“Sandu,” said the old lady, sighing heavily, “give her my thanks, tell her how I appreciate the honour she has done me, and that all my life I shall never forget that she received me as she should receive her mother. But listen to me; tell her, too, she may wait a long time before I cross her threshold again, and she need not send to me when she wants anything. Let her go to the gentleman, to the bankrupt Naraschievici.”
And away went Mistress Veta’s mother, so angry that she could not see where she was walking, while Sandu sat with drooping head.
In about half an hour Ana came. She was disappointed to hear her grandmother had gone, and wanted to know why.
Sandu did not like to tell her, and because his heart would not let him lie he said to her in a low voice:
“Well, she went because she could not stay.”
Ana sat on the edge of the bed, and sympathizing with her brother, she asked him whether his head ached.
Gheorghitza had no time to answer; he shook his head and went on playing.
“Sandu, can you stay with him? You see, I must go up again. Gheorghitza dear, be good and play nicely.”
Then she kissed him and went slowly away as though she were loth to go.
And with her went Sandu’s heart and the joy which filled his soul when he saw her standing by her brother and kissing him so tenderly.