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1The concert on Thursday night was better attended, but Mrs Kearney saw at once that the house was filled with paper. The
2audience behaved indecorously, as if the concert were an informal dress rehearsal. Mr Fitzpatrick seemed to enjoy
3himself; he was quite unconscious that Mrs Kearney was taking angry note of his conduct. He stood at the edge of the
4screen, from time to time jutting out his head and exchanging a laugh with two friends in the corner of the balcony. In
5the course of the evening, Mrs Kearney learned that the Friday concert was to be abandoned and that the Committee was
6going to move heaven and earth to secure a bumper house on Saturday night. When she heard this, she sought out Mr
7Holohan. She buttonholed him as he was limping out quickly with a glass of lemonade for a young lady and asked him was
8it true. Yes, it was true. "But, of course, that doesn't alter the contract," she said. "The contract was for four
9concerts." Mr Holohan seemed to be in a hurry; he advised her to speak to Mr Fitzpatrick. Mrs Kearney was now beginning
10to be alarmed. She called Mr Fitzpatrick away from his screen and told him that her daughter had signed for four
11concerts and that, of course, according to the terms of the contract, she should receive the sum originally stipulated
12for, whether the society gave the four concerts or not. Mr Fitzpatrick, who did not catch the point at issue very
13quickly, seemed unable to resolve the difficulty and said that he would bring the matter before the Committee. Mrs
14Kearney's anger began to flutter in her cheek and she had all she could do to keep from asking: "And who is the Cometty
15pray?" But she knew that it would not be ladylike to do that: so she was silent. Little boys were sent out into the
16principal streets of Dublin early on Friday morning with bundles of handbills. Special puffs appeared in all the evening
17papers, reminding the music-loving public of the treat which was in store for it on the following evening. Mrs Kearney
18was somewhat reassured, but she thought well to tell her husband part of her suspicions. He listened carefully and said
19that perhaps it would be better if he went with her on Saturday night. She agreed. She respected her husband in the same
20way as she respected the General Post Office, as something large, secure and fixed; and though she knew the small number
21of his talents she appreciated his abstract value as a male. She was glad that he had suggested coming with her. She
22thought her plans over. The night of the grand concert came. Mrs Kearney, with her husband and daughter, arrived at the
23Antient Concert Rooms three-quarters of an hour before the time at which the concert was to begin. By ill luck it was a
24rainy evening. Mrs Kearney placed her daughter's clothes and music in charge of her husband and went all over the
25building looking for Mr Holohan or Mr Fitzpatrick. She could find neither. She asked the stewards was any member of the
26Committee in the hall and, after a great deal of trouble, a steward brought out a little woman named Miss Beirne to whom
27Mrs Kearney explained that she wanted to see one of the secretaries. Miss Beirne expected them any minute and asked
28could she do anything. Mrs Kearney looked searchingly at the oldish face which was screwed into an expression of
29trustfulness and enthusiasm and answered: "No, thank you!" The little woman hoped they would have a good house. She
30looked out at the rain until the melancholy of the wet street effaced all the trustfulness and enthusiasm from her
31twisted features. Then she gave a little sigh and said: "Ah, well! We did our best, the dear knows." Mrs Kearney had to
32go back to the dressing-room. The artistes were arriving. The bass and the second tenor had already come. The bass, Mr
33Duggan, was a slender young man with a scattered black moustache. He was the son of a hall porter in an office in the
34city and, as a boy, he had sung prolonged bass notes in the resounding hall. From this humble state he had raised
35himself until he had become a first-rate artiste. He had appeared in grand opera. One night, when an operatic artiste
36had fallen ill, he had undertaken the part of the king in the opera of Maritana at the Queen's Theatre. He sang his
37music with great feeling and volume and was warmly welcomed by the gallery; but, unfortunately, he marred the good
38impression by wiping his nose in his gloved hand once or twice out of thoughtlessness. He was unassuming and spoke
39little. He said yous so softly that it passed unnoticed and he never drank anything stronger than milk for his voice's
40sake. Mr Bell, the second tenor, was a fair-haired little man who competed every year for prizes at the Feis Ceoil. On
41his fourth trial he had been awarded a bronze medal. He was extremely nervous and extremely jealous of other tenors and
42he covered his nervous jealousy with an ebullient friendliness. It was his humour to have people know what an ordeal a
43concert was to him. Therefore when he saw Mr Duggan he went over to him and asked: "Are you in it too?" "Yes," said Mr
44Duggan. Mr Bell laughed at his fellow-sufferer, held out his hand and said: "Shake!" Mrs Kearney passed by these two
45young men and went to the edge of the screen to view the house. The seats were being filled up rapidly and a pleasant
46noise circulated in the auditorium. She came back and spoke to her husband privately. Their conversation was evidently
47about Kathleen for they both glanced at her often as she stood chatting to one of her Nationalist friends, Miss Healy,
48the contralto. An unknown solitary woman with a pale face walked through the room. The women followed with keen eyes the
49faded blue dress which was stretched upon a meagre body. Someone said that she was Madam Glynn, the soprano. "I wonder
50where did they dig her up," said Kathleen to Miss Healy. "I'm sure I never heard of her." Miss Healy had to smile. Mr
51Holohan limped into the dressing-room at that moment and the two young ladies asked him who was the unknown woman. Mr
52Holohan said that she was Madam Glynn from London. Madam Glynn took her stand in a corner of the room, holding a roll of
53music stiffly before her and from time to time changing the direction of her startled gaze. The shadow took her faded
54dress into shelter but fell revengefully into the little cup behind her collar-bone. The noise of the hall became more
55audible. The first tenor and the baritone arrived together. They were both well dressed, stout and complacent and they
56brought a breath of opulence among the company. Mrs Kearney brought her daughter over to them, and talked to them
57amiably. She wanted to be on good terms with them but, while she strove to be polite, her eyes followed Mr Holohan in
58his limping and devious courses. As soon as she could she excused herself and went out after him. "Mr Holohan, I want to
59speak to you for a moment," she said. They went down to a discreet part of the corridor. Mrs Kearney asked him when was
60her daughter going to be paid. Mr Holohan said that Mr Fitzpatrick had charge of that. Mrs Kearney said that she didn't
61know anything about Mr Fitzpatrick. Her daughter had signed a contract for eight guineas and she would have to be paid.
62Mr Holohan said that it wasn't his business. "Why isn't it your business?" asked Mrs Kearney. "Didn't you yourself bring
63her the contract? Anyway, if it's not your business it's my business and I mean to see to it." "You'd better speak to Mr
64Fitzpatrick," said Mr Holohan distantly. "I don't know anything about Mr Fitzpatrick," repeated Mrs Kearney. "I have my
65contract, and I intend to see that it is carried out."
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