He opened his cigarette-
case, took out a visiting card and wrote the Schlummermotif on the
back before giving it to me. After telling him what the motif was,
I looked at his very long name on the back of the card: Graf von--
.
Seeing me do this, he said with a slight twinkle:
"Won't you write me a motif now?"
MARGOT: "Alas! I can't write music and to save my life could not
do what you have done; are you a composer?"
GRAF VON--: "I shan't tell you what I am--especially as I have
given you my name--till you tell me who you are."
MARGOT: "I'm a young lady at large!"
At this, Frau von Mach nudged me; I thought she wanted to be
introduced, so I looked at his name and said seriously:
"Graf von--, this is my friend Frau von Mach."
He instantly stood up, bent his head and, clicking his heels, said
to her:
"Will you please introduce me to this young lady?"
FRAU VON MACH (with a smile): "Certainly. Miss Margot Tennant."
GRAF VON--: "I hope, mademoiselle, you will forgive me thinking
your interest in Wagner might not be as great as it appeared, but
it enabled me to introduce myself to you."
MARGOT: "Don't apologise, you have done me a good turn, for I
shall lie back and cover my face with a handkerchief all through
this next act to convince you."
GRAF VON--: "That would be a heavy punishment for me... and
incidentally for this ugly audience."
On the last night of the Ring, I took infinite trouble with my
toilette.
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