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By Root 3757 0

from my own little experience. Imagine, sir, that when I took my matriculation at the high school, I had to get through the seventh grade Latin and Greek courses in five weeks, for I’d never wanted to study them. Somehow I got through the exam, but I worked so hard before-hand that I overdid things. From then on, I’ve never been able to look at Latin or Greek, or even think about them. I can’t bear to look at the school building, I avoided the friends who studied with me, I even had to leave the apartment where I’d studied night and day. That lasted a few months, and I really didn’t get over it until … Do you know what I did? I threw all the Greek and Latin textbooks into the fire, and burned the horrible things. They smouldered an hour, then I had the ashes thrown into the garbage can, and recovered! Although even to this day, I get palpitations at the sight of Greek letters or Latin irregulars … panis, piscis, crinis … Ugh, how loathsome! So don’t be surprised,’ Ochocki concluded, ‘if Wokulski has gone away to China. Long torment may drive a man out of his senses … Though even that passes …’

‘But at the age of forty-six, sir?’ Rzecki inquired.

‘With his strong organism? His powerful brain? Well, I’ve talked too much … Goodbye to you, sir.’

‘What, are you leaving?’

‘Yes, for St Petersburg,’ Ochocki replied. ‘I have to look after the will of the late Duchess, which her grateful family want to have annulled. I shall probably stay there till the end of October.’

‘As soon as I have news from Staś, I’ll let you know. Just send me your address.’

‘I’ll inform you as soon as I hear something. Although I doubt … Goodbye!’

‘Come back soon!’

The conversation with Ochocki revived Ignacy. The old clerk seemed to have regained strength by talking to a man who not only understood his beloved Staś, but also recalled him in many respects. ‘He was just the very same,’ Rzecki thought. ‘Energetic, sober and yet always full of high impulses.’

We may say that the convalescence of Ignacy began on this day. He left his bed, changed his robe for a frock-coat, spent more time in the store and even went out frequently into the streets. Szuman was delighted with the success of his cure, thanks to which the development of heart disease had been halted. ‘What the future holds,’ he said to Szlangbaum, ‘no one knows. But it’s a fact that the old man has been better for several days. He’s regained his appetite, and above all, his apathy has gone. I had the same experience with Wokulski.’

But in truth, Rzecki was encouraged by the hope that sooner or later, he’d have a letter from his Staś. ‘Perhaps he’s in India by this time,’ he thought, ‘so by the end of September I ought to have news … Well, it’s easy for such things to be delayed: I bet anything that in October…’

As a matter of fact, news of Wokulski arrived at the appointed time, though very strangely. Szuman called on Ignacy one evening at the end of September, and said with a smile: ‘Just look, sir, how that nincompoop interests people. A tenant in Zasławek told Szlangbaum that the late Duchess’s carter saw Wokulski not long ago in the Zasławek forest. He even described how he was dressed, and what sort of horse he was riding.’

‘It could well be!’ exclaimed Ignacy, in relief.

‘Nonsense! The Crimea, indeed, and Rome, and India — and Zasławek?’ the doctor retorted. ‘Better still, another Jew who deals in coal saw Wokulski in Dąbrowa, at almost the same time. What’s more, he claims to have found out that this very same Wokulski bought two loads of dynamite from a coal-miner who drinks too much … Well, surely you won’t try to defend him against such stupid behaviour?’

‘Whatever can this mean?’

‘Nothing. Evidently Szlangbaum has offered a reward to the Jews for information about Wokulski, so now each one of them will catch sight of Wokulski, even if he’s down a mousehole. The holy rouble has created sharp eyes,’ the doctor concluded with an ironic smile.

Rzecki had to admit that the rumours were meaningless, and that Szuman’s explanation was entirely natural. Yet his uneasiness for Wokulski