Her voice surprised him somewhat; therefore he approached her, and asked,—
“What is the matter? Thou art a little pale.”
“Come nearer; I’ll tell thee something.”
And, taking his head with her hands, she whispered into his ear, and he listened; then, kissing her on the forehead, he said,—
“Only be not excited, lest thou hurt thyself.”
But in his words emotion was evident. He walked through the room, looked at her a while, kissed her again on the forehead; at last he said,—
“Usually people wish a son first, but remember that it be a daughter. We’ll call her Litka.”
Neither of them could sleep that night for a long time, and that was why Zavilovski saw light in the windows.