Pan Stanislav could note also that evening one trait of his own character which he had not suspected,--jealousy. Since he was convinced that Marynia was a perfectly reliable woman, who might be trusted blindly, that jealousy was simply illogical. In his time he had been jealous of Mashko, and that could be understood; but now he could not explain why Kopovski, for example, with his head of an archangel and his brains of a bird, could annoy him, just because he sat next to Marynia, and doubtless was asking her more or less pertinent questions, to which she was answering more or less agreeably. At first he reproached himself. "Still, it would be difficult to ask her not to speak to him!" Afterward he found that Marynia turned to Kopovski too frequently, and answered too agreeably. At supper, while sitting next her, he was silent and irritated; and when she asked the reason, he answered most inappropriately,-- "I have no wish to spoil the impression which Pan Kopovski produced on you." But she was pleased that he was jealous; contracting the corners of her mouth to suppress laughter, and looking at him sedately, she answered,-- "Do you find, too, that there is something uncommon in Pan Kopovski?" "Of course, of course! When he walks the streets even, it seems that he is carrying his head into fresh air, lest the moths might devour it." The corners of Marynia's mouth bore the test, but her eyes laughed evidently; at last, unable to endure, she said, in a low voice,-- "Outrageously jealous!" "I? Not the least!" "Well, I will give you an extract from our conversation. You know that yesterday there was a case of catalepsy during the concert; to-day they were talking of that near us; then, among other things, I asked Pan Kopovski if he had seen the cataleptic person. Do you know what he answered? 'Each of us may have different convictions.' Well, now, isn't he uncommon?" Pan Stanislav was pacified, and began to laugh. "But I tell you that he simply doesn't understand what is said to him, and answers anything." They passed the rest of the evening with each other in good agreement. At the time of parting, when the Plavitskis, having a carriage with seats for only two persons, were unable to take Pan Stanislav, Marynia turned to him and inquired,-- "Will the cross, whimsical man come to-morrow to dine with us?" "He will, for he loves," answered Pan Stanislav, covering her feet with the robe. She whispered into his ear, as it were great news, "And I too." And although he at the moment of speaking was perfectly sincere, she spoke more truth. Mashko conducted Pan Stanislav home. On the road they talked of the reception. Mashko said that before the arrival of guests he had tried to speak to Pani Kraslavski of business, but had not succeeded.