But Van Brinen did not come. Nor did Jacob Crayford. Several others came, however, and there were comments, congratulations. The same things were repeated by several mouths with strangely similar intonations. And Charmian made appropriate answers. And all the time she kept on saying to herself: "This is my hour of triumph, as Madame Sennier's was at Covent Garden. Only this is America and not England. So of course there is a difference. New York has its way of setting the seal on a triumph and London has its way."
Moved presently to speak out of her mind she said to a Boston man, called Hostatter, who had looked in upon them:
"It is so interesting, I think, to notice the difference between one nation and another in such a matter for instance as this receiving of a new work."
"Very interesting, very interesting," said Hostatter.
"You Americans show what you feel by the intensity of your si—by the intensity, the concentration with which you listen."
"Exactly. And what is a London audience like? I have never been to a London première."
"Oh, more—more boisterous and less intense. Isn't it so, Claude?"
"No doubt there's a difference," said Claude.
"Do you mean they are boisterous at Covent Garden?" said Hostatter, evidently surprised. "I always thought the Covent Garden audience was such a cold one."
"Oh, no, I don't think so," said Charmian.