And Mistress Telimena. In a word
We’ll make a grand hunt ex officio.
The Wojski too will not his company
Refuse us.” Saying this to the old man
His snuff-box he presented. ’Mid the hunters
The Wojski at the table’s lower end
Was sitting, listening with half-shut eyes;
But not a word he spoke, although the youths
From time to time demanded his opinion,
For none knew hunting better than did he.
He still kept silence, while the pinch of snuff
He weighed between his fingers, meditating
Long, ere at length he tasted of the pinch.
He sneezed till all the room re-echoed loud
And shook his head, and said with bitter smile,
“Oh! how this saddens and amazes me!
An old man! what had said our elder hunters
To see, in such a noble company,
Among so many gentlemen, disputes
To be adjusted, of a greyhound’s tail?
What would old Rejtan say, could he revive?
He would return to Lachowicz and lie
Down in his grave again. What would the Wojewode,
Old Niesiolowski,45 say, who hitherto
Doth own the finest bloodhounds in the world,
And after lordly custom doth maintain
Two hundred huntsmen, and within his castle
Of Woroncza some hundred wagon-loads
Of nets possesses? But these many years
He keepeth like a monk within his home.
None may prevail on him to join the chase.
He would refuse ev’n Bialopiotrowicz.46
Fine glory ’twere for such a lord to ride,
A-hunting after this new present fashion.
In my time, sir, in hunters’ language, boars,
Bears, elks, and wolves were called noble game,
And beasts that had not tusks, or horns, or claws,
Were left for hired servants, or court menials.
No gentleman would take into his hands
A rifle, to disgrace it in such sort,
By pouring small shot in it. True, they did
Keep greyhounds, since in coming from the chase,
It well may happen, from the horses’ hoofs
A wretched hare may start. Then let they loose
The greyhounds on’t for pastime, and the boys
On ponies mounted did pursue the game,
Before their parents’ eyes, who scarcely deigned
To look upon these sports, far less dispute
About them. Therefore let the Illustrious
Most Powerful Chamberlain now condescend
To draw back his commands, and pardon me
That in such hunt I cannot ride; for ne’er
My foot therein shall stir. My name’s Hreczecha,
And since the days of King Lech47 no Hreczecha
Did ever go a-riding after hares.”
The laughter of the young men here did drown
The Wojski’s speech. All now from table rose,
The Chamberlain the first, this precedence
To him belonging from his years and office.
He passed, to ladies, old men, young men bowing.
Behind him went the Friar; the Judge beside.
The Judge upon the threshold gave his hand
To the Podkomorzyna;48 Thaddeus
To Telimena; the Assessor to
Krajczanka;49 and the Regent came behind
Leading Hreczanka,50 daughter of the Wojski.
Towards the barn proceeded Thaddeus
With some among the guests; he felt confused
And ill at ease, unjoyful; he in thought
Discussed that day’s events; the meeting, supper
Beside that lovely neighbour; but the most
Especially that one word “aunt” did buzz
Like to a tiresome fly around his ears.
He longed to ask the Wojski at more length
Concerning Mistress Telimena, but
Could not empannel him. Nor did he see
The Wojski, for at once with supper done,
All of the household went behind the guests,
As fitting is to servants, to assign
Rooms in the house for sleeping. The old men
And ladies slept within the mansion. Thaddeus
Received command to lead the younger men
Towards the barn to rest upon the hay.
In half-an-hour, it was as still throughout
The mansion, as within a convent when
Prayers have been sung; the silence only broken
By the night sentry’s voice. The Judge alone
Closed not his eyes; to-morrow’s expedition
He must ordain, and coming entertainment
Must plan within the house. He gave command
To bailiffs, overseers, to barn keepers,
To writers,51 to the housekeeper and huntsmen,
And stablemen; and all that day’s accounts
He must o’erlook. At last unto the Wozny
He said he would undress. The Wozny then
Unloosed his girdle, ’twas a Slucko belt,52
A massy girdle, gleaming with thick tassels,
Like plumy crests; on one side gold brocade,
With purple flowers, black silk on the reverse
With silver lattice work; a belt like this
May readily be donned on either side;
The golden on a gala-day, the black
For mourning. And the Wozny only knew
How to unloose this belt, or fold it on.
Now busy with this task, he thus did talk:
“How did I ill, that I transferred the tables
To the old castle? none will lose thereby;
And you, sir, may the gainer be. The suit
Concerns this castle; we have gained this day
A right unto the castle, and despite
The eagerness the other party shows,
I now can prove, that we are in possession.
For he, who to a castle guests invites
To supper, proves that he has ownership,
Or does assume it; ev’n the other party
We can as witness summon for ourselves.
Such things I can remember in my time.”
Now slept the Judge. The Wozny silently
Went out into the hall, and sat him down
Beside a candle; from his pocket drew
A little book, which like a breviary
Did ever serve him; never thrown aside
At home or on a journey. It was the
Vocanda of the Tribunals;53 therein
Stood all those actions written, which the Wozny
By his own voice had summoned in the court,
Or those of which he later learned the names.
To eyes unlearnèd the Vocanda seemed
A catalogue of names; but to the Wozny
These sketches were of splendid images.
He read and thought: Oginski versus Wizgird,
Dominicans and Rymsza, Radziwill
And Wereszczaka, Rymsza, Wyzogird,
Giedrojc, and Rdultowski, Obuchowicz,
And the Kahal,54 and Juraha and Piotrowski,
Malewski and Mickiewicz; and at length
The Count against Soplica; and in reading
From all these names he conjured memories
Of those great causes; all the suit’s events,
And parties, court, and witnesses all stood
Before his eyes; he saw himself as in
A white zupan
