"I know even who. God grant only that—"
"That what?"
"That she return as soon as possible," added he, hurriedly.
These words pacified me completely. A couple of days later, in the evening, my father was sitting near me with my mother. He and I began to play chess. After a while mother went out, leaving the door open. Through the door a whole row of rooms was visible; at the end of this row was Hania's room. I looked at it, but I could not see anything, for mine was the only room lighted. Hania's door, so far as I could see in the darkness, was closed.
Then some one went in, as it were Doctor Stanislav, and did not shut the door.
My heart beat unquietly. There was light in Hania's room.
The light fell in a bright column to the dark neighboring hall; and on the background of that clear column it seemed to me that I saw a delicate line of smoke, curling as dust curls in sunlight.
Gradually an indefinable odor struck my nostrils, but an odor which became stronger and stronger every moment. Suddenly the hair rose on my head. I recognized the odor of juniper.
"Father! what is that?" cried I, throwing the chess-men and chess-board on the floor.
My father jumped up, confused, perceiving also that cursed odor of the juniper, and closed the door of the room as quickly as possible.