That it is the Soplicas’ special sickness,
Except their native land that nothing please them.
Orlowski—who his life in Petersburg
Spent a most famous painter; I have some
Sketches of his in my bureau—lived near
The emperor, at court, as though it were
In Paradise, but you would not believe,
Count, how he for his country longed, and loved
Continually to recall his youthful years,
Exalting all in Poland, earth, sky, forests!”
“And he was right!” cried Thaddeus with warmth.
“For that Italian sky of yours, so far
As I have heard of it, so pure, so blue,
Must be like standing water. Are not wind
And storm a hundred times more beautiful?
With us it is enough to raise one’s head!
How many sights, how many scenes and pictures,
Even in the very changing of the clouds;
For every cloud is different. For instance
The autumn cloud crawls like a lazy tortoise,
Heavy with rain, and from the sky to earth
Lets down long streamers, like dishevelled hair.
They are floods of rain. A hail-cloud with the wind,
Flies swift like a balloon, round, darkly blue,
Midmost it shineth yellow; a great murmur
Is heard around. But even every day,
Look ye, these small white clouds, how changeable!
First like a flock of wild geese, or of swans,
And from behind the wind like falcon drives them
Together in a flock; they closer press,
They thicken, they grow larger—newer wonders,
They have archèd necks, their manes fly loose, they put
Forth rows of legs, and o’er the arch of heaven
Fly like a troop of wild steeds o’er the steppes,
All white as silver; they have mingled; now
Masts spring up from their necks, and from their manes
Broad sails. The troop is changed into a ship,
That proudly sails on, silently and slow,
Across the plain of heaven’s blue expanse.”
The Count and Telimena looked on high,
And Thaddeus pointed with one hand the cloud,
The other pressing Telimena’s hand.
Some moments passed by in this silent scene.
The Count spread out his paper on his hat,
And drew his pencil forth. Then to their ears
Tormenting, loud the bell resounded, and
The stilly wood at once was full of shouts
And noise. The Count said in a solemn voice,
Nodding his head, “Thus fate is used to end
All things on earth by ringing of a bell.
The calculations of great minds, and all
Imagination’s plans, and innocent
Pastimes, and friendship’s pleasures; the outpouring
Of tender hearts. When far off roars the bronze,
All is confused, and broken off, and troubled,
And vanishes!” And here on Telimena
Casting a tender glance, “What shall remain?”
And she replied to him, “Remembrance stays.”
And wishing somewhat to alleviate
The sadness of the Count, she plucked, and gave
To him a blossom of forget-me-not.
This the Count kissed, and pinned unto his breast.
And Thaddeus on his side, now open bent
A green bush, seeing through it something white
Winding towards him; ’twas a little hand,
White as a lily; this he seized, and kissed,
And silently his lips upon it dwelt,
As a bee plunges in a lily’s cup.
Upon his lips he felt a something cold.
He found a key, and a white paper folded
In trumpet-shape; it was a little note.
He seized and hid them in his pocket; what
The key should mean he knew not, but that white
Paper would unto him explain the whole.
The bell kept ringing on, and as an echo,
Resounded from the deeps of the still woods,
A thousand shouts and uproars. ’Twas the sound
Of seeking and of calling, being token
The mushroom-hunt was ended. Not at all
A sad noise, neither a funereal,
As to the Count it seemed; convivial rather.
This bell each noontide shouting from the garret,
Invites both guests and servants unto dinner.
Such was in ancient, peopled courts the custom,
And in the Judge’s house it so remained.
So from the thicket came the assembly forth,
All carrying baskets, handkerchiefs, together
Bound at the ends, and all of mushrooms full.
But the young ladies carried in one hand,
Like to a folded fan, the widely spreading
Borowik; in the other, bound together,
Like field-flowers, opienki, surojadki,
Of various hues; a muchomor the Wojski.
All empty-handed Telimena came,
And following her the two young gentlemen.
The guests in order came in, and around
Stood in a circle. Then the Chamberlain
At table took the highest seat; this place
Was his by right of dignity and years.
In going there he to the ladies bowed,
The old men, and the youths. Beside him stood
The begging friar, beside the friar the Judge.
The Bernardine in Latin spoke short grace,
Then brandy to the men was given; all
Forthwith were seated, and in silence ate
The Litvin cholodziec with appetite.
They dined in greater silence than their wont,
And none would talk, despite the host’s inviting
The different parties who took interest
In the dispute about the dogs, were thinking
About to-morrow’s contest and the pledges;
And Telimena, talking constantly
To Thaddeus, was obliged to turn away
At times unto the Count, and even glance
At times upon the Assessor. So the fowler
Gazes upon the snare wherein he will
Lure goldfinches, but looks at the same time
Upon a bait for sparrows. Both the Count
And Thaddeus, each contented with himself,
Both happy, and both full of hope, were not
Ready to talk for that. The Count with pride
Looked on the little flower, and Thaddeus
Upon his pocket furtively, half doubting
That little key were lost. He seized and twisted
The paper round, which yet he had not read.
The Judge kept pouring the Chamberlain
Both champagne and Hungarian wines; he served him
Attentively, and pressed his knee, but had
No inclination to converse with him.
’Twas seen he felt some trouble inwardly.
In silence still the plates and courses passed.
At length an unexpected guest broke in
Upon the weary course of dining. ’Twas
The forester, who rushing headlong in,
Did not consider it was dinner-time.
He ran up to his master; from his action
And his demeanour it was plain that he
Bore some important and unusual news.
The eyes of all the assembly turned on him.
He, having taken breath a little, said,
“A bear, most gracious sir!” All knew the rest.
The beast from the Matecznik101 had come out,
And was endeavouring to steal past into
The forest land beyond the Niemen. He
Must speedily be followed up. This all
At once acknowledged, though they neither did
Consult together, nor consider it;
Their broken words made visible the thought
Common
