She
was worthy of the great character Brent had created--the
wayward, many-sided, ever gay _Roxy Grandon_.
When, at the first night of "The Scandal," the audience
lingered, cheering Brent's picture thrown upon a drop,
cheering Susan, calling her out again and again, refusing to
leave the theater until it was announced that she could answer
no more calls, as she had gone home--when she was thus finally
and firmly established in her own right--she said to Sperry:
"Will you see to it that every sketch of me that appears
tomorrow says that I am the natural daughter of Lorella Lenox?"
Sperry's Punch-like face reddened.
"I've been ashamed of that fact," she went on. "It has made
me ashamed to be alive in the bottom of my heart."
"Absurd," said Sperry.
"Exactly," replied Susan. "Absurd. Even stronger than my
shame about it has been my shame that I could be so small as
to feel ashamed of it. Now--tonight" she was still in her
dressing-room. As she paused they heard the faint faraway
thunders of the applause of the lingering audience--"Listen!"
she cried. "I am ashamed no longer. Sperry, _Ich bin ein Ich!_"
"I should say," laughed he. "All you have to say is `Susan
Lenox' and you answer all questions."
"At last I'm proud of it," she went on. "I've justified
myself. I've justified my mother. I am proud of her, and she
would be proud of me. So see that it's done, Sperry.
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