she has not risen from her bed."

"My mother is trying some scheme on me . . ." he finally added with
a frown.

Old Niedzielska was merely continually and persistently spying on
him and always had to know with whom he was carrying on a romance,
for she constantly trembled at the thought that Wladek might marry
some actress.

He took leave of Janina with an attitude of exaggerated respect at
the very door of her house and told her that he must go to see his
mother to convince himself about her illness.

As soon as Janina had entered the house, Wladek went to the theater
and, meeting Sowinska, held a long and secret conversation with her.
The old woman eyed him derisively and promised him her support.

Then he hurried away to Krzykiewicz's house for a game of cards, for
they would often arrange such card-playing evenings now at this, now
at another actor's home, to which they would invite many of their
friends from the public.

Janina, having entered her room, placed her flowers in a vase with
water and, retiring to sleep, gazed once more at the roses and
tenderly whispered: "How good he is!"

CHAPTER VIII

"Please miss, here's the circular!" cried Wicek, entering Janina's
room.

"What is the news? . . ."

"The reading of that new play, or something like that!" he replied
prying about the room.

Janina signed her name to the circular in which the stage-manager
summoned the entire company to appear at noon for the reading of
Glogowski's play The Churls.

"A fine bouquet!" exclaimed Wicek, eyeing the flowers standing in
the vase. "You might still melt it. . . ."

"Speak like a human being!" said Janina, handing back the signed
paper.

"That means I could still sell that bouquet for you."

"But who sells such bouquets and who buys them? . . ."

"Pardon me, miss, but I see you are still green! Some ladies as soon
as they receive flowers, sell them to the old woman who peddles
flowers in the evening at the theater. I could get a ruble easy for
that. If you would give it to me . . ."

"You can't have it. . . . But here's something else for you."

Wicek humbly kissed Janina's hand, overjoyed with the ruble she gave
him.

After Wicek's departure Janina changed the water in the vase with
the flowers and was just standing it on the table when Sowinska
entered with her breakfast.

Sowinska was to-day all radiant: her gray, owlish eyes were beaming
with unaccustomed friendliness.

The old woman stoo