Part 25 (1/2)

It was a good party, and I had the feeling that hts would be irls had anything to say about it, and they generally do

FROM THE DIARY OF PIOTR KULCZYNSKI

My love was ather to ood-bye to the me to head up a section ofnew troops We would ain, but not soon and not often It was hard, for we had gone through hell and Heaven together, and in the doing of it, we had become close

I had attended to half of theh the croas the lady I had had on the night of ! Suddenly, I felt very aard, for how does one introduce a lady that one has taken in pleasure to another lady that one is about to marry? Worse yet, I couldn't introduce them, for I still did not know the first lady's naem of courtesy

”Piotr Kulczynski, surely you remember little Mary Ponanski that used to live four doors from your father in Okoitz!”

So at last I knew her nairl that we used to chase away froirl is the char has turned into a swan! But then youthem

We chatted for a while and Mary pouted a bit because she had recognized me and I had not returned the favor

”But you are not fair,” I said ”Girls change more than boys do, andyour time with someone who is al knights around?”

”To find out which one I should be chasing, of course I You know all of these men, Piotr Tell me, which one is the best?”

”The best? Well, that's a complicated question! If you mean 'Who is the best mathematician?' you are out of luck, because that's me and I'm already taken If you mean 'Who has the best taste in wo Krystyana and they are not! But the best ust Poinowski over there What do you think, Krystyana? Is August handsoh for our little Mary? I can testify to his character, but it takes a woood to look at”

My love said that he was a fine-looking man, so we made the introductions And you know? Not three weeks went by before Mary and August posted banns to marry in the church!

It was in this reat favor that she had done for me!

FROM THE DIARY OF CONRAD SCHWARTZ