The truth is that, if there was a cabal, it was led by Carlotta
herself against poor Christine, who had no suspicion of it.
Carlotta had never forgiven Christine for the triumph which she had
achieved when taking her place at a moment's notice. When Carlotta
heard of the astounding reception bestowed upon her understudy,
she was at once cured of an incipient attack of bronchitis and a
bad fit of sulking against the management and lost the slightest
inclination to shirk her duties. From that time, she worked with all
her might to "smother" her rival, enlisting the services of influential
friends to persuade the managers not to give Christine an opportunity
for a fresh triumph. Certain newspapers which had begun to extol
the talent of Christine now interested themselves only in the fame
of Carlotta. Lastly, in the theater itself, the celebrated,
but heartless and soulless diva made the most scandalous remarks
about Christine and tried to cause her endless minor unpleasantnesses.
When Carlotta had finished thinking over the threat contained
in the strange letter, she got up.
"We shall see," she said, adding a few oaths in her native Spanish
with a very determined air.
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