right to insult me, madame!" she cried. "Do you hear! I
haven't ever let anyone insult me, nor will I!"

A strange silence suddenly fell, for all were impressed by the
dignity and force of Janina's words. She glared at Kaczkowska with
glowing eyes and then turned on her heel and left the room.

Cabinski had fled to the box office after hastily divesting himself
of his costume.

"Whew! she's a sound nut, that new one."

"Kaczkowska will never forgive her that . . ."

"What can she do? . . . Miss Orlowska has the backing of the
management."

Mimi, immediately after the play, went to the dressing-room of the
chorus where she found Janina still agitated.

"How good you are!" cried the actress effusively.

"What I did was right . . . that's all," Janina replied.

"Take a trip with us to Bielany, won't you?" begged Mimi.

"When? . . . And who are going?"

"We're going within the next few days. There will be Wawrzecki, I, a
certain author, a very jolly chap, whose play we are to present,
Majkowska, Topolski and you. You must come with us!"

After lengthy persuasions and kisses, which Janina received
indifferently, she finally agreed to accompany them.

They waited for Wawrzecki and afterwards all went together to a
pastry shop for tea, taking with them also Topolski, who there
composed a circular addressed to the whole company requesting them
to appear without fail at the morrow's rehearsal, punctually at ten
o'clock.

CHAPTER V

For Cabinski all days on which there was a performance were
important days, but only three days were extraordinary: Christmas
Eve, Easter Day, and . . . the name day of his wife which fell on
the 19th of July, sacred to St. Vincent de Paul. On those three days
the director and his wife would hold a reception on a grand scale.

Cabinski the miser would vanish, and in his place would appear
Cabinski the munificent, dispensing hospitality after the ancient
custom of the Polish nobility, while certain deeply hidden
hereditary cells of lavishness opened up in his ego. The guests were
received and feted generously and no expense was spared. And, if
later, as a result of this, advances on salaries were smaller for a
month or so, their deferment more frequent, and the director's
complaints of a deficit more numerous, hardly anyone minded, for all
enjoyed themselves to the utmost, particularly on the name day of
the directress.

Cabinska's Christian name was Vincentine, but none both