Pan Michael: An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER VIII.

  Basia insisted that Volodyovski should give her instruction in"fencing;" he did not refuse, though he delayed for some days. Hepreferred Krysia; still, he liked Basia greatly, so difficult was it,in fact, not to like her.

  A certain morning the first lesson began, mainly because of Basia'sboasting and her assurances that she knew that art by no means badly,and that no common person could stand before her. "An old soldiertaught me," said she; "there is no lack of these among us; it is knowntoo that there are no swordsmen superior to ours. It is a question ifeven you, gentlemen, would not find your equals."

  "Of what are you talking?" asked Zagloba. "We have no equals in thewhole world."

  "I should wish it to come out that even I am your equal. I do notexpect it, but I should like it."

  "If it were firing from pistols, I too would make a trial," said PaniMakovetski, laughing.

  "As God lives, it must be that the Amazons themselves dwell inLatychov," said Zagloba. Here he turned to Krysia: "And what weapon doyou use best, your ladyship?"

  "None," answered Krysia.

  "Ah, ha! none!" exclaimed Basia. And here, mimicking Krysia's voice,she began to sing:--

  "'O knights, believe me, Useless is armor, Shields give no service; Cupid's keen arrows, Through steel and iron, Go to all hearts.'

  "She wields arms of that kind; never fear," added Basia, turning to PanMichael and Zagloba. "In that she is a warrior of no common skill."

  "Take your place, young lady!" said Pan Michael, wishing to conceal aslight confusion.

  "Oh, as God lives! if what I think should come true!" cried Basia,blushing with delight.

  And she stood at once in position with a light Polish sabre in herright hand; the left she put behind her, and with breast pushedforward, with raised head and dilated nostrils, she was so pretty andso rosy that Zagloba whispered to Pan Michael's sister, "No decanter,even if filled with Hungarian a hundred years old, would delight me somuch with the sight of it."

  "Remember," said the little knight to Basia, "that I will only defendmyself; I will not thrust once. You may attack as quickly as youchoose."

  "Very well. If you wish me to stop, give the word."

  "The fencing could be stopped without a word, if I wished."

  "And how could that be done?"

  "I could take the sabre easily out of the hand of a fencer like you."

  "We shall see!"

  "We shall not, for I will not do so, through politeness."

  "There is no need of politeness in this case. Do it if you can. I knowthat I have less skill than you, but still I will not let that bedone."

  "Then you permit it?"

  "I permit it."

  "Oh, do not permit, sweetest haiduk," said Zagloba. "He has disarmedthe greatest masters."

  "We shall see!" repeated Basia.

  "Let us begin," said Pan Michael, made somewhat impatient by theboasting of the maiden.

  They began. Basia thrust terribly, skipping around like a pony in afield. Volodyovski stood in one place, making, according to his wont,the slightest movements of the sabre, paying but little respect to theattack.

  "You brush me off like a troublesome fly!" cried the irritated Basia.

  "I am not making a trial of you; I am teaching you," answered thelittle knight. "That is good! For a fair head, not bad at all! Steadierwith the hand!"

  "'For a fair head?' You call me a fair head! you do! you do!"

  But Pan Michael, though Basia used her most celebrated thrusts, wasuntouched. Even he began to talk with Zagloba, of purpose to show howlittle he cared for Basia's thrusts: "Step away from the window, foryou are in the lady's light; and though a sabre is larger than aneedle, she has less experience with the sabre."

  Basia's nostrils dilated still more, and her forelock fell to herflashing eyes. "Do you hold me in contempt?" inquired she, pantingquickly.

  "Not your person; God save me from that!"

  "I cannot endure Pan Michael!"

  "You learned fencing from a schoolmaster." Again he turned to Zagloba:"I think snow is beginning to fall."

  "Here is snow! snow for you!" repeated Basia, giving thrust afterthrust.

  "Basia, that is enough! you are barely breathing," said PaniMakovetski.

  "Now hold to your sabre, for I will strike it from your hand."

  "We shall see!"

  "Here!" And the little sabre, hopping like a bird out of Basia's hands,fell with a rattle near the stove.

  "I let it go myself without thinking! It was not you who did that!"cried the young lady, with tears in her voice; and seizing the sabre,in a twinkle she thrust again: "Try it now."

  "There!" said Pan Michael. And again the sabre was at the stove. "Thatis enough for to-day," said the little knight.

  Pani Makovetski began to bustle about and talk louder than usual; butBasia stood in the middle of the room, confused, stunned, breathingheavily, biting her lips and repressing the tears which were crowdinginto her eyes in spite of her. She knew that they would laugh all themore if she burst out crying, and she wished absolutely to restrainherself; but seeing that she could not, she rushed from the room on asudden.

  "For God's sake!" cried Pani Makovetski. "She has run to the stable, ofcourse, and being so heated, will catch cold. Some one must go for her.Krysia, don't you go!"

  So saying, she went out, and seizing a warm shuba in the ante-room,hurried to the stable; and after her ran Zagloba, troubled about hislittle haiduk. Krysia wished to go also, but the little knight held herby the hand. "You heard the prohibition. I will not let this hand gotill they come back."

  And, in fact, he did not let it go. But that hand was as soft as satin.It seemed to Pan Michael that a kind of warm current was flowing fromthose slender fingers into his bones, rousing in them an uncommonpleasantness; therefore he held them more firmly. A slight blush flewover Krysia's face. "I see that I am a prisoner taken captive."

  "Whoever should take such a prisoner would not have reason to envy theSultan, for the Sultan would gladly give half his kingdom for her."

  "But you would not sell me to the Pagans?"

  "Just as I would not sell my soul to the Devil."

  Here Pan Michael remarked that momentary enthusiasm had carried him toofar, and he corrected himself: "As I would not sell my sister."

  "That is the right word," said Krysia, seriously. "I am a sister inaffection to your sister, and I will be the same to you."

  "I thank you from my heart!" said Pan Michael, kissing her hand; "for Ihave great need of consolation."

  "I know, I know," repeated the young lady; "I am an orphan myself."Here a small tear rolled down from her eyelid and stopped at the downon her lip.

  Pan Michael looked on that tear, on the mouth slightly shaded, andsaid, "You are as kind as a real angel; I feel comforted already."

  Krysia smiled sweetly: "May God reward you!"

  "As God is dear to me."

  The little knight felt meanwhile that if he should kiss her hand asecond time, it would comfort him still more; but at that moment hissister appeared. "Basia took the shuba," said she, "but is in suchconfusion that she will not come in for anything. Pan Zagloba ischasing her through the whole stable."

  In fact, Zagloba, sparing neither jests nor persuasion, not onlyfollowed Basia through the stable, but drove her at last to the yard,in hopes that he would persuade her to the warm house. She ran beforehim, repeating, "I will not go! Let the cold catch me! I will not go! Iwill not go!"

  Seeing at last a pillar before the house with pegs, and on it a ladder,she sprang up the ladder like a squirrel, stopped, and leaned at laston the eave of the roof. Sitting there, she turned to Pan Zagloba andcried out half in laughter, "Well, I will go if you climb up here afterme."

  "What sort of a cat am I, little haiduk, to creep along roofs afteryou? Is that the way you pay me for lov
ing you?"

  "I love you too, but from the roof."

  "Grandfather wants his way; grandmother will have hers. Come down to methis minute!"

  "I will not go down!"

  "It is laughable, as God is dear to me, to take defeat to heart as youdo. Not you alone, angry weasel, but Kmita, who passed for a master ofmasters, did Pan Michael treat in this way, and not in sport, but in aduel. The most famous swordsmen--Italians, Germans, and Swedes--couldnot stand before him longer than during one 'Our Father,' and here sucha gadfly takes the affair to heart. Fie! be ashamed of yourself! Comedown, come down! Besides, you are only beginning to learn."

  "But I cannot endure Pan Michael!"

  "God be good to you! Is it because he is _exquisitissimus_ in thatwhich you yourself wish to know? You should love him all the more."

  Zagloba was not mistaken. The admiration of Basia for the little knightincreased in spite of her defeat; but she answered, "Let Krysia lovehim."

  "Come down! come down!"

  "I will not come down."

  "Very well, stay there; but I will tell you one thing: it is not nicefor a young lady to sit on a ladder, for she may give an amusingexhibition to the world."

  "But that's not true," answered Basia, gathering in her skirts with herhand.

  "I am an old fellow,--I won't look my eyes out; but I'll call everybodythis minute, let others stare at you."

  "I'll come down!" cried Basia.

  With that, Zagloba turned toward the side of the house. "As God lives,somebody is coming!" said he.

  In fact, from behind the corner appeared young Adam Novoveski, who,coming on horseback, had tied his beast at the side-gate and passedaround the house himself, wishing to enter through the main door.Basia, seeing him, was on the ground in two springs, but too late.Unfortunately Pan Adam had seen her springing from the ladder, andstood confused, astonished, and covered with blushes like a young girl.Basia stood before him in the same way, till at last she cried out,--

  "A second confusion!"

  Zagloba, greatly amused, blinked some time with his sound eye; atlength he said, "Pan Novoveski, a friend and subordinate of ourMichael, and this is Panna Drabinovski (Ladder). Tfu! I wanted to sayYezorkovski."

  Pan Adam recovered readily; and because he was a soldier of quick wit,though young, he bowed, and raising his eyes to the wonderful vision,said, "As God lives! roses bloom on the snow in Ketling's garden."

  But Basia, courtesying, muttered to herself, "For some other nose thanyours." Then she said very charmingly, "I beg you to come in."

  She went forward herself, and rushing into the room where Pan Michaelwas sitting with the rest of the company, cried, making reference tothe red kontush of Pan Adam, "The red finch has come!" Then she sat atthe table, put one hand into the other, and pursed her mouth in thestyle of a demure and strictly reared young lady.

  Pan Michael presented his young friend to his sister and Panna Krysia;and the friend, seeing another young lady of equal beauty, but of adifferent order, was confused a second time; he covered his confusion,however, with a bow, and to add to his courage reached his hand to hismustache, which had not grown much yet. Twisting his fingers above hislip, he turned to Pan Michael and told him the object of his coming.The grand hetman wished anxiously to see the little knight. As far asPan Adam could conjecture, it was a question of some military function,for the hetman had received letters recently from Pan Vilchkovski, fromPan Silnitski, from Colonel Pivo, and other commandants stationed inthe Ukraine and Podolia, with reports of Crimean events which were notof favorable promise.

  "The Khan himself and Sultan Galga, who made treaties with us atPodhaytse," continued Pan Adam, "wish to observe the treaties; butBudjyak is as noisy as a bee-hive at time of swarming. The Belgrodhorde also are in an uproar; they do not wish to obey either the Khanor Galga."

  "Pan Sobieski has informed me already of that, and asked for advice,"said Zagloba. "What do they say now about the coming spring?"

  "They say that with the first grass there will be surely a movement ofthose worms; that it will be necessary to stamp them out a secondtime," replied Pan Adam, assuming the face of a terrible Mars, andtwisting his mustache till his upper lip reddened.

  Basia, who was quick-eyed, saw this at once; therefore she pushed backa little, so that Pan Adam might not see her, and then twisted, as itwere, her mustache, imitating the youthful cavalier. Pan Michael'ssister threatened with her eyes, but at the same time she began toquiver, restraining her laughter with difficulty. Volodyovski bit hislips; and Krysia dropped her eyes till the long lashes threw a shadowon her cheeks.

  "You are a young man," said Zagloba, "but a soldier of experience."

  "I am twenty-two years old, and I have served the country seven yearswithout ceasing; for I escaped to the field from the lowest bench in myfifteenth year," answered the young man.

  "He knows the steppe, knows how to make his way through the grass, andto fall on the horde as a kite falls on grouse," said Pan Michael. "Heis no common partisan! The Tartar will not hide from him in thesteppe."

  Pan Adam blushed with delight that praise from such famous lips met himin presence of ladies. He was withal not merely a falcon of thesteppes, but a handsome fellow, dark, embrowned by the winds. On hisface he bore a scar from his ear to his nose, which from this cut wasthinner on one side than the other. He had quick eyes, accustomed tolook into the distance, above them very dark brows, joined at the noseand forming, as it were, a Tartar bow. His head, shaven at the sides,was surmounted by a black, bushy forelock. He pleased Basia both inspeech and in bearing; but still she did not cease to mimic him.

  "As I live!" said Zagloba, "it is pleasant for old men like me to seethat a new generation is rising up worthy of us."

  "Not worthy yet," answered Pan Adam.

  "I praise the modesty too. We shall see you soon receiving commands."

  "That has happened already!" cried Pan Michael. "He has beencommandant, and gained victories by himself."

  Pan Adam began so to twist his mustache that he lacked little ofpulling out his lip. And Basia, without taking her eyes from him,raised both hands also to her face, and mimicked him in everything. Butthe clever soldier saw quickly that the glances of the whole companywere turning to one side, where, somewhat behind him, was sitting theyoung lady whom he had seen on the ladder, and he divined at once thatsomething must be against him. He spoke on, as if paying no heed to thematter, and sought his mustache as before. At last he selected themoment, and wheeled around so quickly that Basia had no time either toturn her eyes from him, or to take her hands from her face. She blushedterribly, and not knowing herself what to do, rose from the chair. Allwere confused, and a moment of silence followed.

  Basia struck her sides suddenly with her hands: "A third confusion!"cried she, with her silvery voice.

  "My gracious lady," said Pan Adam, with animation, "I saw at once thatsomething hostile was happening behind me. I confess that I am anxiousfor a mustache; but if I do not get it, it will be because I shall fallfor the country, and in that event I hope I shall deserve tears ratherthan laughter from your ladyship."

  Basia stood with downcast eyes, and was the more put to shame by thesincere words of the cavalier.

  "You must forgive her," said Zagloba. "She is wild because she isyoung, but she has a golden heart."

  And Basia, as if confirming Zagloba's words, said at once in a lowvoice, "I beg your forgiveness most earnestly."

  Pan Adam caught her hands that moment and fell to kissing them. "ForGod's sake, do not take it to heart! I am not some kind of barbarian.It is for me to beg pardon for having dared to interrupt youramusement. We soldiers ourselves are fond of jokes. _Mea culpa!_ I willkiss those hands again, and if I have to kiss them till you forgive me,then, for God's sake, do not forgive me till evening!"

  "Oh, he is a polite cavalier. You see, Basia!" said Pani Makovetski.

  "I see!" answered Basia.

  "It is all over now," cried Pan Adam.
r />   When he said this he straightened himself, and with great resolutionreached to his mustache from habit, but suddenly remembered himself andburst out in hearty laughter. Basia followed him; others followedBasia. Joy seized all. Zagloba gave command straightway to bring oneand a second bottle from Ketling's cellar, and all felt well. Pan Adam,striking one spur against the other, passed his fingers through hisforelock and looked more and more ardently at Basia. She pleased himgreatly. He grew immensely eloquent; and since he had served with thehetman, he had lived in the great world, therefore had something totalk about. He told them of the Diet of Convocation, of its close, andhow in the senate the stove had tumbled down under the inquisitivespectators, to the great amusement of all. He departed at last afterdinner, with his eyes and his soul full of Basia.