and tears stood before her, and a
grave voice from above was saying: "Be good, forgive, pray," while
round about her a jeering laughter arose, as though in response to
it.

She arrived at her home and for a long time could not calm herself.
She pressed her hands to her head as though trying to still those
tumultuous thoughts that were whirling through her brain in such
confusion that she could not distinguish truth from falsehood. For
in a moment of clairvoyant vision she had seen that both the good
and the bad suffered equally, that all were struggling, all were
clamoring for salvation and protesting against life.

"I shall go mad! I shall go mad!" Janina whispered to herself.

On the next morning Wladek came to see her. He seemed to be so good
and kissed her hand so tenderly that she could not help noticing his
devotion. He complained about Cabinski and aired at length his
grievances against his mother.

Janina regarded him with a cold look, for she understood almost at
once that he wished to borrow money from her.

"Go and buy me some powder, for I must go to the theater to-day,"
she said to him.

Wladek rose eagerly to fulfill her behest.

"Close the door after you, for I am going to dress."

He closed the door with the latch to which he had his own key, and
departed.

On the street, almost at the very door Wladek spied the counselor. A
sudden idea flashed through his mind, for he smiled and cordially
approached the old man.

"Good morning, esteemed counselor."

"Good morning, how are you feeling, eh?"

"Thank you, I am entirely well, only Miss Orlowska is ill. The
directress has just asked me to see how she was getting along."

"What? Miss Janina is ill? They told me so behind the scenes, but I
did not believe it, for I thought . . ."

"Yes, she is sick. I am just now going for some medicine."

"Is she dangerously ill?"

"Oh no, but would you like to convince yourself personally?"

The counselor started violently, but then, adjusting his glasses, he
said: "Indeed, I would like to. I wished to do so many times before,
but she is so inaccessible."

"I will smooth the way for you."

"You are joking. How can that be done? Although, considering my
friendly attitude toward her . . ."

"You can see her. Here is the latchkey to her room. She will receive
you; she even told me that she would be pleased to have her friends
visit her, for she spends entire days all alone."

"But if . . ."

"Go.