. On with the rehearsal!"

"But I have not yet learned a single line. Let Kaczkowska sing . . .
that is a part for her!"

"The part was given to you, wasn't it? . . . Well, then there's no
use arguing! Let us begin."

"Oh, director! Can't we postpone it till this afternoon? Just now,
it . . ."

"Begin!"

"Try it, Miss Nicolette . . . that part is well adapted to your
voice. . . . I myself asked the director to give it to you,"
encouraged Mrs. Cabinska with a friendly smile.

Nicolette listened, scanning the faces of the whole company, but
they were all immobile. Only the young gentleman smiled amorously at
her from the chairs.

The conductor raised his baton, the orchestra began to play, and the
prompter gave her the first words of her part.

Nicolette, who was noted for never being able to learn her role, now
tripped up in the very first line and sang it as falsely as
possible.

They began over again; it went a little better, but "Halt," as they
called the conductor, intentionally skipped a measure, causing her
to make an awful mess of it.

A chorus of laughter arose on the stage.

"A musical cow!"

"To the ballet with such a voice and such an ear!"

Nicolette, on the verge of tears, approached Cabinski.

"I told you that I could not sing just now. . . . I had not even
time to glance at my part."

"Aha, so you cannot, madame? . . . Please hand me the role! . . .
Kaczkowska will sing it."

"I can sing, but just now I am unable to . . . I don't want to
flunk!"

"To turn the heads of gentlemen, to make intrigues, to slander
others before the press reporters, to go gallivanting all about
town . . . for that you have time!" hissed Mrs. Cabinska.

"Oh, go and mind your children . . . but don't you dare to meddle
with my affairs."

"Director! She insults me, that . . ."

"Hand me the part," ordered Cabinski. "You can sing in the chorus,
madame, since you are unable to sing a role."

"Oh no! . . . Just for that I am going to sing it! . . . I don't
care a snap for these vile intrigues!"

"Who are you saying that to?" cried Cabinska, jumping up from her
chair. "Well, to you, if you like."

"You are dismissed from the company!" interposed Cabinski.

"Oh, go to the devil, all of you!" shouted Nicolette throwing the
role into Cabinski's face. "It's known long ago that in your company
there is no place for a respectable woman!"

"Get out of here, you adventuress!"

Cabinska sprang at her, but