When she heard this, Basia began to clap her hands, and rushed headlong to her husband. After her hurried Eva; after Eva, Azya bowed down to the little knight’s knees with a wild outburst of delight, so that Pan Michael had to free himself.
“Give me peace!” said he; “what is there wonderful? When it’s possible to help people, it is hard not to help them, unless one is altogether heartless; and I am no tyrant. But do you, Basia, return quickly, my love; and do you, Azya, guard her faithfully; in this way you will thank me best. Well, well, give me peace!”
Here his mustaches began to quiver, and then he said more joyously, to give himself courage,—
“The worst are those tears of women; when I see tears there is nothing left of me. But you, Azya, must thank not only me and my wife, but this young lady, who has followed me like a shadow, exhibiting her sorrow continually before my eyes. You must pay her for such affection.”
“I will pay her; I will pay her!” said Azya, with a strange voice; and seizing Eva’s hands, he kissed them so violently that it might be thought he wished rather to bite them.
“Michael!” cried Zagloba, suddenly, pointing to Basia, “what shall we do here without her?”
“Indeed it will be grievous,” said the little knight, “God knows it will!” Then he added more quietly: “But the Lord God may bless my good action later. Do you understand?”
Meanwhile Basia pushed in between them her bright head full of curiosity.
“What are you saying?”
“Nothing,” replied Zagloba; “we said that in spring the storks would come surely.”