dresses. Let us go out on the
street," she said to Janina, putting on her coat and hat.

She pulled Janina along to her pastry shop and there, over a cup of
chocolate, began to apologize to her for the discourtesy that
Cabinski had shown her at the box office.

"Believe me, the director was so excited that he really did not know
what he was saying. And can you wonder at it? He was giving his best
efforts and even pawning his personal effects, only that the company
might lack nothing and, in the meanwhile, along comes Topolski,
creates a rumpus and breaks up his company. Even a saint would lose
patience in those circumstances and, moreover, Topolski told my
husband that you were going to join his company."

Janina answered nothing, for she was now entirely indifferent toward
the whole matter, but when Cabinska told her that on that very
afternoon they were leaving for Plock and that she should
immediately pack her things, for the expressman would call for them
directly, she answered with decision: "Thank you for your kindness,
Mrs. Directress, but I shall not go."

Cabinska could scarcely believe her ears and cried out in amazement:
"Have you already secured an engagement and where?"

"Nowhere, nor do I intend to," answered the girl.

"How is that! Are you going to abandon the stage? You who have a big
future before you!"

"I have had more than enough of acting," answered Janina with
bitterness.

"Come now, don't reproach me with it, you know it's your first year
on the stage and they wouldn't give you big roles at once,
anywhere."

"Oh, I am no longer going to try for them."

"And I had already been planning that in Plock you would live
together with us and that would not only make it easier for you, but
my daughter also could derive more benefit from it. Please think it
over and I, on my part, assure you that you will also get roles."

"No, no! I have enough of poverty and have absolutely no more
strength left to bear it any further and, moreover, I cannot, I
cannot . . ." answered Janina quietly, with tears in her eyes, for
that proposal flashed before her mind like the dawn of a better
future and awakened for a moment her old enthusiasm and dreams of
artistic triumph. But immediately she thought of her present
condition and the sufferings that she would have to endure on that
account, so she added with even greater emphasis: "No, I cannot! I
cannot!"

But she could not hold back the tears which cont