"Yes; I can. I will go to the stacks to see if any damage is done. Kazio, let me have thy place." Kazio yielded the place, and I sat down near Selim and Hania, on a sofa under the window. Involuntarily I remembered how we had sat there immediately after Mikolai's death, when Selim told the Crimean tale about Sultan Harun and the soothsaying Lala. But at that time Hania, still small and with eyes red from weeping, had rested her golden head on my breast and fallen asleep; now that same Hania, taking advantage of the darkness descending into the room, was pressing Selim's hand secretly. In that time the sweet feeling of friendship had joined us all three; now love and hatred were soon to enter into combat. But all was calm apparently: the lovers were smiling at each other; I was more gladsome than usual. No one suspected what kind of gladsomeness that was. Soon Pani d'Yves begged Selim to play something. He rose, sat at the piano, and began to play Chopin's mazurka. I remained alone for a time on the sofa with Hania. I noticed that she was gazing at Selim as at a rainbow, that she was flying away into the region of fancies on the wings of music, and I determined to bring her back to the earth. "How many gifts that Selim has, has he not, Hania? He plays and sings." "Oh, it is true!" said she. "And, besides, what a beautiful face! Just look at him now." Hania followed the direction of my eyes. Selim was sitting in the shade; but his head was illuminated by the last light of the evening, and in those gleams he seemed inspired, with his uplifted eyes,--and he was at that moment inspired. "How beautiful he is, Hania, is he not?" repeated I. "Are you very fond of him?" "He cares nothing for my feelings, but women love him. Ah, how that Yozia loved him!" Alarm was depicted on Hania's smooth forehead. "And he?" inquired she. "Ei! he loves one to-day, another to-morrow. He can never love any one long. Such is his nature. If he should ever say that he loves thee do not believe him" (here I began to speak with emphasis); "for him it will be a question of thy kiss, not thy heart, dost understand?" "Pan Henryk!" "True! but what do I say? This does not concern thee. And, moreover, thou art so modest, wouldst thou give thy kiss to a stranger, Hania? I beg pardon, for it seems to me that I have offended thee even with the supposition. Thou wouldst never permit that, wouldst thou, Hania, never?" Hania sprang up to go away, but I seized her by the hand and detained her by force. I tried to be calm, but rage was throttling me, as if with pincers. I felt that I was losing self-control. "Answer," said I, with repressed excitement, "or I shall not let thee go." "Pan Henryk! what do you want? What do you say?" "I say--I say," whispered I, with set teeth, "that thou hast no shame in thy eyes. Hei?"