Pan Michael: An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey
Page 36
CHAPTER XXXV.
All slept late next morning, except the soldiers on guard and thelittle knight, who never neglected service for pleasure. Pan Adam wason his feet early enough, for Panna Zosia seemed still more charming tohim after his rest. Arraying himself handsomely, he went to the room inwhich they had danced the previous evening to listen whether there wasnot some movement or bustle in the adjoining chambers where the ladieswere.
In the chamber occupied by Pani Boski movement was to be heard; but theimpatient young man was so anxious to see Zosia that he seized hisdagger and fell to picking out the moss and clay between the logs, sothat, God willing, he might look through the chink with one eye atZosia.
Zagloba, who was just passing with his beads in his hand, found him atthis work, and knowing at once what the matter was, came up on tiptoeand began to belabor with the sandalwood beads the shoulders of theknight.
Pan Adam slipped aside and squirmed as if laughing; but he was greatlyconfused, and the old man pursued him and struck him continually.
"Oh, such a Turk! oh, Tartar! here it is for you; here it is for you! Iexorcise you! Where are your morals? You want to see a woman? Here itis for you; here it is for you!"
"My benefactor," cried Pan Adam, "it is not right to make a whip out ofholy beads. Let me go, for I had no sinful intention."
"You say it is not right to strike with a rosary? Not true! The palm onPalm Sunday is holy, and still people strike with it. Ha! these werePagan beads once and belonged to Suban Kazi; but I took them from himat Zbaraj, and afterward the apostolic nuncio blessed them. See, theyare genuine sandalwood!"
"If they are real sandalwood, they have an odor."
"Beads have an odor for me, and a girl for you. I must dress yourshoulders well yet, for there is nothing to drive out the Devil like achaplet."
"I had no sinful intention; upon my health I had not!"
"Was it only through piety that you were opening a chink?"
"Not through piety, but through love, which is so wonderful that I'mnot sure that I shall not burst from it, as a bomb bursts. What is theuse in pretending, when it is true? Flies do not trouble a horse inautumn as this affection troubles me."
"See that this is not sinful desire; for when I came in here you couldnot stand still, but were striking heel against heel as if you werestanding on a firebrand."
"I saw nothing, as I love God sincerely, for I had only just begun topick at the chink."
"Ah, youth! blood is not water! I, too, must at times even yet repressmyself, for in me there is a lion seeking whom he may devour. If youhave honorable intentions, you are thinking of marriage."
"Thinking of marriage? God of might! of what should I be thinking? Notonly am I thinking, but 'tis as if some one were pricking me with anawl. Is it not known to your grace that I made a proposal to PannaBoski last evening, and I have the consent of my father?"
"The boy is of sulphur and powder! Hangman take thee! If that is thecase, then the affair is quite different; but tell me, how was it?"
"Last evening Pani Boski went to her room to bring a handkerchief forZosia, I after her. She turns around: 'Who is there?' And I, with arush to her feet: 'Beat me, mother, but give me Zosia,--my happiness,my love!' But Pani Boski, when she recovered herself, said: 'All peoplepraise you and think you a worthy cavalier; still, I will not give ananswer to-day, nor to-morrow, but later; and you need the permission ofyour father.' She went out then, thinking that I was under theinfluence of wine. In truth, I had a little in my head."
"That is nothing; all had some in their heads. Did you not see thepointed caps sidewise on the heads of Naviragh and the Anardrats towardthe end?"
"I did not notice them, for I was settling in my mind how to get myfather's consent in the easiest way."
"Well, did it come hard?"
"Toward morning we both went to our room; and because it is well tohammer iron while it is hot, I thought to myself at once that it wasnecessary to feel, even from afar, how my father would look at thematter. 'Listen, father: I want Zosia terribly, and I want yourconsent; and if you don't give it, then, as God lives, I'll go to theVenetians to serve, and that's all you'll hear of me.' Then did not hefall on me with great rage: 'Oh, such a son!' said he; 'you can dowithout permission! Go to the Venetians, or take the girl,--only I tellyou this, that I will not give you a copper, not only of my own, but ofyour mother's money, for it is all mine.'"
Zagloba thrust out his under-lip. "Oh, that is bad!"
"But wait. When I heard that, I said: 'But am I asking for money, or doI need it? I want your blessing, nothing more; for the property ofPagans that came to my sabre is enough to rent a good estate orpurchase a village. What belongs to mother, let that be a dower forEva; I will add one or two handfuls of turquoise and some silk andbrocade, and if a bad year comes, I'll help my father with readymoney.' My father became dreadfully curious then. 'Have you suchwealth?' asked he. 'In God's name, where did you get it? Was it fromplunder, for you went away as poor as a Turkish saint?'
"'Fear God, father,' answered I. 'It is eleven years since I began tobring down this fist, and, as they say, it is not of the worst, andshouldn't it collect something? I was at the storming of rebel towns inwhich ruffiandom and the Tartars had piled up the finest plunder; Ifought against murzas and robber bands: booty came and came. I tookonly what was recognized as mine without injustice to any; but itincreased, and if a man didn't frolic, I should have had twice as muchproperty as you got from your father.'"
"What did the old man say to that?" asked Zagloba, rejoicing.
"My father was amazed, for he had not expected this, and beganstraightway to complain of my wastefulness. 'There would be,' said he,'an increase, but that this scatterer, this haughty fellow who lovesonly to plume himself and puts on the magnate, squanders all, savesnothing.' Then curiosity conquered him, and he began to askparticularly what I have; and seeing that I could travel quickly bysmearing with that tar, I not only concealed nothing, but lied alittle, though usually I will not over-color, for I think thus tomyself: 'Truth is oats, and lying chopped straw.' My father bethoughthimself, and now for plans: 'This or that [land] might have beenbought,' said he; 'this or that lawsuit might have been kept up,' saidhe; 'we might have lived at each side of the same boundary, and whenyou were away I could have looked after everything.' And my worthyfather began to cry. 'Adam,' said he, 'that girl has pleased meterribly; she is under the protection of the hetman,--there may be someprofit out of that, too; but do you respect this my second daughter,and do not squander what she has, for I should not forgive you at mydeath-hour.' And I, my gracious benefactor, just roared at the verysuspicion of injustice to Zosia. My father and I fell into each other'sembraces, and wept till the first cockcrow, precisely."
"The old rogue!" muttered Zagloba, then he added aloud: "Ah, there maybe a wedding soon, and new amusements in Hreptyoff, especially since itis carnival time."
"There would be one to-morrow if it depended on me," cried Pan Adam,abruptly; "but this is what: My leave will end soon, and service isservice, so I must return to Rashkoff. Well, Pan Rushchyts will give meanother leave, I know. But I am not certain that there will not bedelays on the part of the ladies. For when I push up to the old one,she says, 'My husband is in captivity.' When I speak to the daughter,she says, 'Papa is in captivity.' What of that? I do not keep that papain bonds, do I? I'm terribly afraid of these obstacles; if it were notfor that, I would take Father Kaminski by the soutane and wouldn't lethim go till he had tied Zosia and me. But when women get a thing intotheir heads you can't draw it out with nippers. I'd give my lastcopper, I'd go in person for 'papa,' but I've no way of doing it.Besides, no one knows where he is; maybe he is dead, and there is thework for you! If they ask me to wait for him, I might have to wait tillthe Day of Judgment!"
"Pyotrovich, Naviragh, and the Anardrats will take the road to-morrow;there will be tidings soon."
"Jesus save us! Am I to wait for tidings? There can
be nothing beforespring; meanwhile I shall wither away, as God is dear to me! Mybenefactor, all have faith in your wit and experience; knock thiswaiting out of the heads of these women. My benefactor, in the springthere will be war. God knows what will happen. Besides, I want to marryZosia, not 'papa;' why must I sigh to him?"
"Persuade the women to go to Rashkoff and settle. There it will beeasier to get tidings, and if Pyotrovich finds Boski, he will be nearyou. I will do what I can, I repeat; but do you ask Pani Basia to takeyour part."
"I will not neglect that, I will not neglect, for devil--"
With that the door squeaked, and Pani Boski entered. But before Zaglobacould look around, Pan Adam had already thundered down with his wholelength at her feet, and occupying an enormous extent of the floor withhis gigantic body, began to cry:--
"I have my father's consent. Give me Zosia, mother! Give me Zosia, giveme Zosia, mother!"
"Give Zosia, mother," repeated Zagloba, in a bass voice.
The uproar drew people from the adjacent chambers; Basia came in, PanMichael came from his office, and soon after came Zosia herself. It didnot become the girl to seem to surmise what the matter was; but herface grew purple at once, and putting one hand in the other quickly shedropped them before her, pursed her mouth, and stood at the wall withdowncast eyes. Pan Michael ran for old Novoveski. When he came he wasdeeply offended that his son had not committed the function to him, andhad not left the affair to his eloquence, still he upheld the entreaty.
Pani Boski, who lacked, indeed, every near guardianship in the world,burst into tears at last, and agreed to Pan Adam's request to go toRashkoff and wait there for her husband. Then, covered with tears, sheturned to her daughter.
"Zosia," asked she, "are the plans of Pan Adam to your heart?"
All eyes were turned to Zosia. She was standing at the wall, her eyesfixed on the floor as usual, and only after some silence did she say,in a voice barely audible,--
"I will go to Rashkoff."
"My beauty!" roared Pan Adam, and springing to the maiden he caught herin his arms. Then he cried till the walls trembled, "Zosia is mine! Sheis mine, she is mine!"