"Pan Stas, I see sometimes that mamma is very anxious because I am sick." He stopped inflating the globe, and answered,-- "Ai! she doesn't dream of it. What is working under thy hair? But it is natural for her to be anxious; she would rather have thee well." "Why are all other children well, and I alone always sick?" "Nicely well! Weren't the Bigiel children sick, one after another, with whooping-cough? For whole months the house was like a sheepfold. And didn't Yozio have the measles? All children are eternally sick, and that is the one pleasure with them." "Pan Stas only talks that way, for children are sick and get well again." Here she began to shake her head. "No; that is something different. And now I must lie this way all the time, for if I get up my heart beats right away; and the day before yesterday, when they began to sing on the street, and mamma wasn't in the room, I went to the window a little while, and saw a funeral. I thought, 'I, too, shall die surely.'" "Nonsense, Litus!" cried Pan Stanislav; and he began to inflate the globe quickly to hide his emotion, and to show the child how little her words meant. But she went on with her thought,-- "It is so stifling for me sometimes, and my heart beats so--mamma told me to say then 'Under Thy protection,' and I say it always, for I am terribly afraid to die! I know that it is nice in heaven, but I shouldn't be with mamma, only alone in the graveyard; yes, in the night." Pan Stanislav laid down the globe suddenly, sat near the long chair, and, taking Litka's hand, said,-- "My Litus, if thou love mamma, if thou love me, do not think of such things. Nothing will happen to thee; but thy mother would suffer if she knew what her little girl's head is filled with. Remember that thou art hurting thyself in this way." Litka joined her hands: "My Pan Stas, I ask only one thing, not more." He bent his head down to her: "Well, ask, kitten, only something sensible." "Would Pan Stas be very sorry for me?" "Ah! but see what a bad girl!" "My Pan Stas, tell me." "I? what an evil child, Litus! Know that I love thee, love thee immensely. God preserve us! there is no one in the world that I should be so sorry for. But be quiet at least for me, thou suffering fly! thou dearest creature!" "I will be quiet, kind Pan Stas." And in the moment when Pani Emilia came, and he was preparing to go, she asked,-- "And Pan Stas is not angry with me?" "No, Litus," answered Pan Stanislav. When he had gone to the antechamber he heard a light knocking at the door; Pani Emilia had given orders to remove the bell. He opened it and saw Marynia, who came ordinarily in the evening. When she had greeted him, she asked,-- "How is Litka to-day?" "As usual." "Has the doctor been here?" "Yes. He found nothing new. Let me help you!"