"I wonder where he is," said Milena to her friend.
"Probably he has gone to our house to look for you. If you had only waited a little! Now he'll say that we wanted to get rid of you."
At last they were at the door.
"And now," said Mara, "probably the house is locked, and you'll have to come back with me." Then, all at once interrupting herself: "Oh! how my left ear is ringing, someone is speaking about me; can you guess who it is, Milena? Yes, I think I can hear my son's voice," and the fond mother's handsome face beamed with pleasure.
She had hardly uttered these words, when they heard someone call out:
"Gospa Mara! gospa Mara!"
Then turning round, they saw a youth running up to them.
"What! is it you, Todor Teodorovic? and when did you come back?" quoth Mara.
"We came back last evening."
"Perhaps you met the Spera in Dio on your voyage?"