In the fifth review a "specialist" on garden-theaters wrote about a
hundred paragraphs somewhat to this effect: "The Churls by Mr.
Glogowski hm! . . . not a bad thing . . . it would even be entirely
good . . . but . . . although, considering again . . . at any
rate . . . one must have the courage to tell the truth. . . . At all
events . . . be that as it may . . . (with a little qualifying
phrase) the author has a talent. The play is . . . hm . . . let us
see, how can we define it? About two months ago I wrote something
about it, so I refer those that are interested to my former
article. . . . They played it excellently," and he enumerated the
entire cast, placing beside the name of each actress a sugary
epithet, and an ingratiating remark, a polite description, a
melancholy equivocation and an empty phrase.
"What do you call all that?" inquired Janina.
"A libretto for an operetta. Entitle it Theatrical Criticisms and
set it to music and you will have such a show that the whole nation
will flock to it as to a church festival."
"And what answer did you give to all that?"
"I? . . . Nothing, of course! I merely turned my back on them and,
since I have a splendid plan for a new play, I shall immediately
start working on it. I have received a job as a dramatic coach at
Radomsk and I shall go there for a half year. I am only waiting for
the final notification."
"Is it absolutely necessary for you to go?"
"Yes, I must! Dramatic coaching is my only means of support. For two
months I have been without any occupation and now I am penniless. I
presented the play at my own expense, paid my respects to the
public, had a good time at Warsaw and now it is time to quit! It is
time to ring down the curtain so that I may prepare for another
farce. Goodbye, Miss Janina. Before I leave, I'll drop in here or at
the theater."
He shook hands with her, exclaimed, "May the deuce take me!" and
hurried away.
Janina was sad. She had become so accustomed to Glogowski, to his
eccentricities, paradoxes, and to that rough and ready manner which
was merely a screen for his shyness and hypersensitive delicacy that
regret filled her at the thought that she was now to remain alone.
She had no more money left and was living solely on what she
received at the theater. Janina dared not admit it to herself, but
with each new request for money she would be reminded of her home
and of those times when it was unnecessary for her to think of
anything, for she had all she needed. She felt deeply humiliated by
this almost daily begging for a few meager copecks, but there was no
way out of it, unless it was the one that she constantly read in the
gray eyes of Sowinska and saw exemplified in the life of her
companions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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