bounded to a door of the room and flung it open; there
was a ladder leading through a trap-door to the garret,
and he was at the foot of it, when suddenly he heard a
voice behind him, and saw Marija at his heels. She seized
him by the sleeve with her good hand, panting wildly,
"No, no, Jurgis! Stop!"

"What do you mean?" he gasped.

"You mustn't go up," she cried.

Jurgis was half-crazed with bewilderment and fright.
"What's the matter?" he shouted. "What is it?"

Marija clung to him tightly; he could hear Ona sob~
bing and moaning above, and he fought to get away and
climb up, without waiting for her reply. "No, no," she
rushed on. "Jurgis! You mustn't go up! It's -- it's
the child!"

"The child?" he echoed in perplexity. "Antanas?"

Marija answered him, in a whisper: "The new one!"

And then Jurgis went limp, and caught himself on the
ladder. He stared at her as if she were a ghost. "The
new one!" he gasped. "But it isn't time," he added,
wildly.

Marija nodded. "I know," she said; "but it's come."

And then again came Ona's scream, smiting him like a
blow in the face, making him wince and turn white. Her
voice died away into a wail -- then he heard her sobbing
again, "My God -- let me die, let me die!" And Marija
flung her arms about him, crying: "Come out! Come
away!"

She dragged him back into the kitchen, half carrying
him, for he had gone all to pieces. It was as if the pillars
of his soul had fallen in -- he was blasted with horror.
In the room he sank into a chair, trembling like a leaf,
Marija still holding him, and the women staring at him in
dumb, helpless fright.

And then again Ona cried out; he could hear it nearly
as plainly here, and he staggered to his feet. "How long
has this been going on?" he panted.

"Not very long," Marija answered, and then, at a signal

[[214]]

p213 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p214w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p215

v?