"Nothing, nothing! I will come back in a moment."
Her face was pale, breath failed her. She went out, almost fled to her chamber. Pani Visberg wished to follow her. Malinka detained her gently but decisively.
"Thou must not go, mamma."
Then she turned to Augustinovich; her voice had a sad and serious sound.
"Pan Adam?"
Augustinovich bit his lips.
"Pan Adam! What is this? 'Lula is a coquette without a heart,' is she not?"
"Perhaps I was mistaken," blurted out Augustinovich; "but—but—"
He did not dare to cough out of himself at the moment that Yosef was going to marry Helena, that he would not come any more.
On returning home he was also afraid to tell Yosef what had happened.