dead or alive.”
“That’s the right spirit; you’ve simply got to appear. We’d never hear the last of it if we failed.”
“Yes, I know. Would you mind drawing that shade a trifle lower? That’s better.”
Zelda opened her eyes wide and stared about her dejectedly.
Mrs. Carr
“I’ll tell you what I might do. Something’s just occurred to me. You know Christine’s part is much lighter than Gretchen’s. If Olive would consent to trade with me,—” She broke into a fit of violent coughing. “My! I wish my chest didn’t hurt so. What was I saying? Oh, yes! about that other part,—if Olive would exchange with me, I think I might carry Christine’s part through. She can sing Gretchen as well as I can—”
“Certainly not; it’s impossible. And hers is a soprano part, anyhow.”
“Oh, that’s easy,”—another fit of coughing—“the range is not so very different. That won’t be any trouble.”