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

  CHAPTER XXX.

  Meanwhile Basia was holding counsel from early morning with her husbandand Pan Zagloba how to unite two loving and straitened hearts. The twomen laughed at her enthusiasm, and did not cease to banter her; still,yielding to her usually in everything, as to a spoiled child, theypromised at last to assist her.

  "The best thing," said Zagloba, "is to persuade old Novoveski not totake the girl with him to Rashkoff; tell him that the frosts have come,and that the road is not perfectly safe. Here the young people will seeeach other often, and fall in love with all their might."

  "That is a splendid idea," cried Basia.

  "Splendid or not," said Zagloba, "do not let them out of your sight.You are a woman, and I think this way,--you will solder them at last,for a woman carries her point always; but see to it that the Devil doesnot carry his point in the mean while. That would be a shame for you,since the affair is on your responsibility."

  Basia began first of all to spit at Pan Zagloba, like a cat; then shesaid, "You boast that you were a Turk in your youth, and you think thatevery one is a Turk. Azya is not that kind."

  "Not a Turk, only a Tartar. Pretty image! She would vouch for Tartarlove."

  "They are both thinking more of weeping, and that from harsh sorrow.Eva, besides, is a most honest maiden."

  "Still, she has a face as if some one had written on her forehead,'Here are lips for you!' Ho! she is a daw. Yesterday I fixed it in mymind that when she sits opposite a nice fellow, her sighs are such thatthey drive her plate forward time after time, and she must push it backagain. A real daw, I tell you."

  "Do you wish me to go to my own room?" asked Basia.

  "You will not go when it is a question of match-making. I knowyou,--you'll not go! But still 'tis too early for you to make matches;for that is the business of women with gray hair. Pani Boski told meyesterday that when she saw you returning from the battle in trousers,she thought that she was looking at Pani Volodyovski's son, who hadgone to the woods on an expedition. You do not love dignity; butdignity, too, does not love you, which appears at once from yourslender form. You are a regular student, as God is dear to me! There isanother style of women in the world now. In my time, when a woman satdown, the chair squeaked in such fashion that you might think some onehad sat on the tail of a dog; but as to you, you might ride bareback ona tom-cat without great harm to the beast. They say, too, that womenwho begin to make matches will have no posterity."

  "Do they really say that?" asked the little knight, alarmed.

  But Zagloba began to laugh; and Basia, putting her rosy face to theface of her husband, said, in an undertone, "Ah, Michael, at aconvenient time we will make a pilgrimage to Chenstohova; then maybethe Most Holy Lady will change matters."

  "That is the best way indeed," said Zagloba.

  Then they embraced at once, and Basia said, "But now let us talk ofAzya and poor Eva, of how we are to help them. We are happy; let thembe happy."

  "When Novoveski goes away, it will be easier for them," said the littleknight; "for in his presence they could not see each other, especiallyas Azya hates the old man. But if the old man were to give him Eva,maybe, forgetting former offences, they would begin to love each otheras son-in-law and father-in-law. According to my head, it is not aquestion of bringing the young people together, for they love eachother already, but of bringing over the old man."

  "He is a misanthrope!" said Basia.

  "Baska," said Zagloba, "imagine to yourself that you had a daughter,and that you had to give her to some Tartar--"

  "Azya is a prince."

  "I do not deny that Tugai Bey comes of high blood. Ketling was a noble;still Krysia would not have married him if he had not beennaturalized."

  "Then try to obtain naturalization for Azya."

  "Is that an easy thing? Though some one were to admit him to hisescutcheon, the Diet would have to confirm the choice; and for that,time and protection are necessary."

  "I do not like this,--that time is needed,--for we could findprotection. Surely the hetman would not refuse it to Azya, for he lovessoldiers. Michael, write to the hetman. Do you want ink, pen, paper?Write at once! I'll bring you everything, and a taper and the seal; andyou will sit down and write without delay."

  "O Almighty God!" cried he, "I asked a sedate, sober wife of Thee, andThou didst give me a whirlwind!"

  "Talk that way, talk; then I'll die."

  "Ah, your impatience!" cried the little knight, with animation,--"yourimpatience, tfu! tfu! a charm for a dog!" Here he turned to Zagloba:"Do you not know the words of a charm?"

  "I know them, and I've told them," said Zagloba.

  "Write!" cried Basia, "or I shall jump out of my skin."

  "I would write twelve letters, to please you, though I know not whatgood that would be, for in this case the hetman himself can do nothing;even with protection, Azya can appear only at the right time. My Basia,Panna Novoveski has revealed her secret to you,--very well! But youhave not spoken to Azya, and you do not know to this moment whether heis burning with love for Eva or not."

  "He not burning! Why shouldn't he be burning, when he kissed her in thestorehouse? Aha!"

  "Golden soul!" said Zagloba, smiling. "That is like the talk of a newlyborn infant, except that you turn your tongue better. My love, ifMichael and I had to marry all the women whom we happened to kiss, weshould have to join the Mohammedan faith at once, and I should beSultan of Turkey, and he Khan of the Crimea. How is that, Michael,hei?"

  "I suspected Michael before I was his," said Basia; and thrusting herfinger up to his eye, she began to tease him. "Move your mustaches;move them! Do not deny! I know, I know, and you know--at Ketling's."

  The little knight really moved his mustaches to give himself courage,and at the same time to cover his confusion; at last, wishing to changethe conversation, he said, "And so you do not know whether Azya is inlove with Panna Eva?"

  "Wait; I will talk to him alone and ask him. But he is in love, he mustbe in love! Otherwise I don't want to know him."

  "In God's name! she is ready to talk him into it," said Zagloba.

  "And I will persuade him, even if I had to shut myself in with himdaily."

  "Inquire of him, to begin with," said the little knight. "Maybe atfirst he will not confess, for he is shy; that is nothing. You willgain his confidence gradually; you'll know him better; you'llunderstand him, and then only can you decide what to do." Here thelittle knight turned to Zagloba: "She seems giddy, but she is quick."

  "Kids are quick," said Zagloba, seriously.

  Further conversation was interrupted by Pan Bogush, who rushed in likea bomb, and had barely kissed Basia's hands when he exclaimed, "May thebullets strike that Azya! I could not close my eyes the whole night.May the woods cover him!"

  "What did Pan Azya bring against your grace?" asked Basia.

  "Do you know what we were making yesterday?" And Pan Bogush, staring,began to look around on those present.

  "What?"

  "History! As God is dear to me, I do not lie."

  "What history?"

  "The history of the Commonwealth; that is, simply a great man. PanSobieski himself will be astonished when I lay Azya's ideas before him.A great man, I repeat to you; and I regret that I cannot tell you more,for I am sure that you would be as much astonished as I. I can only saythat if what he has in view succeeds, God knows what he will be."

  "For example," asked Zagloba, "will he be hetman?"

  Pan Bogush put his hands on his hips: "That is it,--he will be hetman.I am sorry that I cannot tell you more. He will be hetman, and that'senough."

  "Perhaps a dog hetman, or he will go with bullocks. Chabans have theirhetmans also. Tfu! what is this that your grace is saying. PanUnder-Stolnik? That he is the son of Tugai Bey is true; but if he is tobecome hetman, what am I to become, or what will Pan Michael become, oryour grace? Shall we become three kings at the birth of Christ, waitingfor the abdication of Caspar, Melchior, and Balt
azar? The nobles atleast created me commander; I resigned the office, however, out offriendship for Pavel,[19] but, as God lives, I don't understand yourprediction."

  "But I tell you that Azya is a great man."

  "I said so," exclaimed Basia, turning toward the door, through whichother guests at the stanitsa began to enter.

  First came Pani Boski with the blue-eyed Zosia, and Pan Novoveski withEva, who, after a night of bad sleep, looked more charming than usual.She had slept badly, for strange dreams had disturbed her; she dreamedof Azya, only he was more beautiful and insistent than of old. Theblood rushed to her face at thought of this dream, for she imaginedthat every one would guess it in her eyes. But no one noticed her,since all had begun to say "good-day" to Pani Volodyovski. Then PanBogush resumed his narrative touching Azya's greatness and destiny; andBasia was glad that Eva and Pan Novoveski must listen to it. In fact,the old noble had blown off his anger since his first meeting with theTartar, and was notably calmer. He spoke of him no longer as his man.To tell the truth, the discovery that he was a Tartar prince and a sonof Tugai Bey imposed upon him beyond measure. He heard with wonder ofAzya's uncommon bravery, and how the hetman had intrusted such animportant function to him as that of bringing back to the service ofthe Commonwealth all the Lithuanian and Podolian Tartars. At times itseemed even to Pan Novoveski that they were talking of some one elsebesides Azya, to such a degree had the young Tartar become uncommon.

  But Pan Bogush repeated every little while, with a very mysteriousmien, "This is nothing in comparison with what is waiting for him;but I am not free to speak of it." And when the others shook theirheads with doubt, he cried, "There are two great men in theCommonwealth,--Pan Sobieski and that Azya, son of Tugai Bey."

  "By the dear God," said Pan Novoveski, made impatient at last, "princeor not prince, what can he be in this Commonwealth, unless he is anoble? He is not naturalized yet."

  "The hetman will get him ten naturalizations!" cried Basia.

  Eva listened to these praises with closed eyes and a beating heart. Itis difficult to say whether it would have beaten so feverishly for apoor and unknown Azya as for Azya the knight and man of great future.But that glitter captivated her; and the old remembrance of the kissesand the fresh dream went through her with a quiver of delight.

  "So great and so celebrated," said Eva. "What wonder if he is as quickas fire!"