t up all over the
hall as the actors hurried behind the scenes.

"Mr. Director!" called Majkowska, "you can give the role to
Nicolette . . . your wife agrees to it."

"Very well, my dears, very well . . . ."

He went out on the veranda where Nicolette was already seated with a
young gentleman, very fastidiously dressed.

"We request your presence at the rehearsal, Miss Nicolette. . . ."

"What are you rehearsing?" asked Nicolette.

"Nitouche . . . why, don't you know that you are to appear in the
title role? . . . I have already advertised it in the papers."

Kazckowska, who had at that moment entered and was looking at them,
hastily covered her face with her parasol, so as not to burst out
laughing at the comical look of embarrassment on Nicolette's face.

"I am too indisposed at present to take part in the rehearsal," she
said, scrutinizing Cabiniski and Kaczkowska.

Evidently she suspected some ruse, but Cabinski, with the solemnest
mien in the world, handed her the role.

"Here is your part, madame. . . . We begin immediately," he said,
going away.

"But Mr. Director! my dear Director, I pray you, go on with the
rehearsal without me! . . . I have such a headache that I doubt I
could sing," she pleaded.

"It can't be done. We begin immediately."

"Oh, please do sing, Miss Nicolette! I'm crazy to hear you sing!"
begged the squire.

"Director!"

"What is it, my soprano?"

And the directress appeared, pointing to Janina who was standing
behind the scenes.

"A novice," answered Cabinski.

"Are you going to engage her?"

"Yes, we need chorus girls. The sisters from Prague have left, for
they made nothing but scandals."

"She looks rather homely," opined Mrs. Cabinska.

"But she has a very scenic face! . . . and also a very nice, though
strange voice."

Janina did not lose a word of this conversation, carried on in an
undertone; she had also heard the chorus of praise that went up on
the directress's appearance, and later, the chorus of derision. She
gazed with a bewildered look on that whole company.

"Clear the stage! clear the stage!"

Those standing on the stage hastily moved back behind the scenes,
for at the moment the entire chorus rushed out in a gallop: a throng
of women, chiefly young women, but with painted faces, faded and
blighted by their feverish life. There were blondes and brunettes,
small and tall, thin and stout a motley gathering from all spheres
of life. There were amo