CHAPTER III
The world was still gray when Father Voynovski was clattering alongthrough deep snow with a lantern to the doves, partridges, and rabbitswhich he kept in his granary in a special enclosure. A tame fox withbells on her neck followed his footsteps; at his side went a Spitz dogand a porcupine. Winter sleep did not deaden the latter in the warmroom of the priest's house. The beasts and their master, when they hadcrossed the yard slowly, stopped under the out-jutting straw eaves ofthe granary, from which long icicles were hanging. The lantern swayed,the key was heard in the lock, the bolt whined, the door squeakedlouder than the key, and the old man went in with his animals. After awhile he took his seat on a block, placed his lantern on a secondblock, and put between his knees a linen bag holding grain and alsocabbage leaves. He began then to yawn aloud and to empty the bag on thefloor there in front of him.
Before he had finished three rabbits advanced from dark corners jumpingtoward him; next were seen the eyes of doves, glittering and bead-likein the light of the lantern; then rust-colored partridges, moving theirheads on lithe necks as they came on in close company. Being the mostresolute, the pigeons fell straightway to hammering the floor withtheir bills, while the partridges moved with more caution, looking nowat the falling grain, now at the priest, and now at the she fox; withher they had been acquainted a long time, since, taken as chicks thepast summer and reared from being little, they saw the beast daily.
The priest kept on throwing grain, muttering morning prayer as he didso: "_Pater noster, qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen_--" Here hestopped and turned to the fox, and she, while touching his side,trembled as if a fever were shaking her.
"Ah, the skin on thee trembles as soon as thou seest them. It is thesame every day. Learn to keep down thy inborn appetite, for thou hastgood food at all seasons and sufferest no hunger. Where did I stop?"Here he closed his eyes as if waiting for an answer, and since he didnot have it he began at the first words: "_Pater noster, qui es incoelis, sanctificetur nomen Tuum, adveniat regnum Tuum_."
And again he halted.
"Ah, thou art squirming," said he, putting his hand on the back of theshe fox. "There is such a vile nature in thee, that not only must thoueat, but commit murder also. Catch her, Filus, by the tail, and biteher if she does any injury--_Adveniat regnum Tuum_--Oh such a daughter!Thou wouldst say, I know, that men are glad too, to eat partridges; butknow this, that a man gives them peace during fast days, while in theethe soul of that vile Luther is sitting, for thou wouldst eat meat ongood Friday--_Fiat voluntas Tua_--_Trus! trus! trus!_--_sicut incoelo_--here are both one with the other!--_et in terra_." And thusspeaking he threw the cabbage and then the grain, scolding the dovessomewhat that, though spring was not near yet, they walked around oneanother frequently, cooing and strutting.
At last, when he had emptied the bag he rose, raised the lantern, andwas preparing to go, when Yatsek appeared on the threshold.
"Ah, Yatsus!" cried the priest, "art thou here--what art thou doing soearly?"
Yatsek kissed the priest's hand, and answered,--
"I have come to confession, my benefactor, and at early mass I shouldlike to approach the Lord's table."
"To confession? That is well, but what has so urged thee? Tell, butright off, for this is not without reason."
"I will tell truly. I must fight a duel this day, and since in fightingwith five men an accident is more likely than with one, I should liketo clear my soul of offences."
"With five men? God's wounds! But what didst thou do to them?"
"It is just this: that I did nothing. They sought a quarrel, and theyhave challenged me."
"Who are they?"
"The Bukoyemskis, who are foresters, and Tsyprianovitch from Yedlinka."
"I know them. Come to the house and tell how it happened."
They went out of the granary, but when half-way to the house the prieststopped on a sudden, looked into Tachevski's eyes quickly, and said,--
"Hear me, Yatsek, there is a woman in this quarrel."
The other smiled; with some melancholy.
"There is, and there is not," said he, "for really, she is thequestion, but she is innocent."
"Ah, ha! innocent! they are all innocent. But dost thou know whatEcclesiastes says of women?"
"I do not remember, benefactor."
"Neither do I remember all, but what I have forgotten I will read inthe house to thee. '_Inveni amariorem morte mulierem, quae laqueus_(says he) _venatorum est et sagena cor ejus_.' (I have found woman morebitter than death. Her heart is a trap and a snare). And farther on headds something, but at the end he says: '_Qui placet Deo, effugietillam, qui autem peccator est, capietur ab illa_.' (Whoso is pleasingto God will escape her, but whoso is a sinner will be caught by her.) Ihave warned thee not one time but ten not to loiter in that mansion andnow the blow strikes thee."
"Eh, it is easier for you to warn than for me not to visit," answeredYatsek, with a sigh.
"Nothing good will meet thee in that house."
"True," said the young man, quietly.
And they went on in silence, but the priest with a face of anxiety, forwith his whole soul he loved Yatsek. When his father had died of thepestilence, the young man was left in the world without any nearrelative, without property, having only a very few serfs in Vyrambki.The old priest cared for him tenderly. He could not give the youthproperty, for he with the soul of an angel distributed to the needy allthat his poor parish gave him; still, he helped Yatsek in secret, andbesides, he watched over him, taught him, not only what was in books,but the whole art of knighthood. For in his day that priest had been afamed warrior, a comrade and friend of the glorious Pan Michael. He hadbeen with Charnyetski, he had gone through the whole Swedish conflict,and only when all had been finished did he put on the robe of a cleric,because of a ghastly misfortune. He loved Yatsek, in whom he valued,not simply the son of a famed knightly family, but a serious, loftysoul, just such as his own was. So he was grieved over the man'simmense poverty, and that ill-fated love which had seized him. Becauseof this love, the young man, instead of seeking bread and fame in thegreat world of action, was wasting himself and leading a half peasantlife in that dark little corner. Hence he felt a determined dislike forthe house of Pan Gideon, taking it ill of Pan Gideon himself that hewas so cruel to his people. As to Father Voynovski, those "worms of theearth"[2] were as dear as the apple of his eye to him, but besides themhe loved also everything living, as well those pets which he scolded,as birds, fish, and even the frogs which croak and sing in thesun-warmed waters during summer.
There walked, however, in that robe of a priest, not only an angel but,besides, an ex-warrior; hence when he learned that his Yatsek mustfight with five enemies he thought only of this: how that young manwould prosper, and would he come out of the struggle undefeated?
"Thou wilt not yield?" asked he, halting at the threshold, "for I havetaught thee what I knew myself, and what Pan Michael showed me."
"I should not like to let them slash me to death," replied Yatsek, withmodesty, "for a great war with the Turks is approaching."
At this the eyes of the old man flashed up like stars. In one moment heseized Yatsek by the button loop of his coat and fell to inquiring,--
"Praised be the name of the Lord! How dost thou know this? Who toldthee?"
"Pan Grothus, the starosta," answered the young man.
Long did the conversation of Yatsek continue with the priest, long washis confession till Mass time, and when at last after Mass they wereboth in the house and had sat down to heated beer at the table, themind of the old man was haunted continually by thoughts of that warwith the pagan. Therefore he fell to complaining of the corruption ofmanners and the decay of devotion in the Commonwealth.
"My God!" said he, "the field of salvation and glory is open to men,but they prefer private quarrels and the slaughter of one another.Though ye have the chance to give your own blood in defence of thecross and the faith, ye
are willing to spill the blood of a brother.For whom? for what reason? For personal squabbles, or women, or similarsociety nonsense. I know this vice to be inveterate in theCommonwealth, and _mea culpa_, for in time of vain sinful youth Imyself was a slave to it. In winter camps, when the armies think mainlyof idleness and drinking, there is no day without duels; but in factthe church forbids duels, and punishes for fighting them. Duelling issinful at all times, and before a Turkish war the sin is the greater,for then every sabre is needed, and every sabre serves God andreligion. Therefore our king, who is a defender of the faith, detestsduels, and in the field in the face of the enemy, when martial lawdictates, they are punished severely."
"But the king in his youth fought more than one, and more than twoduels," said Yatsek. "Moreover, what can I do, revered Father? I didnot challenge. They called me out. Can I fail to meet them?"
"Thou canst not, and therefore my soul is confounded. Ah, God will beon the side of the innocent."
Yatsek began to take farewell, for midday was not more than two hoursfrom him, and a road of some length was before him.
"Wait," said the priest. "I will not let thee leave in this fashion. Iwill have my man make the sleigh ready, put straw in it, and go to themeeting-place. For if at Pan Gideon's they knew nothing of the duel,they will send no assistance, and how will it be if one of them, or ifthou, be wounded severely? Hast thought of this?"
"I have not, and they have not thought, that is certain."
"Ah, seest thou! I will go too. I will not be on the field, I will stayat thy house in Vyrambki. I will take with me the sacrament, and a boywith a bell too, for who knows what may happen? It is not proper for apriest to witness such actions, but except that, I should be there withgreat willingness, were it only to freshen thy courage."
Yatsek looked at him with eyes as mild as a maiden's. "God reward,"said he, "but I shall not lose courage, for even if I had to lay downmy life--"
"Better be silent," broke in the priest. "Art thou not sorry not to benearing the Turk--and not to be meeting a death of more glory?"
"I am, my benefactor, but I shall try that those man-eaters do not gulpme down at one effort."
Father Voynovski thought a moment and added,--
"But if I were to go to the field and explain the reward which wouldmeet them in heaven, were they to die at the hands of the pagan,perhaps they would give up the duel."
"God prevent!" exclaimed Yatsek. "They would think that I sent thee.God prevent! Better that I go to them straightway than listen to suchspeeches."
"I am powerless," said the priest. "Let us go."
He summoned his servant and ordered him to attach the horse with allhaste to the sleigh; then he and Yatsek went out to assist the man. Butwhen the priest saw the horse on which Yatsek had come, he pushed backin amazement.
"In the name of the Father and the Son, where didst thou find such apoor little creature?"
And indeed at the fence stood a sorry small nag, with shaggy headdrooping low, and cheeks with long hair hanging down from them. Thebeast was not greatly larger than a she goat.
"I borrowed it from a peasant. See, how I might go to the Turkish war!"
And he laughed painfully.
To this the priest answered,--
"No matter on what thou goest, if thou come home on a Turkishwar-horse, and may God give thee this, Yatsus; but meanwhile put thesaddle on my beast, for thou canst not go on this poor little wretch tothose nobles."
They arranged everything then, and moved forward,--the priest with thechurch boy and bell and a driver for the sleigh, and Yatsek onhorseback. The day was monotonous and misty in some sort; for a thawhad settled down and snow covered the frozen ground deeply, but itssurface had softened considerably, so that horsehoofs sank withoutnoise and sleigh-runners moved along the road quietly. Not far beyondYedlina they met loads of wood and peasants walking near them; thesepeople knelt at the sound of the bell, thinking that the priest wasgoing with the Lord God to a dying man. Then began fields lying next tothe forest,--fields white and empty; these were covered with haze.Flocks of crows were flying over them. Nearer the forest the hazebecame denser and denser, descended, filled all the space, andstretched upward. When they had advanced somewhat farther, the two menheard cawing, but the crows were invisible. The bushes at the roadsidewere ghostlike. The world had lost its usual sharp outlines, and waschanged into some kind of region deceitful, uncertain,--delusive andblurred in near places, but entirely unknown in the distance.
Yatsek advanced along the silent snow, thinking over the battleawaiting him, but thinking more over Panna Anulka; and half to himselfand half to her he soliloquized in spirit: "My love for thee has beenalways unchangeable, but I have no joy in my heart from it. Eh! intruth I had little joy earlier from other things. But now, if I couldeven embrace thy dear feet for one instant, or hear a good word fromthee, or even know that thou art sorry if evil befalls me-- All betweenme and thee is like that haze there before me, and thou thyself art asif out beyond the haze. I see nothing, and know not what will be, norwhat will meet me, nor what will happen."
And Yatsek felt that deep sadness was besieging his spirit, just asdampness was besieging his garments.
"But I prefer that all should be ended, and quickly," said he, sighing.
Father Voynovski was attacked also by thoughts far from gladsome, andsaid in his own mind,--
"The poor boy has grieved to the utmost. He has not used his youth, hehas gnawed himself through this ill-fated love of his, and now thoseBukoyemskis will cut him to pieces. The other day at Kozenitse theyhacked Pan Korybski after the festival. And even though they should notcut up Yatsek, nothing useful can come of this duel. My God! this ladis pure gold; and he is the last sprout from a great trunk ofknightliness. He is the last drop of nourishing blood in his family. Ifhe could only save himself this time! In God is my hope that he has notforgotten those two blows, one a feint under the arm with a sidespring, the other with a whirl through the cheek. Yatsek!"
But Yatsek did not hear, for he had ridden ahead, and the call from theold man was not repeated. On the contrary, he was troubled veryseriously on remembering that a priest who was going with the Sacramentshould not think of such subjects. He fell then to repenting andimploring the Lord God for pardon.
Still, he was more and more grieved in his spirit. He was mastered byan evil foreboding and felt almost certain that that strange duelwithout seconds would end in the worst manner possible for Yatsek.
Meanwhile they reached the crossroad which lay on the right towardVyrambki, and on the left toward Pan Gideon's. The driver stopped ashad been commanded. Yatsek approached the sleigh then and dismounted.
"I will go on foot to the crucifix, for I should not know what to dowith this horse while the sleigh is taking you to my house and comingback to me. They are there now, it may be."
"It is not noon yet, though near it," said the priest, and his voicewas changed somewhat. "But what a haze! Ye will have to grope in thisduel."
"We can see well enough!"
The cawing of crows and of daws was heard then above them a secondtime.
"Yatsek!"
"I am listening."
"Since thou hast come to this conflict, remember the Knights ofTachevo."
"They will not be ashamed of me, father, they will not."
And the priest remarked that Yatsek's face had grown pitiless, his eyeshad their usual sadness, but the maiden mildness had gone from them.
"That is well. Kneel down now," said he. "I will bless thee, and makethou the sign of the cross on thyself before opening the struggle."
Then he made the sign of the cross on Yatsek's head as he knelt on thesnow there.
The young man tied the horse behind the sleigh at the side of the poorlittle nag of the peasant, kissed the priest's hand, and walked offtoward that crucifix at the place of the duel.
"Come back to me in health!" cried the priest after Yatsek.
At the cross there was no one. Yatsek
passed around the figurerepeatedly, then sat on a stone at the foot of the crucifix and waited.
Round about immense silence was brooding; only great tear-like drops,formed of dense haze, and falling from the arms of the crucifix, struckwith low sound the soft snow bank. That quiet, filled with a certainsadness, and that hazy desert, filled with a new wave of sorrow theheart of the young man. He felt lonely to a point never known to himearlier. "Indeed I am as much alone in the world as that stick there,"said he to himself, "and thus shall I be till death comes to me." Andhe waved his hand. "Well, let it end some time!"
With growing bitterness he thought that his opponents were not in ahurry, because they were joyous. They were sitting at Pan Gideon'sconversing with "her," and they could look at "her" as much as mightplease them.
But he was mistaken, for they too were hastening. After a while thesound of loud talking came up to him, and in the white haze quiveredthe four immense forms of the Bukoyemskis, and a fifth one,--that ofPan Stanislav, somewhat smaller.
They talked in loud voices, for they were quarrelling about this: whoshould fight first with Tachevski. For that matter the Bukoyemskis werealways disputing among themselves about something, but this time theirdispute struck Stanislav, who was trying to show them that he, as themost deeply offended, should in that fight be the first man. All grewsilent, however, in view of the cross, and of Yatsek standing under it.They removed their caps, whether out of respect for the Passion ofChrist, or in greeting to their enemy, may be left undecided.
Yatsek inclined to them in silence, and drew his weapon, but the heartin his breast beat unquietly at the first moment, for they were inevery case five against one, and besides, the Bukoyemskis had simply aterrible aspect,--big fellows, broad shouldered, with broomlikemustaches, on which the fog had settled down in blue dewdrops; theirbrows were forbidding, and in their faces was a kind of brooding andmurderous enjoyment, as if this chance to spill blood caused themgladness.
"Why do I place this sound head of mine under the Evangelists?" thoughtYatsek. But at that moment of alarm, indignation at those roysterersseized him,--those men whom he hardly knew, whom he had never injured,but who, God knew for what reason, had fastened to him, and had comenow to destroy him if possible.
So in spirit he said to them: "Wait a while, O ye road-blockers! Yehave brought your lives hither!"
His cheeks took on color, and his teeth gritted fiercely. They,meanwhile, stripped their coats off and rolled up the sleeves of theirjupans. This they did without need all together, but they did it sinceeach thought that he was to open the duel.
At last they all stood in a row with drawn sabres, and Yatsek, steppingtowards them, halted, and they looked at one another in silence.
Pan Stanislav interrupted them,--
"I will serve you first."
"No! I first, I first!" repeated all the Bukoyemskis in a chorus.
And when Stanislav pushed forward they seized him by the elbows.
Again a quarrel began, in which Stanislav reviled them as outlaws. Theyjeered at him as a dandy, among themselves the term "dogbrother" wasfrequent. Yatsek was shocked at this, and added,--
"I have never seen cavaliers of this kind." And he put his sabre intothe scabbard.
"Choose, or I will go!" said he, with a loud voice, and firmly.
"Choose, thou!" cried Stanislav, hoping that on him would the choicefall.
Mateush began shouting that he would not permit any smallwhipper-snapper to manage them, and he shouted so that his front teeth,which, being very long, like the teeth of a rabbit, were shiningbeneath his mustaches; but he grew silent when Yatsek, drawing hissabre, again indicated him with the edge of it, and added, "I choosethee."
The remaining brothers and Stanislav drew back at once, seeing thatthey would never agree, in another way, but their faces grew gloomy,for, knowing the strength of Mateush they felt almost certain that nowork would be left them when he had finished.
"Begin!" called out Stanislav.
Tachevski felt at the first blow the strength of his enemy, for in hisown grasp the sabre blade quivered. He warded the blow off, however,and warded off, also, the second one.
"He has less skill than strength," thought Tachevski, after the thirdblow. Then, crouching somewhat, for a better spring, he pressed on withimpetus.
The other three, inclining downward the points of their sabres, stoodopen-mouthed, following the course of the struggle. They saw now thatTachevski too "knew things," and that with him it would not be easy.Soon they thought that he knew things very accurately, and alarm seizedthe brothers, for, despite endless bickering they loved one anotherimmensely. The cry, "Ha!" was rent from the breast, now of one, and nowof another, as each keener blow struck.
Meanwhile the blows became quicker and quicker; at last they werelightning-like.
The spectators saw clearly that Tachevski was gaining more confidence.He was calm, but he sprang around like a wild-cat and his eyes shot outominous flashes.
"It is bad!" thought Stanislav.
That moment a cry was heard. Mateush's sabre fell. He raised both handsto his head and dropped to the earth, his face in one instant beingblood-covered.
At sight of that the three younger brothers bellowed like bulls, and inthe twinkle of an eye rushed with rage at Tachevski, not intending, ofcourse, to attack him together, but because each wished to be first inavenging Mateush.
And they perhaps would have swept Tachevski apart on their sabres ifStanislav, springing in to assist him, had not cried with all the powerin his bosom,--
"Shame! Away! Murderers, not nobles! Shame! Away! or you must deal withme, murderers! Away!" And he slashed at the brothers till they came totheir senses. But at this time Mateush had risen on his hands andturned toward them a face which was as if a mask made of blood had justcovered it. Yan, seizing him by the armpits, seated him on the snow.Lukash hurried also to give him assistance.
But Tachevski pushed up to Marek, who was gritting his teeth, andrepeated in a quick voice, as if fearing lest the common attack mightrepeat itself,--
"If you please! If you please!"
And the sabres were clanking a second time ominously. But with Marek,who was as much stronger than his enemy as he was less dexterous,Tachevski had short work. Marek used his great sabre like a flail, sothat Yatsek at the third blow struck his right shoulder-blade, cutthrough the bone, and disarmed him.
Now Lukash and Yan understood that a very ugly task was before them,and that the slender young man was a wasp in reality,--a wasp which itwould have been wise not to irritate. But with increased passion, theystood now against him to a struggle which ended as badly for them as ithad for their elders. Lukash, cut through his cheek to the gums, fellwith impetus, and, besides, struck a stone which the deep snow hadhidden; while from Yan, the most dexterous of the brothers, his sabre,together with one of his fingers, fell to the ground at the end of someminutes.
Yatsek, without a scratch, gazed at his work, as it were, withastonishment, and those sparks which a moment before had beenglittering in his eyeballs began now to quench gradually. With his lefthand he straightened his cap, which during the struggle had slippedsomewhat over his right ear, then he removed it, breathed deeply onceand a second time, turned to the cross, and said, half to himself andhalf to Stanislav,--
"God knows that I am innocent."
"Now it is my turn," said Stanislav. "But you are panting, perhaps youwould rest; meanwhile I will put their cloaks on my comrades, lest thisdamp cold may chill them ere help comes."
"Help is near," said Tachevski. "Over there in the mist is a sleighsent by Father Voynovski, and he himself is at my house. Permit me. Iwill go for the sleigh in which those gentlemen will feel easier thanhere on this snow field."
And he started while Stanislav went to cover the Bukoyemskis who weresitting arm to arm in the snow, except Yan, the least wounded. Yan onhis knees was in front of Mateush, holding up his own right hand lestblood might flow from the finger stump too fr
eely; in his left he heldsnow with which he was washing the face of his brother.
"How are ye?" asked Stanislav.
"Ah, he has bitten us, the son of a such a one!" said Lukash, and hespat blood abundantly; "but we will avenge ourselves."
"I cannot move my arm at all, for he cut the bone," added Marek. "Eh,the dog! Eh!"
"And Mateush is cut over the brows!" called out Yan; "the wound shouldbe covered with bread and spider-web but I will staunch the blood withsnow for the present."
"If my eyes were not filled with blood," said Mateush, "I would--"
But he could not finish since blood loss had weakened him, and he wasinterrupted by Lukash who had been borne away suddenly by anger.
"But he is cunning, the dog blood! He stings like a gnat, though helooks like a maiden."
"It is just that cunning," said Yan, "which I cannot pardon."
Further conversation was interrupted by the snorting of horses. Thesleigh appeared in the haze dimly, and next it was there at the side ofthe brothers. Out of the sleigh sprang Tachevski, who commanded thedriver to step down and help them.
The man looked at the Bukoyemskis, took in the whole case with aglance, and said not a word, but on his face was reflected, as itseemed, disappointment, and, turning toward the horses, he crossedhimself. Then the three men fell to raising the wounded. The brothersprotested against the assistance of Yatsek, but he stopped them.
"If ye gentlemen had wounded me, would ye leave me unassisted? This isthe service of a noble which one may not meet with neglect or refusal."
They were silent, for he won them by these words--somewhat, and after awhile they were lying upon straw in the broad sleigh more comfortably,and soon they were warmer.
"Whither shall I go?" asked the driver.
"Wait. Thou wilt take still another," answered Stanislav, and turningto Yatsek, he said to him,--
"Well, gracious sir, it is our time!"
"Oh, it is better to drop this," said Yatsek, regarding him with a lookalmost friendly. "That God there knows why this has happened, and youtook my part when these gentlemen together attacked me. Why should youand I fight a duel?"
"We must and will fight," replied Stanislav, coldly. "You have insultedme, and, even if you had not, my name is in question at present--do youunderstand? Though I were to lose life, though this were to be my lasthour--we must fight."
"Let it be so! but against my will," said Tachevski.
And they began. Stanislav, had more skill than the brothers, but he wasweaker than any of them. It was clear that he had been taught by bettermasters, and that his practice had not been confined to inns andmarkets. He pressed forward quickly, he parried with readiness andknowledge. Yatsek, in whose heart there was no hatred, and who wouldhave stopped at the lesson given the Bukoyemskis, began to praise him.
"With you," said he, "the work is quite different. Your hand wastrained by no common swordsman."
"Too bad that you did not train it!" said Stanislav.
And he was doubly rejoiced, first at the praise, and then because hehad given answer, for only the most famed among swordsmen could lethimself speak in time of a duel, and polite conversation was consideredmoreover as the acme of courtesy. All this increased Stanislav in hisown eyes. Hence he pressed forward again with good feeling. But aftersome fresh blows he was forced to acknowledge in spirit that Tachevskisurpassed him. Yatsek defended himself as it seemed with unwillingnessbut very easily, and in general he acted as though engaged not infighting, but in fencing for exercise. Clearly, he wished to convincehimself as to what Stanislav knew, and as to how much better he wasthan the brothers, and when he had done this with accuracy he felt atlast sure of his own case.
Stanislav noted this also, hence delight left him, and he struck withmore passion. Tachevski then twisted himself as if he had had enough ofamusement, gave the "feigned" blow, pressed on and sprang aside after amoment.
"Thou hast got it!" said he.
Stanislav felt, as it were, a cold sting in the arm, but he answered,--
"Go on. That is nothing!"
And he cut again, that same moment the point of Yatsek's sabre laid hislower lip open and cut the skin under it. Yatsek sprang aside now asecond time.
"Thou art bleeding!" said he.
"That is nothing!"
"Glory to God if 'tis nothing! But I have had plenty, and here is myhand for you. You have acted like a genuine cavalier."
Stanislav greatly roused, but pleased also at these words, stood for amoment, as if undecided whether to make peace or fight longer. At lasthe sheathed his sabre and gave his hand then to Yatsek.
"Let it be so. In truth, as it seems, I am bleeding."
He touched his chin with his left hand and looked at the blood withmuch wonder. It had colored his palm and his fingers abundantly.
"Hold snow on the wound to keep it from swelling," said Yatsek, "and goto the sleigh now."
So speaking he took Stanislav by the arm and conducted him to theBukoyemskis, who looked at him silently, somewhat astonished, but alsoconfounded. Yatsek roused real respect in them, not only as a masterwith the sabre, but as a man of "lofty manners," such manners preciselyas they themselves needed.
So after a while this inquiry was made of Stanislav by Mateush,--
"How is it with thee, O Stashko?"
"Well. I might go on foot," was the answer, "but I choose the sleigh,the journey will be quicker."
Yatsek sat toward them sidewise, and cried to the driver,--
"To Vyrambki."
"Whither?" asked Stanislav.
"To my house. You will not have much comfort, but it is difficultotherwise. At Pan Gideon's you would frighten the women, and FatherVoynovski is at my house. He dresses wounds to perfection and he willcare for you. You can send for your horses, and then do what may pleaseyou. I will ask the priest also to go to Pan Gideon and tell him withcaution what has happened." Here Yatsek fell to thinking and soon afterhe added,--
"Oho! the trouble has not come yet, but now we shall see it. God knowsthat you, gentlemen, insisted on this duel."
"True! we insisted," said Stanislav. "I will declare that and thesegentlemen also will testify."
"I will testify, though my shoulder pains terribly," said Marek,groaning. "Oi! but you have given us a holiday. May the bullets strikeyou!"
It was not far to Vyrambki. Soon they entered the enclosure, and metthe priest wading in snow, for he, alarmed about what might happen,could not stay in the house any longer, and had set out to meet them.
Yatsek sprang from the sleigh when he saw him. Father Voynovski pushedforward quickly to meet him, and saw his friend sound and uninjured.
"Well," cried he, "what has happened?"
"I bring you these gentlemen," said Yatsek.
The face of the old man grew bright for a moment, but became seriousstraightway, when he saw the Bukoyemskis and Stanislav blood-bedaubed.
"All five!" cried he, clasping his hands.
"There are five!"
"An offence against heaven! Gentlemen, how is it with you?" asked he,turning to the wounded men.
They touched their caps to him, except Marek, who, since the cutting ofhis shoulder-blade, could move neither his left nor his right hand. Hemerely groaned, saying,--
"He has peppered us well. We cannot deny it."
"That is nothing," said the others.
"We hope in God that it is nothing," answered Father Voynovski. "Cometo the house now as quickly as possible! I will care for you thisminute. Move on with the sleigh," said he.
And then he himself followed promptly with Yatsek. But after a while hestopped on the roadway. Joy shone, in his face again. He embracedYatsek's neck on a sudden.
"Let me press thee, O Yatsek," cried he. "Thou hast brought in a sleighload of enemies, like so many wheat sheaves."
Yatsek kissed his hand then, and answered,--
"They would have it so, my benefactor."
The priest put his hand on the head of
the young man again, as ifwishing to bless him, but all at once he restrained himself, becausegladness in this case was not befitting his habit, so he looked moresevere, and continued,--
"Think not that I praise thee. It was thy luck that they themselveswished this, but still, it is a scandal."
They drove into the courtyard. Yatsek sprang to the sleigh so that hemight, with the driver and the single house-servant, help out thewounded men. But they stepped out themselves, except Marek, whose armsthey supported and soon they were all in Yatsek's dwelling. Straw hadbeen spread there already, and even Yatsek's own bed had been coveredwith a white, slightly worn horse skin. At the head a felt roll servedas pillow. On the table near the window was bread kneaded withspider-web, excellent for blood stopping. There were also choicebalsams which the priest had for healing.
The old man took off his soutane and went to dressing the wounds withthe skill of a veteran who had seen thousands of wounded men, and whofrom long practice knew how to handle wounds better than many asurgeon. His work went on quickly, for, except Marek, the men hadsuffered slightly.
Marek's shoulder-blade needed considerably longer work, but when atlast it was dressed the priest wiped his bloody hands, and then rested.
"Well," said he, "thanks to the Lord Jesus, it has passed withoutgrievous accident. This also is certain, that you feel better,gentlemen, all of you."
"One would like a drink!" said Mateush.
"It would not hurt! Give command, Yatsek, to bring water."
Mateush rose up on the straw. "How water?" asked he in a voice ofemotion.
Marek, who was lying face downward on Yatsek's bed groaning, called outquickly,--
"The revered father must wash his hands, of course."
Hereupon Yatsek looked with real despair at the priest, who laughed andthen added,--
"They are soldiers! Wine is permitted, but in small quantity."
Yatsek drew him by the sleeve to the alcove.
"Benefactor," whispered he, "what can I do? The pantry is empty, and sois the cellar. Time after time I must tighten my girdle. What can Igive them?"
"There is something here, there is something!" said the old man. "Whenleaving home I made arrangements, and brought a little with me. Shouldthat not suffice I will get more at the brewery in Yedlina--for myself,of course, for myself. Command to give them one glass at the moment tocalm them after the encounter."
When he heard this Yatsek set to work quickly, and soon the Bukoyemskiswere comforting one another. Their good feeling for Yatsek increasedevery moment.
"We fought, for that happens to every man," said Mateush, "but rightaway I thought thee a dignified cavalier."
"Not true; it was I who thought so first," put in Lukash.
"Thou think? Hast thou ever been able to think?"
"I think just now that thou art a blockhead, so I am able tothink,--but my mouth pains me."
Thus they were quarrelling already. But that moment a mounted mandarkened the window.
"Some one has come!" exclaimed Father Voynovski.
Yatsek went to see who it was, and returned quickly, with troubledvisage.
"Pan Gideon has sent a man," said he, "with notice that he is waitingfor us at dinner."
"Let him eat it alone!" replied Yan Bukoyemski.
"What shall we say to him?" inquired Yatsek, looking at FatherVoynovski.
"Tell him the truth," said the old man--"but better, I will tell itmyself."
He went out to the messenger.
"Tell Pan Gideon," said he, "that neither Pan Tsyprianovitch nor theBukoyemskis can come, for they have been wounded in a duel to whichthey challenged Pan Tachevski; but do not forget to tell him that theyare not badly wounded. Now hurry!"
The man rushed away with every foot which his horse had, and the priestfell to quieting Yatsek, who was greatly excited. He did not fear tomeet five men in battle, but he feared greatly Pan Gideon, and stillmore what Panna Anulka would say and would think of him.
"Well, it has happened," continued the priest, "but let them learn atthe earliest that it was not through thy fault."
"Will you testify, gentlemen?" inquired Yatsek, turning to the woundedmen.
"Though we are dry, we will testify," answered Mateush.
Still, Yatsek's alarm increased more and more, and soon after, when asleigh with Pan Gideon and Pan Grothus stopped at the porch, the heartdied in him utterly. He sprang out, however, to greet and bow down tothe knees of Pan Gideon; but the latter did not even glance at Yatsek,just as though he had not seen the man, and with a gloomy stern face hestrode into the chamber. He inclined to the priest with respect butwith coldness, for since the day that the old man had reproached himfrom the altar for excessive severity toward peasants, the stubborn oldnoble was unable to forgive him; so now, after that cold salute, heturned to the wounded men straightway, and gazed at them a moment.
"Gracious gentlemen," said he, "after what has just happened, I shouldnot pass the threshold of this building, be sure of that, did I notwish to show how cruelly I am wounded by that wrong which you havesuffered. See how my hospitality has ended! See how in my house myrescuers have been recompensed. But I say this, that whoso has wrongedyou has wronged me, whoso has spilt your blood has done worse thanspill mine, for the man who challenged you under my roof has insultedme--"
Here Mateush interrupted him suddenly,--
"We challenged him, not he us!"
"That is true, gracious benefactor," said Stanislav. "There is no blameto this cavalier in all that has happened, but to us, for which we begyour grace's pardon submissively."
"It would have been well for the judge to examine the witnesses beforehe passed sentence," said Father Voynovski, with seriousness.
Lukash, too, wished to say something, but since his cheek was cut tothe gum and his gum to the teeth, the pain was acute when his chinmoved, so he only put his palm on the plaster which was drying, andsaid with one side of his mouth,--
"May the devils take the sentence and my jaw with it also."
Pan Gideon was confused in some measure by these voices, still, he hadno thought of yielding. On the contrary, he looked around with sternglance, as if wishing in that way to express silent blame for defendersof Yatsek.
"It is not for me to offer pardon to my rescuers. No blame touches you,gentlemen. On the contrary, I know and understand all this matter, forI see that you were insulted on purpose. Indeed, that same jealousy,which on a dying horse failed to ride living wolves down, increasedlater on the desire for vengeance. I was not alone in seeing how that'cavalier,' whom you defend so magnanimously, gave occasion and dideverything from the earliest moment of meeting to force you to thataction. But the fault is mine more than any man's, since I was mildwith him, and did not tell the man to find for himself at a fair or adram shop more fitting society."
When Yatsek heard this his face grew as pale as linen. As to thepriest, the blood rose to his forehead.
"He was challenged! What was he to do? Be ashamed of yourself!"exclaimed Father Voynovski.
But Pan Gideon looked down at him and answered,--
"Those are worldly questions, in which the laity are as experienced,and more so, than the clergy, but I will answer your question, so thatno one here should accuse me of injustice. 'What was he to do?' As ayounger to an older man, as a guest to his host, as a man who ate mybread so many times when he had none of his own to eat, he should firstof all have informed me of the question. And I with my dignity of ahost would have settled it, and not have let matters come to this: thatmy rescuers, and such worthy gentlemen, are lying here in their ownblood on straw in this hut as in a hog pen."
"You would have thought me a coward!" cried Yatsek, trembling as in afever.
Pan Gideon did not answer a word, and feigned, as he had from thefirst, not to see him. Instead of answering he turned then toStanislav, and continued,--
"I, with Pan Grothus the starosta, will go to your father in Yedlinkathis instant, to express our condolence. I
doubt not that he willaccept my hospitality, hence I invite you with your comrades herepresent to return to my mansion. I also remind you that you are here bychance merely, and that at the moment you are really my guests, to whomI wish with all my heart to show gratitude. Your father, PanTsyprianovitch, cannot visit the man who has wounded you, and under myroof you will have greater comfort, and will not die of hunger, whichmight happen very easily in this place."
Stanislav was troubled greatly and delayed for a while to give answer,both out of regard for Yatsek, and because that, being a very decentyoung man, he was concerned about propriety; meanwhile his lip andchin, which had swollen beneath the plaster, deformed him verysensibly.
"We have felt neither hunger nor thirst here," said he, "as has beenshown already; but in truth we are guests of your grace, and my father,not knowing how things have happened, might hesitate to come to us. Buthow am I to appear before those ladies, your grace's relatives, with aface which could rouse only abhorrence?"
Then his face twisted, for his lip pained him from long speaking, andhis features, in fact, were not beautiful at the moment.
"Be not troubled. Those ladies feel disgust, but not toward yourwounds, after the healing of which your former good-looks will returnto you. Three sleighs will come here with servants immediately, and inmy house good beds are waiting. Meanwhile, farewell, since it is timefor me and Pan Grothus to set out for Yedlinka--With the forehead!"
And he bowed once to the five nobles. To Father Voynovski he bowedspecially, but he made no inclination whatever to Yatsek. When near thedoor the priest approached him.
"You have too little justice and too little tenderness," said he.
"I acknowledge sins only at confession," retorted Pan Gideon, and hepassed through the doorway. After him went the starosta, Pan Grothus.
Yatsek had been a whole hour as if tortured. His face changed, and atmoments he knew not whether to fall at the feet of Pan Gideon with aprayer for forgiveness, or spring at his throat and avenge thehumiliation through which he was passing. But he remembered that he wasin his own house, that before him was standing the guardian of PannaAnulka; hence, as the two men walked out he moved after them, notgiving an account to himself of his action, but because of custom whichcommanded to conduct guests, and in some kind of blind hope thatperhaps even at parting the stubborn Pan Gideon would bow to him. Butthis hope failed him also; only Pan Grothus, a kindly man, as wasevident, and of good wit pressed his hand at the entrance, andwhispered, "Despair not, his first rage will pass, cavalier, and allwill arrange itself."
Yatsek did not think thus, and he would have been sure that his casewas lost utterly had he known that Pan Gideon, though indignant,feigned anger far more than he felt it.
Stanislav and the Bukoyemskis were his rescuers, but Yatsek had notkilled them, and a duel of itself was too common to rouse suchunmerciful hatred. But Pan Gideon, from the moment that the starostahad told him how aged men marry and sometimes have children, lookedwith other eyes upon Panna Anulka. That which perhaps had neveroccurred to him earlier, seemed all at once possible and also alluring.At thought of the charms of that maiden, marvellous as a rose, the soulwarmed in him, and still more powerfully did pride play in the oldnoble. So then, the race of Pangovski might flourish afresh and bloomup again; and besides, born from such a patrician as Panna Anulka, notonly related to all the great houses in the Commonwealth, but herselfthe last sprout of a race from whose wealth rose in greater part theSobieskis, Jolkievskis, Daniloviches, and many others. There was awhirl in Pan Gideon's brain at the thought of this, and he felt thatnot only he but the Commonwealth was concerned in Pangovskis of thatkind. So straightway fear rose in him lest it should happen that thelady might love some one else, and give her hand to another man. Onemore important than himself in that region, he had not discovered;there were younger men, however. But who? Pan Stanislav? Yes! He wasyoung, of good looks, very rich, but noble in the third generation,descended from ennobled Armenians. That such a _homo novus_ shouldindeed strive for Panna Anulka could not find place in the head of PanGideon in any shape. It was laughable to think of the Bukoyemskis,though good nobles and claiming kindred with Saint Peter. Thereremained then Tachevski alone, a real "Lazarus," it is true, as poor asa church mouse, but from an ancient stock of great knights; fromTachevo who had the Kovala escutcheon, one of whom was a real giant,and had taken part in the dreadful defeat of the Germans at Tannenberg;he had been famous not only in the Commonwealth but at foreign courtsalso. Only a Tachevski could compare with the Sieninskis. Besides, hewas young, daring, handsome, and melancholy; this last often moves theheart in a woman. He was also at home in Belchantska, and seemed afriend, nay, a brother to the lady. Hence, Pan Gideon fell now torecalling various cases, as, for instance, disputes and poutings amongthe young people, then their reconciliations and friendship, thenvarious words and glances, sadness and rejoicing in common, andlaughter. Things which a short time before he had thought scarcelyworthy of notice seemed now suspicious. Yes! danger could threaten onlyfrom that side. The old noble thought, also, that Panna Anulka might,in part at least, be the cause of the duel, and he was terrified.Hence, to anticipate the danger, he tried to present to the young ladyin the strongest light possible, all the dishonor of Yatsek's lateaction, and to rouse in her due anger; and then by feigning greaterrage than he felt, or than the case called for, to burn all the bridgesbetween his own mansion and Vyrambki, and, when he had humiliatedYatsek without mercy, to close the doors of the house to him forever.
And he was reaching his object. Yatsek walked back from the porch, tooka seat at the table, thrust his fingers through his hair, supported hiselbows, and was as silent as if pain had taken speech from him. FatherVoynovski approached and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Yatsus, suffer what thou must," said he, "but a foot of thine shouldnever enter that mansion hereafter."
"It never will," replied Yatsek, in a dull voice.
"But yield not to pain. Remember who thou art."
The young man set his teeth.
"I remember, but for that very reason pain burns me!"
"No one here applauds Pan Gideon for his action," said Stanislav. "Itis one thing to censure, and another to trample a man's honor."
Hereupon the Bukoyemskis were moving, and Mateush, whom speech troubledleast, added promptly,--
"Under his roof I will say nothing, but when I recover and meet him onthe road, or at a neighbor's, I will tell him to kiss a dog's snoutthat same minute."
"O, yei!" said Marek. "To insult such a cavalier! The hour will comewhen that will not be forgiven him."
Meanwhile three sleighs with sofas and three servants, besides drivers,appeared to convey the wounded men to Belchantska. Because of regardfor the expected arrival of Pan Serafin, Yatsek dared not detain them,and because also of this: that they were really the guests of PanGideon. As to the men, they would not have remained after hearing ofYatsek's great poverty lest they might burden him. They took farewelland gave thanks for his hospitality with a heartiness as great as ifthere had never been a quarrel between them.
But when Stanislav was taking his seat in the last sleigh Yatsek sprangforward on a sudden,--
"I will go with you," said he. "I cannot endure to do otherwise! Icannot endure! Before Pan Gideon returns I must--for the last time--"
Father Voynovski, since he knew Yatsek, knew that words would beuseless; still, he drew him aside and began to expostulate,--
"Yatsek! O Yatsek! a woman again. God grant that a still greater wrongmay not meet thee. O Yatsek, remember the words of Ecclesiastes: 'In athousand I found one man, among all I found not one woman.' Take pityon thyself and remember this."
But these words were as peas against a battlement. In a moment Yatsekwas sitting in the sleigh at the side of Stanislav, and they started.
Meanwhile the east wind had broken the mist and driven it to thewilderness; then the bright sun from a blue sky looked at them.
On the Field of Glory: An Historical Novel of the Time of King John Sobieski Page 4