to the whispers, the echoes, and the sounds
that floated from it. Spread out before her in the dim twilight and
visible to her soul alone, there would pass before her imagination
the scenes that were acted there not long ago.

An additional reason for losing herself in dreams was to dull the
pinch of poverty, that had become more acute, for the second half of
the theatrical season, from a financial standpoint, was a great deal
worse than the first. The attendance was increasingly smaller
because of the continual rains and the cold evenings and, of course,
the pay of the actors was proportionately smaller.

It often happened that Cabinski in the middle of a performance would
take the cash box and make away with it under the pretext that he
was ill, leaving only a few rubles to be divided among the company
and, if he was caught before he made his escape, he would almost
cry.

And if he led anyone by the arm in a friendly manner to the box
office it was a prearranged sign for Gold, who was to say that there
was no money to be had. If he did not lead a person in this manner,
the treasurer would assume a worried look and complain: "I haven't
even enough to pay the gas bills and where am I going to get the
money for the rent? Why, there isn't enough to pay running
expenses."

"Let him have at least something. Perhaps we can put off the payment
of some bill to-day . . ." Cabinski would pretend to intercede.

He would then leave an order for the payment of the money and walk
away. But it almost always so happened that Gold did not have the
sum for which the order was made out. The amount paid was always
short, even if it were only by a few copecks. The actors called him
all sorts of names, but each took what was offered.

Gold pretended to be insulted and usually appealed to the
directress, who would always sit in the box office whenever she was
not taking part in the play. Cabinska would then sharply reproach
the actors and loudly praise the honesty of Gold, who with the small
salary that he received helped his sister, in addition to supporting
himself. Gold would beam with joy at the remembrance of his sister;
his eyes would flash with tenderness and at such moments he would
fervently promise to pay the missing amount on the following day
without fail; but he never paid.

The performances were rattled off to get through with them, for the
general disorder caused by Cabinski's over-thieveries was growing
ever greater