The following night when they had had dinner and were ready to retire, Gautier
started toward the bedroom.
“Not yet,” Noelle said.
He turned in surprise.
“You said you would listen to me do the play.”
“Well, of—of course,” Gautier stammered, “whenever you’re ready.”
“I am ready.”
He shook his head. “I don’t want you to read it, cherie,” he said. “I want to hear it
when you have memorized it so that I can really judge you as an actress.”
“I have memorized it,” Noelle replied.
He stared at her in disbelief. It was impossible that she could have learned the entire
part in only three days.
“Are you ready to hear me?” she asked.
Armand Gautier had no choice. “Of course,” he said. He gestured toward the center
of the room. “That will be your stage. The audience will be here.” He sat down on a large
comfortable settee.
Noelle began to do the play. Gautier could feel the gooseflesh begin to crawl, his own
personal stigmata, the thing that happened to him when he encountered real talent. Not
that Noelle was expert. Far from it. Her inexperience shone through every move and
gesture. But she had something much more than mere skill: She had a rare honesty, a
natural talent that gave every line a fresh meaning and color.
When Noelle finished the soliloquy, Gautier said warmly, “I think that one day you
will become an important actress, Noelle. I really mean that. I am going to send you to
Georges Faber, who is the best dramatic coach in all of France. Working with him, you
will—”
“No.”
He looked at her in surprise. It was that same soft “no” again. Positive and final.
“ ‘No’ what?” Gautier asked in some confusion. “Faber does not take on anyone but
the biggest actors. He will only take you because I tell him to.”
“I am going to work with you,” Noelle said.
Gautier could feel the anger mounting in him. “I don’t coach anyone,” he snapped. “I
am not a teacher. I direct professional actors. When you are a professional actor, then I
will direct you.” He was fighting to check the anger in his voice. “Do you understand?”
Noelle nodded. “Yes, I understand, Armand.”
“Very well then.”
Mollified, he took Noelle in his arms and received a warm kiss from her. He knew