"You will see that she is sick altogether. It is lucky that the doctor
is here."
I commanded Vengrosia to return at once to Hania, and not to shut the
door; for I wished to look at her from a distance. In fact, looking from
the dark chamber through the open door, I saw her sitting on the bed,
dressed in night-clothing. A deep flush was on her face; her eyes were
gleaming. I saw besides that she was breathing quickly; evidently she
had a fever.
I hesitated for a time whether to go in or not; but at that moment
Father Ludvik touched my shoulder.
"Thy father calls thee," said he.
"Father Ludvik, she is sick!"
"The doctor will come at once. Meanwhile thou wilt talk to thy father.
Go, go; it is late."
"What o'clock?"
"One in the morning."
I struck my forehead with my hand. But I had to fight with Selim at five
in the morning.
CHAPTER XI.
After a talk with my father which lasted half an hour, I returned to the
station, but did not lie down. I calculated that to reach Vah's at five
I must leave the house by four at least, therefore I had not quite
three hours before me. Soon after, Father Ludvik came to see if I were
not ill after that mad ride, and if I had changed clothing properly
after being wet; but for me to be wet was the same as not to be wet. The
priest urged me to go to bed at once; meanwhile he forgot himself in
talk, and so an hour passed.
He narrated in detail all that the old Mirza had said. It seemed that
Selim had simply committed an act of madness; but, as he told his
father, he saw no other method. It seemed to him that after the flight,
his father would have no escape but to bless him, and we none but to
give him Hania. It was also disclosed that after talking with me not
only did he write to Hania, but he had a meeting with her; and it was
then that he persuaded her to flee with him. The girl, though she did
not comprehend the results of this step, resisted instinctively with all
her might; but Selim involved her with his prayers and his love. He
represented to her that the flight was simply a drive to Horeli, after
which they would be united forever and be happy. He assured her that
afterward he would bring her to us, but as his betrothed; that my father
would agree to everything; that I must agree, and, what was more, I
would console myself easily with Lola Ustrytski. Finally, he implored,
entreated, and begged Hania. He said that for her he would sacrifice
everything, even life; that he could not survive separation; that he
would drown, shoot, or poison himself. And then he cast himself at her
feet and so persuaded her that she agreed to everything. But when the
flight began, and they had started, Hania grew terrified and begged him
with tears to return; but he would not, for, as he told his father, he
forgot the whole world then.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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