"I speak of you, little lady, thus. Amongst us such is the custom."
"Then do not call me that, for I am no female associate."
"That is a pity. But this is not the time to speak of that. Once more I thank you for the rescue, though it is for a short time."
"Why for a short time?"
"Because I do not know what to do with myself, where to go, and where to hide. Every night I sleep in a different place but they are seeking for me everywhere."
"That is true. They were searching for you in Jastrzeb. Do you know that there was a police-search there?"
"Was there?"
"Yes. Gendarmes, police, and soldiers came. They almost put everybody under arrest."
"Oh, they would not arrest them--"
The clatter of horses' hoofs and the rattle of the horseshoes over the stony pavements interrupted for a while their conversation. From a side street ahead rode out a Cossack patrol, consisting of several scores of men. They rode slowly, with carabines resting upon their thighs and looked about cautiously. At the sight of them, Pauly became somewhat pale, while Laskowicz began to whisper: