CHAPTER XI
They were unable to go that same day to Belchantska, for Pan Gideonweakened considerably after bleeding, and said that some rest wasneeded. Next morning, however, he felt brighter; he had grown young, asit were, and he approached his own mansion with good hope, though witha certain disquiet. Occupied with his own thoughts entirely, he spokelittle along the way with the prelate, but when they were entering thevillage he felt his disquiet increasing.
"This is a wonder to me," said he. "Ere this time I came home as a manwho is master, and all others were concerned about this, with what facewould I greet them; while now I am the anxious one, I ask myself howwill they greet me."
"Virgil has said," replied the prelate, "'_amor omnia vincit_' (loveconquers everything), but he forgot to add, that it changes everythingalso. This Delilah will not shear your locks, for you are bald, butthat I shall see you spinning at her feet, as Hercules spun at the feetof Omphale, is certain."
"Ei! my nature is not of that kind. I have known always how to hold inmy fists both servants and household."
"So people say, but for this very reason it lies in the position thatsome one will take you in hand very thoroughly."
"The hand is a dear one!" said Pan Gideon, with a joyousness which forhim was unusual.
They drove very slowly, for the mud in the village was terrible; sincethey had started from Radom not so soon after midday, night had fallenalready. In the cottages at the two sides of the road light came fromthe windows and stretched in red lines to the cottages opposite. Hereand there near the fence appeared some human form, that of a woman, orof a man who, seeing the travellers, bared his head and bowed as low ashis girdle. It was clear from these bowings, which seemed excessive,that Pan Gideon held people in his fist, nay more, that he held themtoo firmly, and that Father Voynovski blamed him, not without reason,for tyranny. But the old noble felt in his bosom a softer heart thanhad ever been in it till that evening, so looking at those bentfigures, and seeing the windows of those cottages leaning earthward, hesaid,--
"I will grant some favor to those subjects whose part she takesalways."
"Oh, see to it that thou do so," said the prelate.
And they were silent. Pan Gideon was occupied for a time with his ownthoughts, then he added,--
"I know that you need no advice in this matter; but you must explain tothe lady what a benefaction is becoming ready for her, and that I thinkabout her first of all; but in case of resistance, which I do notexpect,--well, then even scold her in some degree."
"You said that you did not wish to constrain her."
"I said so, but it is one thing if I were to threaten, and another ifsome one else, who, besides, is a spiritual person, exposes heringratitude."
"Leave that task to me. I have undertaken it and will use my bestefforts; but I will talk to the girl in the most tender way possible."
"Very well, very well! But one word more. She feels great abhorrencefor Tachevski, but should there be any mention of him it would be wellto say something more against him."
"If he has acted as you say, this will not be needed."
"We are arriving. Well! In the name of the Father and the Son--"
"And the Holy Ghost--Amen!"
They arrived, but no one came out to meet them, for the wheels made nosound because of deep mud, and the dogs did not bark at the horses orat the men, whom they recognized. It was dark in the hall, for theservants were evidently sitting in the kitchen; and it happened thatwhen Pan Gideon first called, "Is any one here?" no one came to him,and at the second call, in sharper tones, the young lady herselfappeared.
She came holding a light in her hand, but since she was in the gleam ofit and they in the darkness she, not seeing them at once, remained nearthe threshold; and they did not speak for a moment since to begin with,it seemed a special sign to them, that she had come out before others,and second, because her beauty astonished them as much as if they hadnever beheld it till that moment.
The fingers with which she grasped the candle seemed transparent androsy; the gleam crept along her bosom, lighted her lips and her smallface which looked somewhat drowsy and sad, perhaps because her eyeswere in a deep shade while her forehead and the glorious bright hair,which was as a crown just above it, were still in full radiance. Andshe all in quiet and splendor stood there in the gloom like an angelcreated from ruddy brightness.
"Oh, as God is dear to me, a vision!" said the prelate.
Then Pan Gideon called,--
"Anulka!"
Leaving the light on a nitch of the chimney, she ran to them and gavegreeting, joyously. Pan Gideon pressed her to his heart with muchfeeling, commanded her to rejoice at the arrival of a guest sodistinguished, a man famous as a giver of counsel, and when aftergreeting they entered the dining-hall he asked,--
"Is supper over?"
"No. The servants were to bring it from the kitchen, and that is why noone was standing at the entrance."
The prelate looked at the old noble, and asked,--
"Then perhaps without waiting?"
"No, no," answered Pan Gideon, "Pani Vinnitski will be here directly."
Thereupon Pani Vinnitski made herself felt in reality, and fifteenminutes later they sat down to heated wine and fried eggs. The prelateate and drank well, but at the end of the supper his face becameserious, and he said, turning to Panna Anulka,--
"My gracious young lady, God knows why people call me a counsellor andwhy they take advice of me, but since your guardian does so, I mustspeak with you on a certain task of importance which he has given mypoor wit to accomplish."
When Pan Gideon heard this, the veins swelled on his forehead; theyoung lady paled somewhat, and rose in disquiet, for, through someunknown reason, it seemed to her that the prelate would talk aboutYatsek.
"I beg you to another room," said he.
And they left the dining-hall.
Pan Gideon sighed deeply once and a second time; then he drummed on thetable with his fingers, and feeling the need of talking down hisinternal emotion by words of some kind, he said to Pani Vinnitski,--
"Have you noticed how all the relatives of my late wife hate Anulka?"
"Especially the Krepetskis," answered Pani Vinnitski.
"Ha! they almost grit their teeth when they see her; but soon they willgrit them still harder."
"How is that?"
"You will learn in good season; but meanwhile we must find a bed forthe prelate."
After a time Pan Gideon was alone. Two servants came to remove thesupper dishes, but he sent them away with a quick burst of anger, andthere was silence in the dining-hall, only the great Dantsic clockrepeated loudly and with importance: tik-tak! tik-tak! Pan Gideonplaced his hand on his bald head and began to walk in the chamber. Heapproached the door beyond which the prelate was talking with Anulka,but he heard merely sounds in which he distinguished the voice but notthe words of the prelate. So in turn he walked and halted. He went tothe window, for it seemed to him that there he would breathe with morefreedom. He looked for a while at the sky, with eyes from whichexpression had vanished,--that sky over which the wind was hurrying thetorn clouds of spring, with light on their upper edges through whichthe pale moon seemed to rise higher and higher. As often as he restedan evil foreboding took hold of him. He looked through the window closeto which black limbs of trees were wrestling back and forth with thewind, as if in torment; in the same way his thoughts were strugglingback and forth, disordered, evil, resembling reproaches of conscience,and painful forebodings that some bad thing would happen, and that nearpunishment was waiting--but when it grew bright out of doors, againbetter hope entered him.
Every one has a right to think of his own happiness--as to YatsekTachevski it was of little importance what such people do! What was thequestion at present? The happiness and calm future of a young girl; butbesides this there smiled on him a little life in his old age--and thisbelongs to him. This only is real, the rest is wind, wind!
And he felt again a turning of the head, and black spots danced beforehis vision, but that lasted very briefly. Then he approached the doorbehind which his fate was in the balance. Meanwhile the light on thetable acquired a long wick and the chamber grew gloomy. At times thevoice of the prelate became sharper, so that words would have reachedthe ear of Pan Gideon had it not been for that loud and continuous"tik-tak." It was easy to understand that such a conversation could notend quickly, still, Pan Gideon's alarm grew and grew, turning, as itwere, into certain wonderful questions woven into the past, withmemories not only of former misfortunes and pain, but also of formerunextinguished transgressions, of former grievous sins, and of recentinjustices inflicted not only on Tachevski, but on others.
"Why and wherefore shouldst thou be happy?" asked his conscience.
And he would have given at that moment he knew not how much if evenPani Vinnitski might return to the chamber, so that he should not bealone with those thoughts of his. But Pani Vinnitski was occupiedsomewhere with work in another part of the mansion, while in thatdining-hall there was nothing but the clock with its "tik-tak!"
"For what deed should God reward thee?" asked his conscience.
Pan Gideon felt now that if that girl, who was at once like a flowerand an angel, should fail him, there would be a darkness in his lifewhich would last till the night of death should descend on him.
With that the door opened on a sudden and Panna Sieninski came in fromthe next chamber. She was pale; there were tears in her eyes; andbehind her was the prelate.
"Art thou weeping?" asked Pan Gideon, with a hoarse, stifled voice.
"From gratitude, guardian," cried she, stretching her hands to him.
And she fell at his knees there.