ran up an astonishing crescendo that evoked veritable gasps from all
parts of the audience, then jumped once more to her famous C in alt,
and held it long enough for the chorus to repeat

"O terror, O blasfema"

four times.

Then the director's baton descended with the violence of a blow.
There was a prolonged crash of harmony, a final enormous chord, to
which every voice and every instrument contributed. The singers
struck tableau attitudes, the tenor fell back with a last wail:

"Je me meurs,"

and the soprano fainted into the arms of her confidante. The curtain
fell.

The house roared with applause. The scene was recalled again and
again. The tenor, scrambling to his feet, joined hands with the
baritone, soprano, and other artists, and all bowed repeatedly. Then
the curtain fell for the last time, the lights of the great
chandelier clicked and blazed up, and from every quarter of the
house came the cries of the programme sellers:

"Opera books. Books of the opera. Words and music of the opera."

During this, the last entr'acte, Laura remained in the box with Mrs.
Cressler, Corthell, and Jadwin. The others went out to look down
upon the foyer from a certain balcony.