Then he rose to take farewell. At parting, he held for some time the hand of Lineta, who answered also with an equally prolonged pressure.
“Till to-morrow,” said he, looking into her eyes.
“Till to-morrow—after Pan Kopovski. And do not forget ‘Spider-web.’”
“No, I will not forget—ever,” answered Zavilovski, with a voice somewhat moved.
He went out with Plavitski; but they had scarcely found themselves on the street, when the old man, tapped him lightly on the arm, and stopping, said,—
“Young man, do you know that I shall soon be a grandfather?”
“I know.”
“Yes, yes!” repeated Plavitski with a smile of delight, “and in addition to that, I will tell you only this much: there is nothing to surpass young married women!”
And, laughing, he began to clap Pan Ignas time after time on the shoulder; then he put the ends of his fingers to his lips, took farewell, and walked off.
But his voice, slightly quivering, came to Pan Ignas from a distance,—