Next morning in the office Zavilovski gave Pan Stanislav a cutting from some paper of "Snows on the Mountains;" he read it during dinner, but with the sound of forks the verses seemed less beautiful than amid the night stillness and in moonlight. "Zavilovski told me," said Pan Stanislav, "that a volume would be issued soon; but he has promised to collect first everything printed in various journals, and bring it to thee." "No," said Marynia; "he should keep them for Lineta." "Ah, they are to meet to-morrow for the first time. Ye wish absolutely to make an epoch in Zavilovski's life?" "We do," answered Marynia, with decisiveness. "Aneta astonished me at first; but why not?" Indeed, the meeting took place. The Osnovskis, Pani Bronich, and Panna Castelli came very punctually at five; Zavilovski had come still earlier, to avoid entering a room in presence of a whole society. But as it was he was not only frightened, but more awkward than usual, and never had his legs seemed so long to him. There was, however, a certain distinction even in his awkwardness; and Pani Aneta was able to see that. The first scenes of the human comedy began, in which those ladies, as well-bred persons, guarding against every rudeness and staring at Zavilovski, did not, however, do anything else; he, feigning not to see this, was not thinking of anything else than how they were looking at him and judging him. This caused him great constraint, which he strove to hide by artificial freedom; he had so much self-love, however, that he was interested in having the judgment favorable. But the ladies were so attuned previously that the decision could not be unfavorable; and even had Zavilovski turned out flat and dull it would have been taken for wisdom and poetic originality: More indifferent was the bearing of Lineta, who was somewhat astonished that for the moment, not she was the sun, and Zavilovski the moon, but the contrary. The first impression which he made on her was: "What comparison with that stupid Kopovski!"