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 “Please go away,” she cried quickly.

“At once, my dear,” said Daimon, grinning. “I I feel lonely without people. Look, your friend seems to be struck dumb. Wait. I’ll talk to him.”

She suddenly became angry. “Don’t say anything to him! Let him behave as he wants to!” He raised his bushy eyebrows in surprise. “What? what? You don’t mean to say that you lo”

“What’s that to do with you?” she interrupted him, her eyes flashing. “Who wants you here?”

He laughed quietly, leaning against the stove. “If you knew how that suits you! Girl, girl, has it really at last happened seriously to you? Show me!” He tried to take hold of her chin. She drew back, pale with rage, showing her teeth.

“What? You even want to bite? Who were you with yesterday, that you are so Aha! I know. Rosso, eh?”

“That’s not true,” she cried with tears in her voice.

“Leave her alone,” said Prokop sternly.

“Well, well, it doesn’t matter,” muttered Daimon. “Anyway. I mustn’t interfere with you, eh? Good-night, children.” He stepped back, pressed himself to the wall and before Prokop realized the fact, had disappeared.

Prokop drew a chair up to the crackling stove and stared into the flames without even looking round at the girl. He heard her walking about the room hesitatingly on the tips of her toes, putting something straight. He did not know what she was doing. She was now standing still silently. There