"Why say that? She is the only one now; were there another, I should think of that other. What is the use of such talk? In this lies the question, in this the whole evil,--that she is the only one. A year from now a tile may fall on my head, or I may find another woman: what will happen to-morrow I know not; but that the deuce is taking me to-day, I do know. This is connected in me with other things too, of which to-day I do not care to speak. In external life it is necessary to eat bread in peace,--is not that true? In internal life it is the same. And this is an urgent affair; but I defer internal life till after marriage, for I understand that new conditions work out a new way of thinking, and moreover, I wish to finish one thing before beginning another. But everything grows involved,--not only involved, but vanishes. Barely has something appeared when it is gone. This is the case now. I live in uncertainty. I would prefer if they were already betrothed, for then all would end of itself." "I tell thee only this," said Bigiel: "when I was a boy, I got a thorn in me sometimes; it pained much less to draw the thorn out myself than to let some one else draw it." "In that thou art right," said Pan Stanislav, who added after a while, "The thorn may be drawn if it has not gone in too deeply, and one can seize it. But what are comparisons! When a thorn is drawn out, nothing is lost; but my hope of the future is ruined." "That may be true; but if there is no help for it?" "To accept that view is just what grieves the man who is not an imbecile." The conversation stopped here. At the moment of parting Pan Stanislav said,-- "By the way, I should prefer not to be with you on Sunday." "Maybe thou wilt do well to stay away." CHAPTER XI.