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1When she came back to the dressing-room her cheeks were slightly suffused. The room was lively. Two men in outdoor dress
2had taken possession of the fireplace and were chatting familiarly with Miss Healy and the baritone. They were the
3Freeman man and Mr O'Madden Burke. The Freeman man had come in to say that he could not wait for the concert as he had
4to report the lecture which an American priest was giving in the Mansion House. He said they were to leave the report
5for him at the Freeman office and he would see that it went in. He was a grey-haired man, with a plausible voice and
6careful manners. He held an extinguished cigar in his hand and the aroma of cigar smoke floated near him. He had not
7intended to stay a moment because concerts and artistes bored him considerably but he remained leaning against the
8mantelpiece. Miss Healy stood in front of him, talking and laughing. He was old enough to suspect one reason for her
9politeness but young enough in spirit to turn the moment to account. The warmth, fragrance and colour of her body
10appealed to his senses. He was pleasantly conscious that the bosom which he saw rise and fall slowly beneath him rose
11and fell at that moment for him, that the laughter and fragrance and wilful glances were his tribute. When he could stay
12no longer he took leave of her regretfully. "O'Madden Burke will write the notice," he explained to Mr Holohan, "and
13I'll see it in." "Thank you very much, Mr Hendrick," said Mr Holohan, "you'll see it in, I know. Now, won't you have a
14little something before you go?" "I don't mind," said Mr Hendrick. The two men went along some tortuous passages and up
15a dark staircase and came to a secluded room where one of the stewards was uncorking bottles for a few gentlemen. One of
16these gentlemen was Mr O'Madden Burke, who had found out the room by instinct. He was a suave, elderly man who balanced
17his imposing body, when at rest, upon a large silk umbrella. His magniloquent western name was the moral umbrella upon
18which he balanced the fine problem of his finances. He was widely respected. While Mr Holohan was entertaining the
19Freeman man Mrs Kearney was speaking so animatedly to her husband that he had to ask her to lower her voice. The
20conversation of the others in the dressing-room had become strained. Mr Bell, the first item, stood ready with his music
21but the accompanist made no sign. Evidently something was wrong. Mr Kearney looked straight before him, stroking his
22beard, while Mrs Kearney spoke into Kathleen's ear with subdued emphasis. From the hall came sounds of encouragement,
23clapping and stamping of feet. The first tenor and the baritone and Miss Healy stood together, waiting tranquilly, but
24Mr Bell's nerves were greatly agitated because he was afraid the audience would think that he had come late. Mr Holohan
25and Mr O'Madden Burke came into the room. In a moment Mr Holohan perceived the hush. He went over to Mrs Kearney and
26spoke with her earnestly. While they were speaking the noise in the hall grew louder. Mr Holohan became very red and
27excited. He spoke volubly, but Mrs Kearney said curtly at intervals: "She won't go on. She must get her eight guineas."
28Mr Holohan pointed desperately towards the hall where the audience was clapping and stamping. He appealed to Mr Kearney
29and to Kathleen. But Mr Kearney continued to stroke his beard and Kathleen looked down, moving the point of her new
30shoe: it was not her fault. Mrs Kearney repeated: "She won't go on without her money." After a swift struggle of tongues
31Mr Holohan hobbled out in haste. The room was silent. When the strain of the silence had become somewhat painful Miss
32Healy said to the baritone: "Have you seen Mrs Pat Campbell this week?" The baritone had not seen her but he had been
33told that she was very fine. The conversation went no further. The first tenor bent his head and began to count the
34links of the gold chain which was extended across his waist, smiling and humming random notes to observe the effect on
35the frontal sinus. From time to time everyone glanced at Mrs Kearney. The noise in the auditorium had risen to a clamour
36when Mr Fitzpatrick burst into the room, followed by Mr Holohan, who was panting. The clapping and stamping in the hall
37were punctuated by whistling. Mr Fitzpatrick held a few banknotes in his hand. He counted out four into Mrs Kearney's
38hand and said she would get the other half at the interval. Mrs Kearney said: "This is four shillings short." But
39Kathleen gathered in her skirt and said: "Now, Mr Bell," to the first item, who was shaking like an aspen. The singer
40and the accompanist went out together. The noise in hall died away. There was a pause of a few seconds: and then the
41piano was heard. The first part of the concert was very successful except for Madam Glynn's item. The poor lady sang
42Killarney in a bodiless gasping voice, with all the old-fashioned mannerisms of intonation and pronunciation which she
43believed lent elegance to her singing. She looked as if she had been resurrected from an old stage-wardrobe and the
44cheaper parts of the hall made fun of her high wailing notes. The first tenor and the contralto, however, brought down
45the house. Kathleen played a selection of Irish airs which was generously applauded. The first part closed with a
46stirring patriotic recitation delivered by a young lady who arranged amateur theatricals. It was deservedly applauded;
47and, when it was ended, the men went out for the interval, content. All this time the dressing-room was a hive of
48excitement. In one corner were Mr Holohan, Mr Fitzpatrick, Miss Beirne, two of the stewards, the baritone, the bass, and
49Mr O'Madden Burke. Mr O'Madden Burke said it was the most scandalous exhibition he had ever witnessed. Miss Kathleen
50Kearney's musical career was ended in Dublin after that, he said. The baritone was asked what did he think of Mrs
51Kearney's conduct. He did not like to say anything. He had been paid his money and wished to be at peace with men.
52However, he said that Mrs Kearney might have taken the artistes into consideration. The stewards and the secretaries
53debated hotly as to what should be done when the interval came. "I agree with Miss Beirne," said Mr O'Madden Burke. "Pay
54her nothing." In another corner of the room were Mrs Kearney and her husband, Mr Bell, Miss Healy and the young lady who
55had to recite the patriotic piece. Mrs Kearney said that the Committee had treated her scandalously. She had spared
56neither trouble nor expense and this was how she was repaid. They thought they had only a girl to deal with and that,
57therefore, they could ride roughshod over her. But she would show them their mistake. They wouldn't have dared to have
58treated her like that if she had been a man. But she would see that her daughter got her rights: she wouldn't be fooled.
59If they didn't pay her to the last farthing she would make Dublin ring. Of course she was sorry for the sake of the
60artistes. But what else could she do? She appealed to the second tenor who said he thought she had not been well
61treated. Then she appealed to Miss Healy. Miss Healy wanted to join the other group but she did not like to do so
62because she was a great friend of Kathleen's and the Kearneys had often invited her to their house. As soon as the first
63part was ended Mr Fitzpatrick and Mr Holohan went over to Mrs Kearney and told her that the other four guineas would be
64paid after the Committee meeting on the following Tuesday and that, in case her daughter did not play for the second
65part, the Committee would consider the contract broken and would pay nothing. "I haven't seen any Committee," said Mrs
66Kearney angrily. "My daughter has her contract. She will get four pounds eight into her hand or a foot she won't put on
67that platform." "I'm surprised at you, Mrs Kearney," said Mr Holohan. "I never thought you would treat us this way."
68"And what way did you treat me?" asked Mrs Kearney. Her face was inundated with an angry colour and she looked as if she
69would attack someone with her hands. "I'm asking for my rights," she said. "You might have some sense of decency," said
70Mr Holohan. "Might I, indeed?... And when I ask when my daughter is going to be paid I can't get a civil answer." She
71tossed her head and assumed a haughty voice:
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