"May God reward you. I do not know what would have happened without your help."
Then Jagienka, while searching for the tinder and fire steel, began to excuse herself:
"I was worried about you, because Bezduch also went with a fork and an axe, but the bear tore him to pieces. If you met with such a misfortune, Macko would be very desolate, and he hardly breathes now. So I took a fork and came."
"Then it was you whom I heard there behind the pines?"
"Yes."
"And I thought it was an evil spirit."
"I was very much frightened, because it is dangerous to be without fire here around the Radzikowski marshes."
"Then why did you not speak to me?"
"Because I was afraid you would send me away."
Having said this, she again began to strike sparks from the steel, and put on the tinder a bundle of hemp which began to burn.