"Sometimes. But I live in the city." "Art thou much in society?" inquired Plavitski. "Almost never. My visits are to Pani Emilia, my partner Bigiel, and Vaskovski, my former professor, an oddity now,--those are all. Of course I go sometimes to people with whom I have business." "That is not well, my boy. A young man should have and preserve good social relations, especially when he has a right to them. If a man has to force his way, the question is different; but as Polanyetski, thou hast the right to go anywhere. I have the same story, too, with Marynia. The winter before last, when she had finished her eighteenth year, I took her to Warsaw. Thou'lt understand that the trip was not without cost, and that for me it required certain sacrifices. Well, and what came of it? She sat for whole days with Pani Emilia, and they read books. She is born a recluse, and will remain one. Thou and she might join hands." "Let us join hands!" cried Pan Stanislav, joyously. "I cannot, with a clear conscience," answered Marynia; "for it was not altogether as papa describes. I read books with Emilia, it is true; but I was much in society with papa, and I danced enough for a lifetime." "You have no fault to find?" "No; but I am not yearning." "Then you did not bring away memories, it seems?" "Evidently there remained with me only recollections, which are something different." "I do not understand the difference." "Memory is a magazine, in which the past lies stored away, and recollection appears when we go to the magazine to take something." Here Panna Marynia was alarmed somewhat at that special daring with which she had allowed herself this philosophical deduction as to the difference between memory and recollection; therefore she blushed rather deeply. "Not stupid, and pretty," thought Pan Stanislav; aloud he said, "That would not have come to my head, and it is so appropriate." He surveyed her with eyes full of sympathy. She was in fact very pretty; for she was laughing, somewhat confused by the praise, and also delighted sincerely with it. She blushed still more when the daring young man said,-- "To-morrow, before parting, I shall beg for a place,--even in the magazine." But he said this with such joyousness that it was impossible to be angry with him; and Marynia answered, not without a certain coquetry,-- "Very well; and I ask reciprocity." "In such case, I should have to go so often to the magazine that I might prefer straightway to live in it." This seemed to Marynia somewhat too bold on such short acquaintance; but Plavitski broke in now and said,-- "This Stanislav pleases me. I prefer him to Gantos, who sits like a misanthrope." "Because I can talk only of what may be taken in hand," answered the young man, with a certain sadness. "Then take your fork, and eat." Pan Stanislav laughed. Marynia did not laugh: she was sorry for Gantovski; therefore she turned the conversation to things which were tangible.