I remained silent; my heart was too full for words.
My aunt paced up and down the veranda, and presently, her arms akimbo, stopped before me and said,—
"Do you know, my boy, what I am thinking? It is this: We somehow do not like Kromitzki,—even Celina is not fond of him; and Aniela sees it, and it hurts her feelings. It is a strange thing; he does his best to make himself pleasant, and yet he always seems like an outsider. It is not right, and it grieves Aniela."
"Do you think, aunty, that she loves him so very much?"
"I did not say very much. He is her husband, and so she loves him, and feels hurt that we treat him badly."
"But who treats him badly? I think she is not happy with him,—that is all."
"God forbid that you should be right. I do not say but she might have done better; but after all there is nothing to be said against him. He evidently loves her very much. Celina cannot quite forgive him the sale of Gluchow; but as to Aniela, she defends him, and does not allow anybody to say a word against him."
"Perhaps against her own conviction?"
"It proves all the more that she loves him. As to his affairs, the worst is that nobody knows how he stands; and this is a great source of trouble to Celina. But after all, wealth is not everything; besides, as I told you before, I will not forget to provide for Aniela, and you agree with me, do you not? We both owe her a kind of duty, not to mention that she is a dear, affectionate creature, and deserves everything we can do for her."
"With all my heart, dear aunt; she will be always as a sister to me, and shall not be in want of anything as long as I live."