“Yes.”
I was going because I could not, that day, play tranquilly with my friends as before. The pure, childish affection I had felt for them was sullied. Although the love I bore Valek and Marusia was not diminished, there was now mingled with it a sharp current of pity that turned it to a burning heartache. On reaching home I went to bed early because I did not know where to lay this new feeling of pain with which my whole soul was burning. I buried my head under my pillow and wept bitterly until kindly sleep at last came with her soft breath to blow away my grief.
VII
TIBURTSI APPEARS ON THE SCENE
“Good morning! I thought you weren’t coming back any more!” this was Valek’s greeting to me when I appeared on the hill next day.
I understood why he had said this.
“No, I—I shall always come here,” I answered firmly, to put an end to that question forever.
Valek’s spirits rose perceptibly at this answer and we both felt more at ease.
“Well, and where are your people?” I asked. “Haven’t they come back yet?”
“Not yet. The Lord knows what has become of them.”