re had now become their natural selves: no one masked himself any
longer nor confined himself within the bounds of one role. All
played a thousand different roles. The hidden comedy of souls now
found its stage, its audience, and its actors, often very talented
ones.

Janina exhilarated by the wine, conversed with Wawrzecki about the
theater. Afterwards she strayed about the rooms, watched the men
playing cards, and listened to a variety of conversations and
arguments.

Janina roused herself from her meditations, for Kotlicki stood
before her with a cup of tea in his hand and with his sharp ennuied
voice began to speak: "You are observing the company, mademoiselle?
Truly, what remarkable energy there is in all their actions, what
strong souls they now appear to be!"

"Your malice also has strength . . ." she replied slowly.

"And is wasted on slander and ridicule, you wished to add, didn't
you?"

"Almost so."

"We shall see, we shall see . . ." he said slowly, standing his cup
upon the table and then, taking leave of Janina he left quietly.

In the anteroom where the sleepy Wicek handed him his overcoat, he
heard the monotonous whispering of the children's voices behind the
screen. He raised the curtain and saw Cabinski's four little boys
kneeling in their nightgowns and repeating their prayers after the
nurse.

A small night-lamp, glowing before a holy picture above the nurse's
bed, faintly illumined that group of children and the old,
gray-haired woman, who humbly bowed to the ground, struck her breast
with her hand and whispered in a tearful voice: "O Lamb of God, who
purgest the sins of the world!"

The children repeated the words after her with drowsy voices and
beat their breasts with their little hands.

Kotlicki withdrew quietly and without a smile. Only when he had
reached the stairs, he whispered: "Well, well! We shall see, we
shall see. . . ."

Janina started for the boudoir, but Niedzielska stopped her and drew
her into a conversation; later Wladek joined them.

The company began to break up.

"Do you live far away?" Niedzielska asked Janina.

"On Podwal Street, but in a week at most I am moving to Widok
Street."

"Ah, that's good, for we live on Piwna Street, so we can go
together. . . ."

They left immediately. Niedzielska took Janina by the arm, while
Wladek walked alongside, a little angry because he had to accompany
his mother; he swore to himself, while aloud he made melancholy