"That is best."
They took leave of each other very cordially and the nurse carried
Janina's costume after her to the hotel.
With such passionate eagerness did Janina anticipate her first appearance on the stage, that she arrived at the theater when there was hardly anyone as yet behind the scenes. The chorus girls assembled slowly and dressed even more slowly. Conversation, laughter, subdued whisperings went on as usual, but she heard nothing, so preoccupied was she with her dressing.
They all began to help her, laughing because she did not even have powder or rouge.
"What, you never powdered yourself?" they chorused.
"No . . . What for? . . ." she answered simply.
"We'll have to make her a face, for she's too pale," remarked one of them.
They rubbed her face with a layer of white cosmetic, shaded this with rouge, carmined her lips, underscored her eyes with a little pencil dipped in black pigment, and curled and pinned her hair. She was passed on from hand to hand and given a thousand advices and warnings.
"On entering the stage look straight at the public, so that you don't trip."
"And before you enter, see that you cross yourself."