the night 'before. There was no red fire and no band now,
but there was a sign out, announcing a meeting, and a
stream of people pouring in through the entrance. In a
flash Jurgis had decided that he would chance it once
more, and sit down and rest while making up his mind
what to do. There was no one taking tickets, so it must
be a free show again.

He entered. There were no decorations in the hall this
time; but there was quite a crowd upon the platform, and
almost every seat in the place was filled. He took one of
the last, far in the rear, and straightway forgot all about
his surroundings. Would Elzbieta think that he had come
to sponge off her, or would she understand that he meant
to get to work again and do his share? Would she be
decent to him, or would she scold him? If only he could
get some sort of a job before he went -- if that last boss
had only been willing to try him!

-- Then suddenly Jurgis looked up. A tremendous roar
had burst from the throats of the crowd, which by this
time had packed the hall to the very doors. Men and
women were standing up, waving handkerchiefs, shouting,
yelling. Evidently the speaker had arrived, thought
Jurgis; what fools they were making of themselves!
What were they expecting to get out of it anyhow --
what had they to do with elections, with governing the
country? Jurgis had been behind the scenes in politics.

He went back to his thoughts, but with one further fact
to reckon with -- that he was caught here. The hall was
now filled to the doors; and after the meeting it would be
too late for him to go home, so he would have to make the
best of it outside. Perhaps it would be better to go home
in the morning, anyway, for the children would be at
school, and he and Elzbieta could have a quiet explanation.
She always had been a reasonable person; and he really
did mean to do right. He would manage to persuade her
of it -- and besides, Marija was willing, and Marija was
furnishing the money. If Elzbieta were ugly, he would
tell her that in so many words.

So Jurgis went on meditating; until finally, when he

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v?