And he began to wonder if it would not have been better if she were dead, for then he could have believed she loved him, and could have loved her and sorrowed for her.
The bell-ringer still went on tolling the bell, so Sztolarik called up to him:
"Stop tolling, you fool, can't you? Show us which way the Srankós' maize-field lies."
The bell-ringer pointed to the right.
"You run on in front, Gyuri, and try and get out of her what is the matter with her."
But Gyuri was already gone, through the priest's garden, across Magát's clover-field, and his heart began to beat, for from there he could see Veronica in her green dress, without a hat, only a little red silk shawl round her shoulders. Across Szlávik's corn-field, then into Gongoly's meadow, and they were face to face.
The girl drew a sobbing breath when she saw him, and began to tremble violently.
"Where is the fire?" she asked.
"Don't be frightened, there is no fire. My guardian had the bell rung so as to make you return home. Why did you run away?"
The girl turned pale, and bit her lip.