Pan Stanislav was alarmed, but thought that if something unfavorable had caused his presence, he would not play on the piano. In fact, it turned out that Bigiel was in haste merely to get Pan Stanislav's signature for an affair which had to be finished early next morning. "Thou mightest have left the paper, and gone to bed," said Pan Stanislav. "I slept awhile on thy sofa, then sat at the piano. Once I played on the piano as well as on the violin, but now my fingers are clumsy. Thy Marynia plays probably; such music in the house is a nice thing." Pan Stanislav laughed with a sincere, well-wishing laugh. "My Marynia? My Marynia possesses the evangelical talent: her left hand does not know what her right hand is doing. Poor dear woman! She has no pretensions; and she plays only when I beg her to do so." "Thou art as it were laughing at her," said Bigiel; "but only those who are in love laugh in that way." "Because I am in love most completely. At least it seems so now to me; and in general I must say that it seems so to me oftener and oftener. Wilt thou have tea?" "Yes. Thou hast come from Pani Kraslavski's?" "I have." "How is Mashko? Will he struggle to shore?" "I parted with him a moment ago. He came with me to the gate. He says things at times that I should not expect from him." Pan Stanislav, glad to have some one to talk with, and feeling the need of intimate converse, began to tell what he had heard from Mashko; and how much he was astonished at finding a man of romantic nature under the skin of a person of his kind. "Mashko is not a bad man," said Bigiel. "He is only on the road to various evasions; and the cause of that is his vanity and respect for appearances. But, on the other hand, that respect for appearances saves him from final fall. As to the man of romance, which thou hast found in him--" Here Bigiel cut off the end of a cigar, lighted it with great deliberation, wrinkling his brows at the same time, and, sitting down comfortably, continued,--