A Chorus of Detectives Read Online Free Page B

pasta.
    When the waiters were gone, Caruso blurted out, “Pasquale, Toto—do you know the chorister who dies last night is new man?”
    Scotti cleared his throat. “Rico, do you think we have snow tomorrow?”
    â€œIt is his first time on the Metropolitan stage,” Caruso rushed on, unheeding. “His first and his last!”
    â€œI think we go to Belasco Theatre tomorrow night,” Scotti persisted, “if we do not have snow.”
    â€œPoor man.” Caruso shook his head. “Poor, poor man.”
    â€œRico, listen to me,” Scotti insisted. “I have problem you help me with, yes? I do not know what Christmas present to give to Gerry. You suggest something?”
    â€œ Sì, sì —tomorrow. Why does the trap door fall open? It never happens before!”
    Amato tried to help. “I, too, have problems with Christmas presents—”
    â€œChristmas, Christmas!” the tenor cried. “Christmas is two weeks away! Why all this talk of Christmas? Something terrible happens last night—and you do not talk about it!”
    Amato smiled ruefully at Scotti. “It is hopeless, Toto.” Scotti nodded in resignation. Then Amato asked Caruso, “Do you know the new man, Rico?”
    Caruso said he’d never spoken to the dead man. The other man who had fallen through the trap had suffered a hip injury as well as multiple fractures of the leg. “He is gone the rest of the season,” the tenor said mournfully. “That is still two more chorus singers that must be found!”
    â€œHow do you know this?” Scotti asked.
    â€œMr. Gatti tells me. You understand what all this means?” Caruso laid one finger alongside his nose. “ Una maledizione! ”
    â€œOh, Rico!” Amato exclaimed in amused exasperation. “There is no curse! Do not say such things.”
    Caruso nodded wisely. “The chorus of the Metropolitan Opera—it is cursed! How else do you explain what happens? First the young soprano in Samson and Delilah . Then the poor man who hangs himself. Then last night … eh, I feel disaster in the air, even before we start! And I say so—ask Emmy! Then the voice breaks, and I think that is the disaster! But no, it is merely sign of worse things to come. A trap door that never mal-, mal … never misbehaves before—wide open it drops! One more death, and another man seriously hurt. That makes one injury, two fatal accidents, and a suicide, all within a week. Do you ever know so much misfortune to come so close together before? There is only one explanation. Una maledizione .”
    All the time Caruso was talking, the waiters had been putting food on the table while listening openly to what the tenor was saying. Both Scotti and Amato had made shushing gestures to Caruso, who either did not or would not see. When the waiters had gone, Scotti burst out, “Now all of New York will be saying the Metropolitan chorus is under a curse! You should have waited until they are gone, Rico.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe waiters,” Amato said. “They drink in every word you say.”
    Caruso waved a fork in dismissal. “Is not important! La maledizione , that is important! Think, my friends—what starts in the chorus, can it not spread to us as well? Pasquale, you are there last night, you hear! Do you not understand?” He put down his fork and grasped his throat dramatically. “The voice, it is the next to go!”
    â€œRico, you are foolish man,” Amato remonstrated. “Your voice, it breaks because you sing too often. You need to rest it more.”
    â€œHe is right,” Scotti added. “I tell you many times, not so much singing! You do not listen, and see what happens? Right in most important part of Vesti la giubba —”
    â€œIt is not too much singing,” Caruso insisted stubbornly. “It is a curse. Only on the chorus right now,