"Spit out the dregs of that congratulatory tommyrot, or you'll poison yourself with such a big dose of hypocrisy."
"But it won't poison her."
"Bah! the sapphires cost one hundred and twenty rubles; for so much money she can listen a whole week."
"Thank you, thank you with my whole heart! You put me to shame my dear comrades, for in truth I do not know what I have done to merit so much kindness," said Cabinska with emotion. Really, the sapphires were very pretty.
The director smiled, rubbed his hands, and invited all to his home after the performance.
The directress singled out for a particularly effusive kiss Janina who, led by sympathy, had brought her a lovely bouquet of roses, explaining that she had not contributed to the fund for the general gift as it was collected before her advent into the company.
Cabinska would not part with Janina and took her along with her to dinner.
"Truly, they must be very good people and must love you," said
Janina at the table.
"Once a year will not ruin them," answered Cabinska merrily.
Together they went to the pastry shop so as not to interfere with the preparations that were being made for the evening reception. She sat there relating to Janina the history of her past name day celebrations with a tender pathos which could not, however, disguise a certain feeling of bitterness and uneasiness over the fact that the editor had not even sent her a card of greeting.