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that drive； Cyrilla had discovered that Keith had no interest in her either。 Mildred beat down her emotion and was soon able to say in a voice as unconcerned as Cyrilla's：
‘‘I'll find a place to…morrow or next day； and go at once。''
‘‘I'll be sorry to lose you；'' said Mrs。 Brindley； ‘‘but I agree with you that you can't get settled any too soon。''
‘‘You don't happen to know of any cheap； good place？'' said Mildred。
‘‘If it's cheap； I don't think it's likely to be good in New York；'' replied Cyrilla。 ‘‘You'll have to put up with inconveniencesand worse。 I'd offer to help you find a place； but I think everything self…reliant one does helps one to learn。 Don't you？''
‘‘Yes； indeed；'' assented Mildred。 The thing was self…evidently true； still she began to hate Cyrilla。 This cold…hearted New York！ How she would grind down her heel when she got it on the neck of New York！ Friendship； love； helpfulnesswhat did New York and New…Yorkers know of these things？ ‘‘Or Hanging Rock； either；'' reflected she。 What a cold and lonely world！
‘‘Have you been to see about a position？'' inquired Cyrilla。
Mildred was thrown into confusion。 ‘‘I can't go for aday or so；'' she stammered。 ‘‘The changeable weather has rather upset my throat。 Nothing serious； but I want to be at my best。''
‘‘Certainly；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 Her direct gaze made Mildred uncomfortable。 She went on： ‘‘You're sure it's the weather？''
‘‘What else could it be？'' demanded Mildred with a latent resentment whose interesting origin she did not pause to inquire into。
‘‘Well； salad； or sauces； or desserts； or cafe au lait in the morning； or candy； or tea；'' said Cyrilla。 ‘‘Or it might be cigarettes； or all those thingsand thin stockings and low shoesmightn't it？''
Never before had she known Cyrilla to say anything meddlesome or cattish。 Said Mildred with a faint sneer； ‘‘That sounds like Mr。 Keith's crankiness。''
‘‘It is；'' replied Cyrilla。 ‘‘I used to think he was a crank on the subject of singing and stomachs； and singing and ankles。 But I've been convinced； partly by him； mostly by what I've observed。''
Mildred maintained an icy silence。
‘‘I see you are resenting what I said；'' observed Cyrilla。
‘‘Not at all；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘No doubt you meant well。''
‘‘You will please remember that you asked me a question。''
So she had。 But the discovery that she was clearly in the wrong； that she had invited the disguised lecture； only aggravated her sense of resentment against Mrs。 Brindley。 She spent the rest of the afternoon in sorting and packing her belongingsand in crying。 She came upon the paper Donald Keith had left。 She read it through carefully； thoughtfully； read it to the last direction as to exercise with the machine； the last arrangement for a daily routine of life； the last suggestion as to diet。
‘‘Fortunately all that isn't necessary；'' said she to herself； when she had finished。 ‘‘If it were； I could never make a career。 I'm not stupid enough to be able to lead that kind of life。 Why； I'd not care to make a career； at that price。 Slaveryplain slavery。''
When she went in to dinner； she saw instantly that Cyrilla too had been crying。 Cyrilla did not look old； anything but that； indeed was not old and would not begin to be for many a year。 Still； after thirty…five or forty a woman cannot indulge a good cry without its leaving serious traces that will show hours afterward。 At sight of the evidences of Cyrilla's grief Mildred straightway forgot her resentment。 There must have been some other cause for Cyrilla's peculiar conduct。 No matter what； since it was not hardness of heart。
It was a sad； even a gloomy dinner。 But the two women were once more in perfect sympathy。 And afterward Mildred brought the Keith paper and asked Cyrilla's opinion。 Cyrilla read slowly and without comment。 At last she said：
‘‘He got this from his mother； Lucia Rivi。 Have you read her life？''
‘‘No。 I've heard almost nothing about her； except that she was famous。''
‘‘She was more than that；'' said Mrs。 Brindley。 ‘‘She was great； a great personality。 She was an almost sickly child and girl。 Her first attempts on the stage were humiliating failures。 She had no health； no endurance； nothing but a small voice of rare quality。'' Cyrilla held up the paper。 ‘‘This tells how she became one of the surest and most powerful dramatic sopranos that ever lived。''
‘‘She must have been a dull person to have been able to lead the kind of life that's described there；'' said Mildred。
‘‘Only two kinds of persons could do it；'' replied Cyrilla‘‘a dull persona plodderand a genius。 Middling peoplethey're the kind that fill the world； they're you and I； my dearmiddling people have to fuss with the trifles that must be sacrificed if one is to do anything big。 You call those trifles your freedom； but they're your slavery。 And by sacrificing them the Lucia Rivis buy their freedom。'' Cyrilla looked at the paper with a heavy sigh。 ‘‘Ah； I wish I had seen this when I was your age。 Now； it's too late。''
Said Mildred： ‘‘Would you seriously advise me to try that？''
Cyrilla came and sat beside her and put an arm around her。 ‘‘Mildred；'' she said； ‘‘I've never thrust advice on you。 I only dare do it now because you ask me； and because I love you。 You must try it。 It's your one chance。 If you do not； you will fail。 You don't believe me？''
In a tone that was admission； Mildred said： ‘‘I don't know。''
‘‘Keith has given you there the secret of a successful career。 You'll never read it in any book； or get it from any teacher； or from any singer or manager or doctor。 You must live like that； you must do those things or you will fail even in musical comedy。 You would fail even as an actress； if you tried that； when you found out that the singing was out of the question。''
Mildred was impressed。 Perhaps she would have been more impressed had she not seen Keith and Mrs。 Brindley in the taxi； Keith talking earnestly and Mrs。 Brindley listening as if to an oracle。 Said she： ‘‘Perhaps I'll adopt some of the suggestions。''
Cyrilla shook her head。 ‘‘It's a route to success。 You must go the whole route or not at all。''
‘‘Don't forget that there have been other singers besides Rivi。''
‘‘Not any that I recall who weren't naturally powerful in every way。 And how many of them break down？ Mildred； please do put the silly nonsense about nerves and temperament and inspiration and overwork and weather and climateput all that out of your head。 Build your temple of a career as high and graceful and delicate as you like； but build it on the coarse； hard； solid rock； dear！''
Mildred tried to laugh lightly。 ‘‘How Mr。 Keith does hypnotize people！'' cried she。
Mrs。 Brindley's cheeks burned； and her eyes lowered in acute embarrassment。 ‘‘He has a way of being splendidly and sensibly right；'' said she。 ‘‘And the truth is wonderfully convincingonce one sees it。'' She changed the subject； and it did not come upor； perhaps； come OUT againbefore they went to bed。 The next day Mildred began the depressing； hopeless search for a place to live that would be clean； comfortable； and cheap。 Those three adjectives describe