But, after a dance of two, he let the women take him home, where—presently completely sobered—he sat down outside the cabin. Yagustynka joined him and had a good long talk with him; and it so fell out afterwards that, although the hour was late, and Simon had thought of returning, he was no longer in any hurry, but waited, hovering and dangling about Nastka, and sighing like a furnace. At last her mother said to him! “Stay with us, spending the night in the barn: whereunto should you trudge about by night?” “I’ll make him a shake-down in the shed,” said Nastka. “Do not be so hard on him, Nastka!” Yagustynka said with a leer. “What ... what are ye thinking of? What next, I wonder!” she rapped out, greatly troubled. “Hey-day! Is he not your swain? To forestall the wedding a day or two is no harm.... And then, the poor man, who works for you like an ox, ought surely to have some reward!” “Oh, how true! Nastka! Nastka!” he cried, as she fled, and leapt after her and caught her, with many a kiss and entreaty, and held her fast. “Would you drive me from you, Nastka darling? drive me away on such a night?” Her mother had suddenly something to do in the passage; and Yagustynka withdrew, saying: “Forbid him not, Nastka! There’s so little happiness on earth: what comes—rare as the grain of corn a blind hen finds—pass it not by!” In the enclosure she crossed Matthew, who, making a shrewd guess, called out to Simon within: “I should never have had your patience!” But next daybreak saw Simon hard at work again, and indefatigable. Only, when Nastka brought him his breakfast, he was even more greedy for a kiss from her cherry lips than for the porringer. “If you do betray me, you’ll be scalded soundly!” But while she threatened so, she was nestling to his bosom. “Nastka, mine you are, and never will I let you go!” he bleated earnestly; and, looking into her eyes, added in a low voice: “The first must be a boy!” “A simpleton you are! But who put all these naughty thoughts into your head?”—And, pushing him away, she ran off, her face all scarlet. Not far off, Mr. Yacek had appeared, pipe in mouth and violin tucked under his arm. He came up, “praised God,” and asked him a few questions. Simon, much elated, bragged about what he had achieved, but stopped all at once, rolling the eyes of bewilderment. Mr. Yacek had laid down his violin, taken off his coat, and set to work, stirring and softening a mass of clay! Simon’s shovel fell and his jaw dropped. “What is’t ye wonder at?” “What, shall Mr. Yacek work with me?” “I shall, and will help you to build your hut. Think you I cannot?—You will see.” Henceforth they worked together. The old man had indeed not much strength, and was little wont to labour; but he had such ingenious ways that the work went on far better and more swiftly. And Simon obediently followed all his directions, now and then muttering: “Heavens! this is unlike anything ever seen! A Squire!”