And all these virtues, all these qualities
In Thaddeus drew that heedful woman’s eye,
His neighbour. Closely did she scan his tall
And shapely form, strong arms, broad chest, and looked
Upon his visage, which a blush suffused,
Oft as the young man met her eyes; for now
From his first shyness he was quite restored;
And gazed with bolder glance, wherein burned fire.
And likewise she gazed, so the four eyes burned
Towards each other, bright as Advent candles.
She first began discourse with him in French:
He came from town, from school, so of new books,
Of authors, his opinion she inquired,
And from such sentence led new questions on.
But when of painting she began to speak,
Of music, drawing, and of sculpture even,
She seemed alike acquainted with the pencil,
With music and with books, till Thaddeus
At so much learning felt quite mystified,
And stammered like a boy before his master.
But the schoolmaster happily was pretty,
And not severe; his neighbour guessed his trouble,
And so began anew on other things.
Easier and not so learnèd; country life,
Its dullness and vexations; how one must
Divert one self, and how divide the time,
To make life merrier and the country gay.
So Thaddeus answered with more boldness; then
The thing went further, and in half an hour
They grew quite confidential, trifling jests
Began, and little quarrels in the end.
She placed before him three small pills of bread;
Three persons at his choice; he took the first;
At which the daughters of the Chamberlain
Both frowned; his neighbour laughed, but did not say
Who ’twas that lucky pellet signified.
At far end of the board was other talk.
For there, on sudden reinforced, the party
Of Sokol pressed the partisans of Kusy
Without compunction; high the quarrel rose;
They ate not of the latest dishes now;
Both sides disputed, standing up and drinking.
The Regent bristled like an angry woodcock.
Once he began, he pleaded well his cause,
Unbrokenly, and pointed it with gestures,
Expressively. The Pan Regent Bolesta
Was once an advocate, and called the Preacher,
Because he loved such gestures overmuch.
Now by his side his hands lay, and his elbows
Bent backward; underneath his arms his fingers,
And long nails put he forward; by this image
Two greyhound leashes he presented. Thus
His theme he ended: “I and the Assessor,
Each side by side, resembling triggers twain
Stirred by one finger on the self-same gun.
‘Vytcha!’41 they went, and started off the hare
Straight for the plain. The dogs here”—Saying this,
He drew his hand along the board, with fingers
He showed a greyhound’s motions wondrously.
—“The dogs here.—From the wood a piece divides them.
Sokol straight forward, fine dog! but too rash,
Got before Kusy, how much? by a finger.
I knew he’d miss! the hare was game enough!
He made straight for the plain—the pack right after.
That hare was game! As soon as he got wind
Of all the greyhound pack, he doubled right;
A caper! After him the stupid dogs
Followed to right, again to right he doubled.
He cut two capers, dogs again to left!
He in the wood; my Kusy’s up with him!”
Thus shouting, bent the Regent o’er the table,
Ran with his fingers to the other side,
And shouted, “Up with him!” near Thaddeus.
And Thaddeus and his fair neighbour, sudden
By such a burst of voice right in the midst
Of their conversing startled, quickly drew
Their heads back from each other, like two treetops,
Together bound, when storm winds break them loose,
And their two hands that near each other lay
Beneath the table, suddenly drew back,
And one blush did their faces twain suffuse.
Not to betray confusion Thaddeus said:
“Most true, Sir Regent, true without a doubt;
Your Kusy is a fine dog by his shape;
And if as good at taking”—“Good!” exclaimed
The Regent; “what! my favourite dog? how should he
Not be a good one?” Thaddeus again
Rejoiced so good a dog had no defect.
Regretted that he saw him but in passing,
Leaving the forest, so he had no time
To observe his good points. At this the Assessor
Trembled, and dropped his goblet, fixed a look
Like basilisk on Thaddeus. Far less loud
He than the Regent was, and far less restless;
More spare of form, in stature smaller; he
Was terrible at ball, redoubt, and sejmik;42
For of him it was said he bore a sting
Within his tongue; his skill was to compose
Such witty jests that one might print them in
The almanac, malicious all and sharp.
A rich man once, his father’s heritage
And brother’s fortune he had wasted all,
To make a figure in the world, and now
Had entered service of the Government,
To be of some importance in the district.
Much loved he hunting, for its joys in part;
Also that sound of horns and sight of toils
Recalled his youthful years when he maintained
A many huntsmen and renownèd dogs.
Of the whole kennel but two greyhounds now
Remained, and yet of that one they denied
The glory! Near he drew, and leisurely
His favourite stroking, answered with a smile,
And ’twas a venomed smile: “A tailless greyhound
Is like a nobleman without an office.
Likewise the tail much helps the dog in running:
You, sir, a crop-tail hold as proof of goodness,
We’ll ask your aunt’s opinion for the rest.
Though Mistress Telimena long has dwelt
Within the city, and not long ago
Came here, she better understands the chase
Than do our sporting youths; with years alone
Arriveth any learning of this sort.”
Thaddeus, on whom this thunderbolt had fallen,
Arose confused, and nothing said awhile;
But looked with rage increasing on his rival.
Just then, most happily, the Chamberlain
Three times did sneeze. “Vivat!” cried all; he bowed
To all, and on his golden snuff-box tapped;
A golden snuff-box, all with diamonds set,
In midst the portrait of King Stanislas;43
The king himself had given it unto
The father of the Chamberlain; the son
After his father held it worthily.
And when he tapped upon it, ’twas a sign
That he craved hearing. All at once were still,
And ventured not to ope their lips. He said:
“Most Powerful Nobles, Brothers, Benefactors,44
The meads and forests are the hunter’s forum,
So in the house I cannot judge such cause;
And till to-morrow I adjourn this court,
And no appeal will I allow to-day.
Wozny, call thou the action for to-morrow
Upon the plain. The Count comes here to-morrow
With all his hunting train, and you will go
With us, my neighbour, Judge, and all the
