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She began to teach her to read and to play checkers. Rose did not take kindly to embroidery, but some of the Indian work interested her. With Pani and Wanamee's assistance she made baskets and curious vase-like jars. Pierre Gaudrion came up now and then, and miladi considered him quite a prodigy in several ways. When they were dull and tired miladi gave Rose dancing lessons.
For every trifle he ran to Katerina Ivanovna, even hunting her out at the bazaar, at every instant called her "Pani." She was heartily sick of him before the end, though she had declared at first that she could not have got on without this "serviceable and magnanimous man." It was one of Katerina Ivanovna's characteristics to paint everyone she met in the most glowing colours.
She was gayety itself, singing little songs and laughing over everything so that she quite misled her nurse into thinking that she really did not care. Then she made Pani tell some old legends of the spirits who haunted the lakes and rivers, and she added to them some she had heard Wenonah relate.
And she liked brightness, happy faces, the wide out-of-doors with its birds' songs, its waving trees, its fragrant breathing from shrub and flower that filled one with joy. Pani kissed her and clasped her to her heart, held her in her arms, smoothed the tangled curls, sometimes kissed them, too, caressed her soft, dainty hands as if they were another human being.
"Never mind, Pani," and the black-haired girl laughed until her narrow, sparkling eyes quite disappeared behind her prominent cheek-bones. "I'll go down in the cellar by myself with another dish and fetch up some 'kapusta'; Pani needn't fear the rats.
The May sunshine had not penetrated all the houses, and her old blood had lost its heat. "Yes, I was. What with the dancing and the walking about and all I was very weary. I want to get rested. It is so quiet and lovely." "You can rest in bed." "I want to stay here a little while longer. Do not mind me, but go to bed yourself." The voice was tender, persuasive, but Pani did not stir.
"What makes people run crazy when weddings are talked of? But if I wanted to hold my head high and boast " "Oh, child, you could not be so silly!" "No, Pani. And I shall be glad to have him go away. I do not want any lovers." The woman was utterly amazed, and then consoled herself with the thought that it was merely child's play. They both lapsed into silence again. But Jeanne's thoughts ran on.
I should have died sooner in the other life. It is God and his holy Son who give grace." "She will not forsake her duty to the one who has taken such kindly care of her, the Pani woman." "She can come, too. Give me my child, it is all I ask of you. Surely you do not need her." Her voice was roused to a certain intensity, her thin hands worked.
"The women will remain, and Pani will serve you to the uttermost. When this weary time is ended, and we are in better condition, you will have your reward." "I do not want any reward, it is only returning what has been given." He knew many things miladi had grudged her, most of all the home, since it was of his providing and intent. They wandered on in silence for some time.
From a thinner part he cut off similarly two smaller vessels to serve as cups. "Now then for the water to fill the kettle," he said, looking around among the creepers festooning the trees for the pani bêl. When he found the plant he sought, he cut off a length and brought it to the girl, who had never heard of it.
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