Marynia looked at him and answered, "I hated you so much that for whole days I thought of you only." "Mashko has wit; he described this once thus to me: 'She would rather hate you than love me.'" "Oi! that I would rather, is true." Thus conversing, they reached the house. Pan Stanislav had time then to unroll his parchment hour-glass and show it to Marynia; but the idea did not please her. She looked on marriage not only from the point of view of the heart, but of religion. "With such things there is no jesting," said she; and after a while she confessed to Pan Stanislav that she was offended with Bukatski. After dinner Bukatski came. During those few months of his stay in Italy he had become still thinner, which was a proof against the efficacy of "chianti" for catarrh of the stomach. His nose, with its thinness, reminded one of a knife-edge; his humorous face, smiling with irony, had become, as it were, porcelain, and was no larger than the fist of a grown man. He was related both to Pan Stanislav and Marynia; hence he said what he pleased in their presence. From the threshold almost, he declared to them that, in view of the increasing number of mental deviations in the world at present, he could only regret, but did not wonder, that they were affianced. He had come, it is true, in the hope that he would be able to save them, but he saw now that he was late, and that nothing was left but resignation. Marynia was indignant on hearing this; but Pan Stanislav, who loved him, said,-- "Preserve thy conceit for the wedding speech, for thou must make one; and now tell us how our professor is." "He has grown disturbed in mind seriously," replied Bukatski. "Do not jest in that way," said Marynia. "And so much without cause," added Pan Stanislav. But Bukatski continued, with equal seriousness: "Professor Vaskovski is disturbed in mind, and here are my proofs for you: First, he walks through Rome without a cap, or rather, he walked, for he is in Perugia at present; second, he attacked a refined young English lady, and proved to her that the English are Christians in private life only,--that the relations of England to Ireland are not Christian; third, he is printing a pamphlet, in which he shows that the mission of reviving and renewing history with the spirit of Christ is committed to the youngest of the Aryans. Confess that these are proofs." "We knew these ways before his departure; if nothing more threatens the professor, we hope to see him in good health." "He does not think of returning." Pan Stanislav took out his note-book, wrote some words with a pencil, and, giving them to Marynia, said,-- "Read, and tell me if that is good." "If thou write in my presence, I withdraw," said Bukatski. "No, no! this is no secret." Marynia became as red as a cherry from delight, and, as if not wishing to believe her eyes, asked,-- "Is that true? It is not." "That depends on you," answered Pan Stanislav.