“You had a good journey?”
“Excellent. The sea was oil, not water.”
“You will stay long I hope.”
“It depends on my patient; I heard in the village that he was better to-day.”
“This young man will stay with us, of course?”
“He will be delighted to come, as often as your children want him.”
“To come! Nonsense! He must stay here entirely. I only wish I had room to keep you also, but he can sleep with the boys. What would he do at the hotel or in the village while you are absent? Of course he must stay here. There can be no question about it. What do you say, little one? Will you not stay?”
The second girl, Andromache, whose hair had been cut short after a fever, and now waved all round her head, nudged his arm.
“Say yes! Say yes! It will be splendid!”
Pavlo, wishing nothing better, nodded shyly, and was at once taken possession of by the Four, the three dogs barking and yapping at their heels, to be shown all the delights of the Red House and of its hill.