Hence at moments, besides sorrow for Marynia, besides the pain which a man feels after the loss of happiness, anger measureless, almost mad, bore him away, and also an unbridled desire for revenge. Therefore, when he was entering his residence, he muttered through his set teeth,-- "If thou do not become my wife, I'll not forgive thee for what thou hast done to me; if thou become my wife, I'll not forgive thee either." Meanwhile Plavitski entered the room in which Marynia was sitting, and said,-- "Thou hast refused him, or he would have come to me before going." "I have, papa." "Without hope for the future?" "Without hope. I respect him as no one in the world, but I gave him no hope." "What did he answer?" "Everything that such a high-minded person could answer." "A new misfortune. Who knows if thou hast not deprived me of a morsel of bread in my old age? But I knew that no thought of this would come to thee." "I could not act otherwise; I could not." "I have no wish to force thee; and I go to offer my sufferings there where every tear of an old man is counted." And he went to Lour's to look at men playing billiards. He would have consented to Mashko; but at the root of the matter he did not count him a very brilliant match, and, thinking that Marynia might do better, he did not trouble himself too much over what had happened. Half an hour later Marynia ran in to Pani Emilia's. "One weight at least has fallen from my heart," began she. "I refused Pan Mashko to-day decisively. I am sorry for him; he acted with me as nobly and delicately as only such a man could act; and if I had for him even a small spark of feeling, I would return to him to-day." Here she repeated the whole conversation with Mashko. Even Pani Emilia could not reproach him with anything; she could not refuse a certain admiration, though she had blamed Mashko for a violent character, and had not expected that, in such a grievous moment for himself, he would be able to show such moderation and nobleness. But Marynia said,-- "My Emilka, I know thy friendship for Pan Stanislav, but judge these two men by their acts, not their words, and compare them." "Never shall I compare them," answered Pani Emilia, "comparison is impossible in this case. For me, Pan Stanislav is a nature a hundred times loftier than Mashko, but thou judgest him unjustly. Thou, Marynia, hast no right to say, 'One took Kremen from me; the other wished to give it back.' Such was not the case. Pan Stanislav did not take it from thee at any time; but to-day, if he could, he would return it with all his heart. Prepossesion is talking through thee." "Not prepossession, but reality, which nothing can change." Pani Emilia seated Marynia before her, and said, "By all means, Marynia, prepossession, and I will tell thee why. Thou art not indifferent to Pan Stanislav now." Marynia quivered as if some one had touched a wound which was paining her; and after a while she replied, with changed voice,--