Wawrzecki from behind the scenes was violently beckoning to Mimi who was just then singing a duet with Wladek. In the pauses, the actress would spitefully stick out her tongue at him.
"Give me the key to the house . . . I forgot my shoes, and I need them right away!" he whispered.
"It's in my skirt pocket in the dressing-room," she answered, backing away toward the center of the stage with a broad musical phrase on her lips.
"Halt" was banging the desk with his baton, for Wladek was cutting short his tones and continually wavering. The threatening anger of the orchestra director only made him all the more nervous, and his singing was growing steadily worse.
"The damned Hun is purposely trying to trip me!" he muttered angrily under his breath, embracing the singing Mimi in the love scene.
"For God's sake don't squeeze me so hard!" panted Mimi, at the same time smiling at him rapturously.
"For I adore you with the frenzy of love . . . for I adore you!" sang Wladek with fiery intonation.
"Are you crazy? I will be all black and blue and . ."
She suddenly broke off, for Wladek had finished his song and the applause came roaring like an avalanche, so she pulled him by the hand and they walked to the front of the stage to bow to the audience.
During the intermission Janina observed the editor standing in the center aisle, conversing with some stout, blond man.