Adrienne had bowed repeatedly in response to the wild enthusiasm of the audience, and of a sudden a new cry mingled with the shouts and clapping.
"Author! Author!" Adrienne came forward again and bowed, smilingly shaking her head, gesturing a negative with her hands.

But still the cry went on, "Author! Author!"-- the steady, persistent drone of an audience which does not mean to be denied.
Diana experienced a brief thrill of triumph.

She felt convinced that Adrienne would have liked to have Max standing beside her at this moment.

It would have set the seal on an evening of glorious success, completed it, as it were.

And he had refused to come, declined--so Diana put it to herself--to share the evening's triumph with the actress who had so well interpreted his work.