Three tentative chords broke the silence overhead, and a woman's voice began to sing.
"Butterfly," the journalist jerked out as though he were in the last heat of a competition. "Second act, isn't it? Where Madame Butterfly hears that Pinkerton's ship has been sighted. I never think Butterfly's as bad as some of the high-brows try to make out. If you like that sort of thing, I mean," he added prudently.
Eric held up his hand.
"Please! I want to hear this."
"One fine day, we'll notice
A thread of smoke arising on the sea
In the far horizon,
And then the ship appearing:—
Then the trim white vessel
Glides into the harbour, thunders forth her cannon.
See you? He is coming!—
I do not go to meet him. Not I. I stay
Upon the brow of the hillock and wait, and wait
For a long time, but never weary
Of the long waiting.
From out the crowded city,
There is coming a man—
A little speck in the distance, climbing the hillock.
Can you guess who it is?
And when he's reached the summit
Can you guess what he'll say?
He will call 'Butterfly' from the distance.
I, without answering,
Hold myself quietly concealed,
A bit to tease him, and a bit so as not to die
At our first meeting: and then, a little troubled,
He will call, he will call:
'Dear baby-wife of mine, dear little orange-blossom!'
The names he used to call me when he came here.…"
Eric had allowed his cigar to go out. He lighted it again and turned to his neighbour with an apology, as the voice ceased and then seemed to revive with a last sob of ecstasy.
"She did that very well. Shall we go upstairs? I should like some more. We can take our cigars with us."
Without waiting for an answer, he made for the door and hurried ahead of the others. The drawing-room was sombrely lighted by three low standard lamps which threw the upper half of the room into shadow. He stood for several moments with lips parted and shining eyes, trying to identify three scattered couples of women before reducing the figure at the piano, by elimination, to Barbara.
"I say, was that you?" he demanded.
She made way for him at her side, welcoming him with a chastened smile and wondering at his sudden enthusiasm.