When the bell rang for the second time, she hurried off the stage and took her place in the chorus that was already assembled behind the scenes; while waiting for the moment to enter, she unconsciously crossed herself, and her whole body trembled so violently that one of the chorus girls, noticing her confusion, took her by the arm.
"Enter!" shouted the stage-director. The throng carried her along with it and pushed her to the front of the stage.
The sudden silence and magnified glare of light restored her senses somewhat, and after leaving the stage she stood behind one of the scenes and completely regained her composure.
On her second entrance she felt only a slight tremor. She sang, heard the music, and gazed straight at the public. She was also emboldened by seeing the editor sitting in the front row and encouraging her with a friendly smile. She kept looking at him and after that she was able to distinguish with increasing clearness individual faces in the audience.
In some scene in which the chorus promenaded about the back of the stage, while a comic dialogue was going on at the front, Janina's companions indulged in whispered conversations.
"Brona, look! Your fellow is there in the third row toward the left."
"Oh look! Dasha is in the theater . . . goodness, how she is dolled up. . . ."
"Siwinska! fasten my hooks, for I feel my skirt is falling down."
"Lou! your wig is coming off."
"Look to your own shags!"