The arrival of that student was not to his liking; therefore Pan Zolzik went on with a cloudy brow, and did not halt till he came to a cottage standing a little way in from the road. When he saw it, his forehead grew bright again. That was a cottage poorer, perhaps, than others, but it had a neat look. The space in front was swept clean, and sweet-flag was scattered in the yard. Near the fence lay pieces of wood; in one of them was sticking an axe with its handle erect. A little farther was a barn with open doors; near it a building which was both a shed and a cowhouse; still farther was a field in which a horse was nipping grass, and moving about with fettered feet. Before the shed was a large manure heap on which two pigs were lying. Near this ducks were walking along. Close to the pieces of wood a cock was scratching the ground among chips, and whenever he found a grain, or a worm, he called "Koh! koh! koh!" The hens flew to the call, in hot haste, and seized the dainty, pulling it from one another. By the door of the cottage a woman was scutching hemp, and singing, "Oi ta dada! Oi ta dada! da-da-na!" Near her lay a dog with his forelegs stretched out; he was snapping at flies which were lighting on his cut ear. The woman was young, perhaps twenty, and remarkably handsome. She wore a white shirt drawn together with red strings, and on her head was the ordinary peasant cap. She was as healthy as a mushroom; she was broad in the shoulders and hips, slender in the waist, active,--in one word, a deer. She had delicate features, a head not large, and a complexion perhaps even pale, but somewhat gilded by sun-rays, very dark eyes, brows as if painted, a small delicate nose, and lips like cherries. Her fine dark hair was dropping out from under the cap. When the secretary approached, the dog lying near the scutching-bench rose, thrust his tail under him, and began to growl, showing his teeth from moment to moment as if he were laughing. "Kruchek!" cried the woman, with a thin, resonant voice, "wilt thou lie down! May the worms bite thee!" "Good-evening," began Zolzik. "Good-evening, lord secretary!" answered the woman, not ceasing to work. "Is yours at home?" "He is at work in the woods." "But that is too bad; I have an affair with him from the commune." An affair with the commune for common people always means something evil. The woman stopped working, looked with alarm at the secretary, and inquired with concern,-- "Well, what is it?" Zolzik meanwhile passed through the gateway and stood near her. "Let us have a kiss, then I'll tell you." "Keep away!" said the woman. But the secretary had succeeded already in putting his arm around her waist, and drawing her toward him. "I will scream!" said she, pulling away vigorously. "My pretty one,--Marysia!" "Oh, this is just an offence against God! Oh!" She struggled still more vigorously; but Pan Zolzik was so strong that he did not let her go.