"We shall present it in a week from next Tuesday . . . at least I would have it so," replied Topolski. "Or, strictly speaking, there will remain for rehearsals and for the learning of the roles only four days. No one will know his part, no one will be able to master it even passably in so short a time. That's nothing short of murder, cold-blooded murder!" cried Glogowski. "You'll treat Dobek to a few whiskeys and he will safely pull the play through for you," suggested Wawrzecki. "Yes, he will shout for everybody. . . . As the matter stands, it is best to announce that there will take place merely a reading of the play." "You needn't worry about me, I'll learn my role," Majkowska assured him. "And I also," added Janina. "I know the ladies always know their parts but the men . . ." "The men will play their parts well without having to learn them," remarked Wawrzecki. "Don't you know that Glas never studies his roles! A few rehearsals familiarize him with the situations of the play and the prompter does the rest." "That's why he plays so splendidly!" sneered Glogowski. "What do you want? He's a good actor and not at all a bad comedian." "Yes, because he always knows how to improvise some nonsense with which to cover up his bungling." "Please give me an entirely serious answer. Were those last words of yours only a joke or were they an expression of your wishes and a condition?" Kotlicki again whispered to Janina as a certain idea entered into his head. "Every variety is good, providing it is not wearisome. Have you heard that before?" answered Janina impatiently. "Thank you! I will remember it. . . . But do you know this: patience is the first condition of success." Kotlicki glanced at her quizzically, bowed to her with his head, and retired among the rest of the company. He possessed a brazen self-confidence and decided, at all events, to wait. Kotlicki was not one of those whom a woman can drive away from herself with scorn or even with insults. He accepted everything and carefully stored it away in his memory for a future reckoning. He was a man who had a contempt for women, who told people what he thought to their very faces, and who always craved women and love. He ignored the fact that he was ugly, for he knew he was rich enough to buy any woman that he might desire. He belonged to that category of men which is ready for anything. He now walked along smiling at some thought that was in his mind, and striking with his cane the weeds that were in his path. It grew dark and the rain began to fall in large drops. "We will get drenched like chickens!" laughed Mimi, opening her parasol. "Miss Janina, my umbrella is at your service," called Glogowski. "Thank you very much, but as far as I am able, I do not use any protection against the rain; I just dote on getting wet in the rain." "You have the instincts of . . ." he broke off suddenly and pressed his hand to his mouth with a comical gesture.