"Is that true?" said Aagot. "Well, I don't care in the least for them; alas, no! I don't want to remember any of them." And she seized Coldevin's arm and pressed close to him as if in fear.
This embarrassed him still more. He slowed up a little, and she said with a smile as she let go his arm:
"I suppose I mustn't do that?"
"H'm. What are you going to do when you get back home? By the way, have you heard from your fiancé?"
"No, not yet. But I suppose it is too early. Are you afraid of anything happening to him? Dear me, tell me if you are!"
"No; don't worry! He will get back safe enough."
They stopped at her door and said good-bye. She ascended the few steps hesitatingly, without even lifting her dress; suddenly she turned, ran downstairs again, and seized Coldevin's hand.
Without another word she hurried up-stairs and through the door.
He stood still a moment. He heard her steps from inside, then they died down. And he turned and drifted down the street. He saw and heard nothing of what happened around him.
Instinctively he walked toward the basement restaurant where he usually took his meals. He went down and ordered something. Hurriedly he ate everything that was placed before him; apparently he had not eaten for a long while. And when he was through he took out the ten-crown bill and paid his check from that. At the same time he felt in his waistcoat pocket for a little package, a few crowns in silver—the small amount he had put aside for his railway ticket, and which he had not dared to touch.