Threw out so many words and loud abuse,
That they exhausted soon the first three parts
Of a dispute, jesting, and anger, challenge,
And it had come to fists already. So
All rushed towards them from the second room.
Like a swift billow, rolling through the doors,
They bore down the young couple on the threshold
Standing, like Janus, god of double face.
Ere Thaddeus and Telimena could
Compose the locks disordered on their brows,
The threatening voices all were still again.
A murmur mixed with laughter spread around.
Decision came to the dispute; the friar
Had quelled it. He was strong and active, though
An old man, broad in shoulder-girth. So when
The Assessor rushed up to the jurist, when
Both disputants were threatening one another
By gestures, suddenly he collared both
Of them behind, and twice he struck with force
Their heads together, one against the other,
Like Easter eggs; then spread his arms abroad
In shape of sign-post, threw the two apart
In separate corners of the room. Awhile
He stood upon the place with outstretched arms,
And “Pax vobiscum,” cried he; “peace be with you!”
Those present greatly marvelled, even laughed.
Through that respect they owed a ghostly man,
None dared to blame the monk, and after such
A proof of strength, none either had the will
To enter on a quarrel with him. But
Friar Robak, soon as he had hushed the crowd,
Sought not, ’twas seen, the triumph of the fray.
He threatened not the brawlers more, nor chid;
But drawing down his cowl, and planting both
Hands on his girdle, silent left the room.
Meanwhile the Chamberlain, likewise the Judge,
Between the two sides took their places. Then
The Wojski, as awoken from deep thought,
Stepped in the midst, his hoary whisker twirled,
Nor spared important mien; he circled round
The whole assembly with a fiery eye,
And wheresoever he a murmur heard,
As priest his aspersorium, he brandished
His fly-scare to command their silence.
Then, Raising its handle high with dignity,
Like marshal’s rod, he silence thus commanded.
“Be still,” repeated he, “and have ye care;
Ye, who are chiefest hunters in the district;
From your embittering quarrel what will spring?
Know ye? Why, that the young men, upon whom
Our country founds her hopes, who ought to make
Illustrious our forests and our toils,
And who, alas! so much neglect the chase,
Perhaps will reap a fresh occasion for
Despising it, on seeing how the men,
Who ought to give example to the rest,
From hunting only bring back quarrellings
And causes of dispute. And have respect
For my grey hairs; for I knew greater hunters
Than you, and often did I arbitrate
Between them. Who in Lithuanian forests
Was Rejtan’s equal, whether drawing in
The toils, or meeting with the beast? Or who
Can liken him to Bialopiotrowicz?
Where at the present day is such a marksman
As was the nobleman Zegota, who
Could with a pistol hit a running hare?
I knew Terajewicz, who when he went
To hunt the wild-boar, took no other arms
Than a mere pike: and Budrewicz, who with
A bear fought single-handed. Such the men
That once our woodlands saw. And if it came
To quarrelling, how did they settle quarrels?
They chose them judges, and laid pledges down.
Oginski lost a hundred hides of forest
About a wolf! badger cost some hamlets
To Niesiolowski! And you, gentlemen,
Follow the old example, and decide
Your quarrel, even though by lesser pledge,
For words are wind; word quarrels ne’er have end;
Pity to dry up lips about a hare.
So choose ye judges first to arbitrate,
And what they shall decree, religiously
Subscribe. I will entreat the Judge that he
Will not forbid the pricker even to
Ride over wheat. I’ll wager that I shall
Obtain this grace from him.” And saying this,
He pressed the Judge upon the knee. “A horse,”
The Regent cried, “I pledge a horse with trappings,
And will before the local court subscribe
Myself, that I lay down this ring, as fee
Unto the Judge.”—“And I,” the Assessor said,
“Will pledge my golden collars, made of shagreen,
Inlaid with wheels of gold, a leash of silk,
Whose workmanship is wondrous as the stone,
That shines upon it. I had wished to leave
This set as legacy unto my children,
In case I marry. It was given me,
A present from Prince Dominik,87 when once
I hunted with him, and the Marshal, Prince
Sanguszko, and with General Mejen;88 when
I challenged all the others to a trial
Of greyhounds. There, by unexampled stroke
In annals of the chase, I coursed six hares
With one dog. At that time we hunted on
Kupisko’s plain. Prince Radziwill could not
Sit still upon his horse, but lighted down;
And taking in his arms my celebrated
She-greyhound Kania, he kissed her head
Three times, and three times clapping on her muzzle,
He said, ‘Henceforward I create thee Duchess
Of Kupisko. Napoleon thus gives dukedoms
Unto his generals, from the places where
They have won great victories.’ ” Telimena, weary
Of these o’er-long disputes, desired to go
Into the courtyard, but she wished companions.
She took a little basket from a peg.
“The gentlemen, I see, prefer to stay
Indoors, but I am going to pick mushrooms.
But they who please, I beg them follow me.”
She spoke while folding round her head a crimson
Shawl of Cashmere; the Chamberlain’s young daughter
She took by one hand; with the other gathered
Her robe about her ankles. Thaddeus
In silence hastened after her for mushrooms.
The notion of a walk rejoiced the Judge;
He saw therein a means of breaking off
This noisy quarrel; therefore he exclaimed:
“To the wood, gentlemen, for mushrooms; he
Who comes to table with the finest mushrooms,
Shall sit beside the fairest lady; he
Himself shall choose her. If a lady find them,
She shall herself select the finest lad.”
Book III
Flirting
The Count’s expedition into the orchard—The mysterious nymph feeds the geese—Resemblance of mushroom-gathering to the walking of Elysian shades—Species of mushrooms—Consultations touching the destiny of Thaddeus—The Count a landscapist—Artistic criticisms of Thaddeus concerning trees and clouds—The Count’s notions of art—The bell—The billet-doux—“A bear, most gracious sir!”
The Count returned unto himself, but still
He stayed his horse; and turning round his head,
He gazed into the garden, and one time
It seemed to him, that from the little window
Gleamed the mysterious white frock again,
And something light descended from above
Again, and in the twinkling of an eye
Coursed
