ondje-Gul would be freed henceforth from the
importunities of Count Kiusko, I soon recovered my peace of mind. I
entertained no doubts as to the effect which such a decisive answer
would produce upon Daniel. I knew that he was too deeply in love not to
feel the blow severely.

I expected, accordingly, to hear that he was mourning in some secluded
retreat over his lost hopes. For him to see Kondje-Gul again after such
an unqualified refusal would only revive his sorrows and cause him more
suffering. More than this, it would place her in an uncomfortable
position since his declaration of love to her. But while I was
convincing myself as to this necessity for him to break off his
relations with her, great was my surprise at seeing him reappear among
us the following day as calm as ever, and just as if no unpleasant
incident had befallen him. Time went on, and still there was no change
in this respect. One might even have said, to judge from his easy
demeanour and from a certain increase of assurance in his manner, that
he felt confident in the future success of his endeavours, and was only
waiting for the happy moment when his aspirations would be realized.

I could not help being puzzled by this remarkable result of a decided
rejection of his suit, but as I had so plainly avoided my rival's
confidences in my embarrassment at the part I was playing, I could not
now attempt to regain them. I began to suspect that Kondje-Gul's mother
had rehearsed her part imperfectly, and at last made up my mind to
question my aunt discreetly on this point.

"By the by, my dear aunt," I said to her one morning in a perfectly
unconcerned tone of voice, "you have not told me anything more about
Kiusko's intended marriage."

"Ah, there is no longer any question of it!" she answered me. "He
presented himself too late: the fair Kondje-Gul's heart is occupied. She
is even engaged to one of her own relations I hear."

"Then he seems to me to be bearing his disappointment very easily."

"Oh, don't be too sure about that! Daniel is not one of those whining
lovers who publish their lamentations to the whole world. He loves her,
as I could see by his sudden paleness when I announced to him the
definite rejection of his offer; but he has an iron will, and you may be
certain that if he is so calm, that only shows he still cherishes some
hope. As for me, I won't believe in Kondje-Gul's marriage with her
cousin, until I see them coming out of church