It was already dawning.
Sowinska opened the door for her and grumbled in irritation: "You should have come home earlier, instead of waking people at this hour of the night."
Janina did not answer, bowing her head as under a blow.
"The base wretches! The base wretches!" That was the one cry that arose in her heart, filled with rebellion and hatred.
Janina no longer felt the shame and the humiliation, but only a boundless rage. She ran about the room as though she were mad, unknowingly ripped her waist and, unable to control her fury, fell exhausted upon her bed with her clothes on.
Her sleep was one dreadful torment. She sprang up every minute with a cry as though to run away, then again, she raised her hand as though with a glass full of wine and shouted through her sleep: Vive! She would begin to sing or to cry every now and then with her feverish lips: "The base wretches! The base wretches!"
CHAPTER IX
In a few days after the premiere of The Churls, which remained upon the bill, but attracted ever smaller audiences, Glogowski came to Janina's home.
"What is the matter with you? . . ." she exclaimed, extending her hand in friendly greeting.
"Nothing. . . . Well, I improved my play a little. Did you read the criticisms?"