CHAPTER I.
Macko waited patiently for several days, hoping to receive some news fromZgorzelice, or to hear that the abbot's anger had been appeased; finallyhe became impatient and determined to go personally to see Zych.Everything had happened contrary to his wishes, and now he was anxious toknow whether Zych was angry with him. He was afraid that the abbot wouldnever be reconciled with Zbyszko and him. He wanted, however, to doeverything he could, to soften that anger; therefore while riding, he wasthinking what he would say in Zgorzelice, to palliate the offence andpreserve the old friendship with his neighbor. His thoughts, however,were not clear, therefore he was glad to find Jagienka alone; the girlreceived him as usual with a bow and kissed his hand,--in a word, she wasfriendly, but a little sad.
"Is your father home?" asked he.
"He went out hunting with the abbot. They may be back at any moment."
Having said this, she conducted him into the house, where they both satin silence for a long time; the girl spoke first, and said:
"Are you lonely now in Bogdaniec?"
"Very lonely," answered Macko. "Then you knew that Zbyszko had goneaway?"
Jagienka sighed softly:
"Yes, I knew it the very same day; I thought he would come here to bid megood-bye, but he did not."
"How could he come!" said Macko. "The abbot would have torn him topieces; neither would your father have welcomed him."
She shook her head and said:
"Ej! I would not allow anybody to injure him."
Upon this Macko hugged the girl and said:
"God be with you, girl! You are sad, but I also am sad. Let me tell youthat neither the abbot nor your own father loves you more than I do. Iwish that Zbyszko had chosen you, and not another."
There came upon Jagienka such a moment of grief and longing, that shecould not conceal her feelings, but said:
"I shall never see him again, or if I see him, it will be withJurandowna, and then I will cry my eyes out."
She raised her apron and covered her eyes, which were filled with tears.
Macko said:
"Stop crying! He has gone, but with God's grace, he will not come backwith Jurandowna."
"Why not?" said Jagienka, from behind her apron.
"Because Jurand does not want to give him the girl."
Then Jagienka suddenly uncovered her face, and having turned towardMacko, said to him:
"Zbyszko told me that; but is it true?"
"As true as that God is in heaven."
"But why?"
"Who knows why. Some vow, or something like that, and there is noremission for vows! He liked Zbyszko, because the boy promised to helphim in his vengeance; but even that was useless. Jurand would listenneither to persuasion, nor to command, nor to prayers. He said he couldnot. Well, there must be some reason why he could not do it, and he willnot change his mind, because he is stern and unyielding. Don't lose hopebut cheer up. Rightly speaking, the boy was obliged to go, because he hadsworn in the church to secure three peacocks' crests. Then, also, thegirl covered him with her veil, which was a sign that she would take himfor her husband; otherwise they would have beheaded him; for that, hemust be grateful to her--one cannot deny it. With God's help, she willnot be his; but according to the law, he is hers. Zych is angry with him;the abbot has sent a plague upon him, so that his skin shivers; I amangry also, but if one thinks carefully, what else could he do? Since hebelonged to the other girl, he was obliged to go. He is a nobleman. But Itell you this; if the Germans do not kill him, then he will come back;and he will come back not only to me an old man, not only to Bogdaniec,but to you, because he was very fond of you."
"I don't believe he was!" said Jagienka.
But she drew near Macko, and having touched him with her elbow, sheasked:
"How do you know it? I am sure that is not true."
"How do I know?" answered Macko. "I saw how difficult it was for him togo away. When it was decided that he must go, I asked him: 'Do you notregret Jagienka?' and he said: 'May God give her health and the best ofeverything.' Then immediately he began to sigh."
"I am sure that it is not true!" said Jagienka, softly; "but tell meagain."
"As God is dear to me, it is true! After seeing you, he will not care forthe other girl, because you know yourself that there is no girl morebeautiful than you in the whole world. He has felt God's will towardyou--do not fear--perhaps even more than you have felt it toward him."
"Not at all!" exclaimed Jagienka. Then she again covered her face, whichwas as rosy as an apple, with her sleeve; Macko smiled, passed his handover his moustache and said:
"Hej! if I were only younger; but you must comfort yourself, because Isee how it will be. He will get his spurs at the Mazowiecki court,because that is near the boundary and it is not difficult to kill aKrzyzak there. I know that there are good knights among the Germans; butI think that it will take a very good one to defeat Zbyszko. See how herouted Cztan of Rogow and Wilk of Brzozowa, although they are said to bedreadful boys and as strong as bears. He will bring his crests, but hewill not bring Jurandowna."
"But when will he return?"
"Bah I if you are not willing to wait, then you will not be wronged.Repeat what I have told you to the abbot and to Zych; perhaps they willnot be so angry with Zbyszko."
"How can I tell them anything? _Tatus_ is more sorrowful than angry; butit is dangerous even to mention Zbyszko's name to the abbot. He scoldedme because I sent Zbyszko a servant."
"What servant?"
"We had a Czech, whom _tatus_ captured at Boleslawiec, a good, faithfulboy. His name was Hlawa. _Tatus_ gave him to my service, because he was a_wlodyka_; I gave him a worthy armor and sent him to Zbyszko, to serveand protect him. I also gave him a bag of money for the journey. Hepromised me that he would serve Zbyszko faithfully until death."
"My dear girl! may God reward you! Was Zych opposed to your doing it?"
"Yes, at first _tatus_ did not want to let me do it; but when I began tocoax him, then he consented. When the abbot heard about it from hisseminarists, he immediately rushed out of the room swearing; there wassuch a disturbance, that _tatus_ escaped to the barn. Toward evening, theabbot took pity on my tears and even made me a present of some beads."
"As God is dear to me, I do not know whether I love Zbyszko any betterthan I love you; but he had a worthy retinue. I also gave him money,although he did not want to take it. Well, the Mazurs are not beyond theseas."
The conversation was interrupted by the barking of dogs, by shouting andby the sounds of brass trumpets in front of the house. Having heard this,Jagienka said:
"_Tatus_ and the abbot have returned from hunting. Let us go outside; itwill be better for the abbot to see you there, and not to meet youunexpectedly in the house."
Having said this, she conducted Macko out-of-doors; in the courtyard, onthe snow they perceived a throng of men, horses and dogs, also elks andwolves pierced with spears or shot with crossbows. The abbot saw Mackobefore he dismounted, and hurled a spear toward him, not to strike him,but to show in that way, his great anger against the inhabitants ofBogdaniec. But Macko uncovered and bowed to him as if he noticed nothingunusual; Jagienka, however, had not noticed the abbot's action, becauseshe was very much surprised to see her two wooers in the retinue.
"Cztan and Wilk are here!" she exclaimed; "I presume they met _tatus_ inthe forest."
Immediately the thought ran through Macko's mind, that perhaps one ofthem would get Jagienka, and with her Moczydoly, the abbot's lands,forests and money. Then grief and anger filled his heart, especially whenhe perceived what occurred. Behold, Wilk of Brzozowa, although only ashort time before the abbot wanted to fight with his father, sprang tothe abbot's stirrups, and helped him to dismount; and the abbot leaned ina friendly manner on the young nobleman's shoulder.
"In that way, the abbot will become reconciled with old Wilk," thoughtMacko, "and he will give the forests and the lands with the girl."
His sad thou
ghts were interrupted by Jagienka who said:
"They are soon cured after Zbyszko's beating; but even if they come hereevery day, it will not benefit them!"
Macko looked and saw that the girl's face was red with anger, and thather blue eyes sparkled with indignation, although she knew very well thatCztan and Wilk had taken her part in the inn, and had been beaten on heraccount.
Therefore Macko said:
"Bah! you will do as the abbot commands."
She immediately retorted:
"The abbot will do what I wish."
"Gracious Lord!" thought Macko, "and that stupid Zbyszko left such agirl!"