CHAPTER III.
Some time before sunset Pan Kmita set out, blessed by his tearful wifewith a crucifix, in which splinters of the Holy Cross were set in gold;and since during long years the knight had been inured to suddenjourneys, when he started, he rushed forth as if to seize Tartarsescaping with plunder.
When he reached Vilno, he held on through Grodno to Byalystok, andthence to Syedlets. In passing through Lukov, he learned that Pan Yanhad returned the day previous from Kalish with his wife and children,Pan Zagloba accompanying. He determined, therefore, to go to them; forwith whom could he take more efficient counsel touching the rescue ofPan Michael?
They received him with surprise and delight, which were turned intoweeping, however, when he told them the cause of his coming.
Pan Zagloba was unable all day to calm himself, and shed so many tearsat the pond that, as he said himself afterward, the pond rose, and theyhad to lift the flood-gate. But when he had wept himself out, hethought deeply; and this is what he said at the council,--
"Yan, you cannot go, for you are chosen to the Chapter; there will be amultitude of cases, as after so many wars the country is full ofunquiet spirits. Prom what you relate. Pan Kmita, it is clear that thestorks[6] will remain in Vodokty all winter, since they are on thework-list and must attend to their duties. It is no wonder that withsuch housekeeping you are in no haste for the journey, especially since'tis unknown how long it may last. You have shown a great heart bycoming; but if I am to give earnest advice, I will say: Go home; for inMichael's case a near confidant is called for,--one who will not beoffended at a harsh answer, or because there is no wish to admit him.Patience is needful, and long experience; and your grace has onlyfriendship for Michael, which in such a contingency is not enough. Butbe not offended, for you must confess that Yan and I are older friends,and have passed through more adventures with him than you have. DearGod! how many are the times in which I saved him, and he me, fromdisaster!"
"I will resign my functions as a deputy," interrupted Pan Yan.
"Yan, that is public service!" retorted Zagloba, with sternness.
"God sees," said the afflicted Pan Yan, "that I love my cousinStanislav with true brotherly affection; but Michael is nearer to methan a brother."
"He is nearer to me than any blood relative, especially since I neverhad one. It is not the time now to discuss our affection. Do you see,Yan, if this misfortune had struck Michael recently, perhaps I wouldsay to you, 'Give the Chapter to the Devil, and go!' But let uscalculate how much time has passed since Kharlamp reached Jmud fromChenstohova, and while Pan Andrei was coming from Jmud here to us. Now,it is needful not only to go to Michael, but to remain with him; notonly to weep with him, but to persuade him; not only to show him theCrucified as an example, but to cheer his heart and mind with pleasantjokes. So you know who ought to go,--I! and I will go, so help me God!If I find him in Chenstohova, I will bring him to this place; if I donot find him, I will follow him even to Moldavia, and I will not ceaseto seek for him while I am able to raise with my own strength a pinchof snuff to my nostrils."
When they had heard this, the two knights fell to embracing PanZagloba; and he grew somewhat tender over the misfortune of Pan Michaeland his own coming fatigues. Therefore he began to shed tears; and atlast, when he had embraces enough, he said,--
"But do not thank me for Pan Michael; you are not nearer to him thanI."
"Not for Pan Michael do we thank you," said Kmita; "but that man musthave a heart of iron, or rather one not at all human, who would beunmoved at sight of your readiness, which in the service of a friendmakes no account of fatigue and has no thought for age. Other men inyour years think only of a warm corner; but you speak of a long journeyas if you were of my years or those of Pan Yan."
Zagloba did not conceal his years, it is true; but, in general, he didnot wish people to mention old age as an attendant of incapability.Hence, though his eyes were still red, he glanced quickly and with acertain dissatisfaction at Kmita, and answered,--
"My dear sir, when my seventy-seventh year was beginning, my heart felta slight sinking, because two axes[7] were over my neck; but when theeighth ten of years passed me, such courage entered my body that a wifetripped into my brain. And had I married, we might see who would befirst to have cause of boasting, you or I."
"I am not given to boasting," said Kmita; "but I do not spare praiseson your grace."
"And I should have surely confused you as I did Revera Pototski, thehetman, in presence of the king, when he jested at my age. I challengedhim to show who could make the greatest number of goat-springs oneafter the other. And what came of it? The hetman made three; thehaiduks had to lift him, for he could not rise alone; and I went allaround with nearly thirty-five springs. Ask Pan Yan, who saw it allwith his own eyes."
Pan Yan, knowing that Zagloba had had for some time the habit ofreferring to him as an eye-witness of everything, did not wink, butspoke again of Pan Michael. Zagloba sank into silence, and began tothink of some subject deeply; at last he dropped into better humor andsaid after supper,--
"I will tell you a thing that not every mind could hit upon. I trust inGod that our Michael will come out of this trouble more easily than wethought at first."
"God grant! but whence did that come to your head?" inquired Kmita.
"H'm! Besides an acquaintance with Michael, it is necessary to havequick wit from nature and long experience, and the latter is notpossible at your years. Each man has his own special qualities. Whenmisfortune strikes some men, it is, speaking figuratively, as if youwere to throw a stone into a river. On the surface the water flows, asit were, quietly; but the stone lies at the bottom and hinders thenatural current, and stops it and tears it terribly, and it will liethere and tear it till all the water of that river flows into the Styx.Yan, you may be counted with such men; but there is more suffering inthe world for them, since the pain, and the memory of what caused it,do not leave them. But others receive misfortune as if some one hadstruck them with a fist on the shoulder. They lose their senses for themoment, revive later on, and when the black-and-blue spot is well, theyforget it. Oi! such a nature is better in this world, which is full ofmisfortune."
The knights listened with attention to the wise words of Zagloba; hewas glad to see that they listened with such respect, and continued,--
"I know Michael through and through; and God is my witness that I haveno wish to find fault with him now, but it seems to me that he grievesmore for the loss of the marriage than of the maiden. It is nothingthat terrible despair has come, though that too, especially for him, isa misfortune above misfortunes. You cannot even imagine what a wishthat man had to marry. There is not in him greed or ambition of anykind, or selfishness: he has left what he had, he has as good as losthis own fortune, he has not asked, for his salary; but in return forall his labors and services he expected, from the Lord God and theCommonwealth, only a wife. And he reckoned in his soul that such breadas that belonged to him; and he was about to put it to his mouth, whenright there, as it were, some one sneered at him, saying, 'You have itnow! Eat it!' What wonder that despair seized him? I do not say that hedid not grieve for the maiden; but as God is dear to me, he grievedmore for the marriage, though he would himself swear to the opposite."
"That may be true," said Pan Yan.
"Wait! Only let those wounds of his soul close and heal; we shall seeif his old wish will not come again. The danger is only in this, thatnow, under the weight of despair, he may do something or make somedecision which he would regret later on. But what was to happen hashappened, for in misfortune decision comes quickly. My attendant ispacking my clothes. I am not speaking to dissuade you from going; Iwished only to comfort you."
"Again, father, you will be a plaster to Michael," said Pan Yan.
"As I was to you, you remember? If I can only find him soon, for I fearthat he may be hiding in some hermitage, or that he will disappearsomewhere in the distant steppes to which he is
accustomed fromchildhood. Pan Kmita, your grace criticises my age; but I tell you thatif ever a courier rushed on with despatches as I shall rush, thencommand me when I return to unravel old silk, shell peas, or give me adistaff. Neither will hardships detain me, nor wonders of hospitalitytempt me; eating, even drinking, will not stop me. You have not yetseen such a journey! I can now barely sit in my place, just as if someone were pricking me from under the bench with an awl. I have evenordered that my travelling-shirt be rubbed with goats' tallow, so as toresist the serpent."