Mistress Marghioala quickly gave orders to one of the servants to lay a table in the next room, and then, going up to the hearth, said: "Look, choose for yourself." Mistress Marghioala was beautiful, well-built and fascinating, that I knew; but never since I had known her--and I had known her for a long time, for I had passed Manjoala's Inn many a time when my dead father was alive, as the road to the town led by it--had she appeared to me more attractive. I was young, smart and daring, much more daring than smart. I came up on her left side as she was bending over the hearth, and took her by the waist! with my hand I took hold of her right arm, which was as hard as iron, and the devil tempted me to give it a pinch. "Have you got nothing to do?" said the woman, looking at me askance. But I, to cover my blunder, said: "What marvellous eyes you have, Mistress Marghioala!" "Don't try and flatter me; you had better tell me what to give you." "Give me--give me--give me yourself." "Really----" "Indeed, you have marvellous eyes, Mistress Marghioala!" sighing. "Supposing your father-in-law heard you?" "What father-in-law? What do you mean by that?" "You think because you hide yourself under your cap that nobody sees what you do. Aren't you going to Pocovnicu Iordache to engage yourself to his eldest daughter? Come, don't look at me like that, go into the next room to dinner." I had seen many clean and quiet rooms in the course of my life, but a room like that one! What a bed! What curtains! What walls! What a ceiling! All white as milk. And the lamp-shade, and all those crochet things of every kind and shape! And the warmth, like being under a hen's wing, and a smell of apples and quinces! I was about to seat myself at the table, when, according to a habit I had acquired in my childhood, I turned to bow towards the east. I looked carefully round all along the walls--not an Icon to be seen. "What are you looking for?" said Mistress Marghioala. "Your Icons. Where do you keep them?" "Dash the Icons! They only breed worms and wood-lice." What a cleanly woman! I seated myself at the table, and crossed myself as was my custom, when suddenly there was a yell. It appeared that with the heel of my boot I had trodden upon an old Tom cat which was under the table. Mistress Marghioala jumped up quickly and undid the outside door. The injured cat made a bound outside while the cold air rushed in and extinguished the lamp. She groped about for the matches. I searched here, she searched there. We met face to face in the dark. I, very bold, took her in my arms and began to kiss her. The lady now resisted, now yielded; her cheeks were burning, her mouth was cold, soft down fluttered about her ears. At last the servant arrived with a tray with viands on it, and a light. We must have hunted some time for the matches, for the chimney of the lamp was quite cold. I lit it again.