"Will you lead us for a florin or two?"
The pitch-burner accepted the offer willingly, but begged for half a loaf of bread, which he said is very scarce in the woods and he had seen none for some time past. It was arranged that they should start very early the next morning, because it was "not good to travel in the evening," he said. "There at Boruca ghosts storm terribly, but they do no harm. But being jealous for the Lenczyca principality they chase away other devils into the bushes. It is only bad to meet them during the night, especially when a man is drunk, but the sober need not be afraid."
"You were afraid nevertheless," said Macko.
"Because that knight unexpectedly grasped me with such strength that I took him for another being."
Then Jagienka smiled that all of them took the pitch-burner to be the devil, and he thought them to be the same. Anulka and Sieciechowa laughed at Macko's words, when he said:
"Your eyes are not yet dry from weeping for Hlawa; now you are laughing?"
The Bohemian looked at the girl, he observed her eyelids which were still moist, then he asked:
"Did you cry for me?"
"Of course not," replied the girl. "I was only scared."
"You ought to be ashamed. Are you not a noblewoman, and a noblewoman like your mistress is not afraid. Nothing evil could happen to you in the middle of the day, and among people."