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"That is the truth," mumbled Thaddeus, "there are other causes,

my beloved uncle! Perhaps it was my own fault! A mistake! No, a

misfortune! It is now hard to correct it! No, dear uncle, I can

stay here no longer. An error of youth! Uncle, do not question me

further; I must depart from Soplicowo as quickly as may be."

"Oho!" said his uncle, "this is certainly some love tiff. I

noticed yesterday that you bit your lips while you looked from

under your eyebrows at a certain little girl; I saw that she too

had a sour expression. I know all that nonsense; when a pair of

children fall in love, then they have no end of misfortunes. Now

they feel happy, now again they are afflicted and cast down; now

again, for God knows what reason, they are ready to bite each

other; now they stand in corners as if playing blind man's buff,

and won't say a word to each other; sometimes they even run out

into the fields. If such an attack is upon you, just be patient,

there is a cure for all that; I will undertake to reconcile you

shortly. I know all that nonsense, I have been young myself. Tell

me all about it; in return I too may reveal something, and thus

we will confess ourselves to each other."