e dreamed was merely the fame
of a day.

"It seems to me that you have an appetite for the same thing that I
have," remarked Glogowski.

"I have!" she answered with emphasis and her voice resounded with
the explosive force of something that had been long pent up.

"I have!" she repeated, but this time in a much quieter tone and
without enthusiasm. The light died away in Janina's eyes and they
strayed aimlessly over those heights of the city in the distance,
without understanding anything, for she was perturbed by the thought
of that ephemeral fame, for she remembered the faded wreaths of
Cabinska and the bygone fame of Stanislawski, for she was thinking
with growing bitterness of those thousands of famous actors who were
dead and whose names even were forgotten. Janina felt a distressing
conflict of feelings in her breast. She leaned more heavily on
Glogowski's arm and walked on without saying another word.

At Zakroczymska Street they took a hack; Kotlicki jumped in and went
along with them, forming a party of three. Janina eyed him angrily,
but he pretended he did not notice it and gazed at her with his
everlasting smile. Glogowski and Kotlicki accompanied her to her
home. She had only enough time left to rush into the house, change
her dress, take the things she needed and immediately start off
again for the theater.

Because of the rain a few of the other chorus girls were also late.
Cabinski, expecting an empty house on account of the weather, was
irritated and rushed up and down the stage, shouting to all those
who were entering: "I see you girls are getting lazy. It is already
past eight o'clock and not one of you is yet dressed."

"We have been attending vespers at the Church of St. Charles of
Borromeus," explained Zielinska.

"Don't try to fool me with vespers! The deuce with vespers! Tend to
that which gives you your bread!"

"You provide us so generously with it, Mr. Director!" angrily
retorted Louise.

"What, I don't pay you? What else do you live on?"

"What do we live on? . . . Certainly not your absurd and merely
promised salaries!"

"Oh, and you are also late?" he cried to Janina who was just
entering.

"I appear only in the third act, so I still have plenty of time."

"Wicek! go run and get Miss Rosinska. Where is Sophie? Hurry up and
begin! May the devil take you all!" shouted Cabinski growing
exasperated.

He peered through the slit in the curtain.

"The theater is already filled