"She is either a coquette, or has a good heart," thought Pan Stanislav again. But Pan Plavitski, who recalled evidently his last winter visit in Warsaw, continued, "Tell me, Stas, dost thou know Bukatski?" "Of course. By the way, he is a nearer relative to me than to uncle." "We are related to the whole world,--to the whole world literally. Bukatski was Marynia's most devoted dancer. He danced with her at all the parties." Pan Stanislav began to laugh again; "And for all his reward he went to the magazine, to the dust-bin. But at least it is not necessary to dust him, for he is as careful of his person as uncle, for instance. He is the greatest dandy in Warsaw. What does he do? He is manager of fresh air, which means that when there is fair weather he walks out or rides. Besides, he is an original, who has peculiar little closets in his brain. He observes various things of such kind as no other would notice. Once, after his return from Venice, I met him and asked what he had seen there. 'I saw,' said he, 'while on the Riva dei Schiavoni, half an egg-shell and half a lemon-rind floating: they met, they struck, they were driven apart, they came together; at last, paf! the half lemon fell into the half egg-shell, and away they went sailing together. In this see the meaning of harmony.' Such is Bukatski's occupation, though he knows much, and in art, for instance, he is an authority." "But they say that he is very capable." "Perhaps he is, but capable of nothing. He eats bread, and that is the end of his service. If at least he were joyous, but at bottom he is melancholy. I forgot to say that besides he is in love with Pani Emilia." "Does Emilia receive many people?" inquired Marynia. "No. Vaskovski, Bukatski, and Mashko, an advocate, the man who buys and sells estates, are her only visitors. "Of course she cannot receive many people; she has to give much time to Litka." "Dear little girl," said Pan Stanislav, "may God grant at least that Reichenhall may help her." And his joyous countenance was covered in one moment with genuine sadness. Marynia looked at him with eyes full of sympathy, and in her turn thought a second time, "Still he must be kind really." But Plavitski began to talk as if to himself. "Mashko, Mashko--he too was circling about Marynia. But she did not like him. As to estates, the price now is such that God pity us." "Mashko is the man who declares that under such conditions it is well to buy them."