has grown to the
proportions of a passion."

Glogowski offered his arm to Janina; she accepted and began to
relate to him in an easy, friendly tone the various adventures she
had experienced on her excursions in the country. She felt as
unrestrained in his company as though she had known him from
childhood. At moments she would even forget that this was the first
time in her life that she had met him. She was won over to him by
his bright and happy face and by the somewhat mild sincerity of his
character; she felt in him a brotherly and honest soul.

Glogowski listened to her, answered her questions, and observed her
with curiosity. Finally, choosing an appropriate moment, he said
frankly: "May the deuce take me, but you are an interesting woman, a
very interesting one! I will tell you something; just now a certain
thought struck me and I offer it to you hot from the griddle, only
don't think it strange. I detest conventionality, social hypocrisy,
the affectation of actresses, etc., count up to twenty! . . . and
that is just what I fail, as yet, to see in you. Oho! I immediately
noticed that you were free from all that. Frankly, I like you as a
certain type that one meets very rarely. It is interesting,
interesting!" he repeated, almost to himself. "We might become
friends!" he cried delightedly, speaking his thoughts aloud, "For,
although women always disappoint me, because sooner or later the
female of the species crops out in every one of them, still, a new
experiment might be worth something . . . ."

"Frankness in return for frankness," said Janina, laughing at the
lightning-like swiftness with which he formed determinations. "You
also are an interesting specimen."

"Well, then, we agree! Let us shake and be good friends!" he
exclaimed, extending his hand.

"But I haven't yet finished what I wanted to say: I must tell you
that I do without confidants and friends entirely. That smacks of
sentimentality and is not very safe."

"Bosh! Friendship is worth more than love. I see it's beginning to
pour in earnest. It is the dogs crying over rejected friendship. I
shall have the opportunity of meeting you more often, shall I not?
For you have within you something . . . something like a piece of a
certain kind of soul that one comes across very rarely."

"I am at the theater every day for rehearsals and almost every day
at the performances."

"Oh the deuce take it, that won't do at all! If I attended on you
for