She found everyone enthusiastic. Crayford's tic was almost triumphant. His little beard bristled with an aggressive optimism. "Where's Claude?" said Charmian, not seeing him and thinking of Mrs. Shiffney. "Making some cuts," said Crayford. "The stage shows things up. There are bits in that act that have got to come out. But it's a bully act and will go down as easily as a--Hullo, Jimber! Sure you've got your motors right for the locust scene?" He escaped. "Mr. Mulworth!" cried Charmian, seeing the producer rushing toward the wings, with the perspiration pouring over his now haggard features. "_Mister_ Mulworth! How long will Claude take making the cuts, do you think?" "He'll have to stick at them all through the next act. If they're not made the act's a fizzle! Jeremy! See here! We've got to have a pin-light on Miss Mardon when she comes down that staircase!" He escaped. "Signor Meroni, I hear you have to make some cuts! D'you think--" "_Signora--ma si! Ma si!_" He escaped. "Take care, marm, if you please! Look out for that sand bank!" Charmian withdrew from the frantic turmoil of work, and fled to visit the singers, and drink in more comfort. The only person who dashed her hopes was Miss Enid Mardon, who was a great artist but by nature a pessimist, ultra critical, full of satire and alarmingly outspoken. "I tell you honestly," she said, looking at Charmian with fatalistic eyes, "I don't believe in it. But I'll do my best." "But I thought you were delighted with the first act. Surely Monsieur Gillier told me--" "Oh, I only spoke to him about the libretto. That's a masterpiece. Did you ever see such a dress as that elephant Haynes expects me to wear for the third act?" "Really Miss Mardon's impossible!" Charmian was saying a moment later to Alston Lake. "Why, Mrs. Charmian?" "Oh, I don't know! She always looks on the dark side." "With eyes like hers what else can she do? Isn't it going stunningly?" "Alston, I must tell you--you're an absolute darling!" She nearly kissed him. A bell sounded. "Third act!" exclaimed Alston, in his resounding baritone. Charmian escaped, feeling much more hopeful, indeed almost elated. Alston was right. With eyes like hers how could Enid Mardon anticipate good things? Nevertheless Charmian remembered that she had called the libretto a masterpiece. Oh! the agony of these swiftly changing moods! She felt as if she were being tossed from one to another by some cruel giant. She tried to look forward. She said to herself, "Very soon we shall know! All this will be at an end."