At dinner Pan Stanislav resolved to tell Marynia of the news which he had heard, for he knew that it could not be concealed from her anyhow, and he did not wish that it should be brought to her too suddenly and incautiously.
When she asked what was to be heard in the counting-house and the city, he said,—
“Nothing new in the counting-house; but in the city they are talking about certain misunderstandings between the Osnovskis.”
“Between the Osnovskis?”
“Yes; something has happened in Ostend. Likely the cause of all is Kopovski.”
Marynia flushed from curiosity, and asked,—
“What dost thou say, Stas?”
“I say what I heard. Thou wilt remember my remarks on the evening of Pan Ignas’s betrothal? It seems that I was right; I will say, in brief, that there was a certain history, and, in general, that it was bad.”
“But thou hast said that Kopovski is the betrothed of Panna Castelli.”
“He has been, but he is not now. Everything may be broken in their case.”