ntered the room.

He had met Grzesikiewicz on the stairs and in his face had read what
had happened.

Janina uttered a little cry of fear, so great a change had come over
him. His face was ashen-gray, his eyes seemed to bulge from their
sockets, his head swayed violently from side to side.

He seated himself near the table and with a quiet, smothered voice
asked, "What did you tell Grzesikiewicz?"

"What I told you yesterday; that I do not love him and will not
marry him!" she answered boldly, but she was startled at the seeming
calm with which her father spoke.

"Why?" he queried sharply, as though he did not understand her.

"I told him that I do not love him and do not wish to marry at
all. . . ."

"You are a fool! . . . a fool! . . . a fool!" he hissed at her
through his tightly set teeth.

She regarded him calmly and all her old obstinacy returned.

"I said that you would marry him. I gave my word that you would
marry him, and you will marry him!"

"I will not! . . . no one is able to force me!" she answered
sullenly, looking with steady gaze into her father's eyes.

"I will drag you to the altar. I will compel you! . . . You
must! . . ." he cried hoarsely.

"No!"

"You will marry Grzesikiewicz, I tell you; I, your father, command
you to do so! You will obey me immediately, or I will kill you!"

"Very well, kill me, if you want to, but I'll not obey you!"

"I will drive you out of this house!" he shouted.

"Very well!"

"I will disown you!"

"Very well!" she answered with growing determination. Janina felt
that with each word her heart was hardening with greater resolve.

"I'll drive you out . . . do you hear? . . . and even though you die
of hunger, I never want to hear of you again!"

"Very well!"

"Janina! I warn you, don't drive me to extremity. I beg you marry
Grzesikiewicz, my daughter, my child! . . . Isn't it for your good?
You have no one but me in the world and I am old . . . I will
die . . . and you will remain alone without protection or
support. . . . Janina, you have never loved me! . . . If you knew
how unhappy I have been throughout my life, you would take pity on
me!"

"No! . . . Never! . . ." she answered, unmoved even by his pleading.

"I ask you for the last time!" he shouted.

"For the last time I tell you no!" she flung back at him.

Orlowski hurled his chair to the floor with such force that it was
shattered to pieces. He tore open the collar of his shirt, so