In form of wondrous sanctuary, recalls
That famous edifice of Solomon,
Which, highest in the trade of building skilled,
The artificers of Hiram raised on Zion,
The Jews still imitate it in their schools;
And the designing of the schools is seen
In barns and taverns. Formed of planks and straw,
The roof, sharp-pointed and high raised, was bent,
And tattered as the kolpak of a Jew.
The corners of a gallery protrude
Upon the top, supported by a row
Of wooden pillars. What a wonder seems
To architects, these columns still endure,
Although half-rotten, and all crooked set,
As in the tower of Pisa; not according
To Grecian models, for they are devoid
Of pedestals or capitals. Above
The columns arches run half-circular,
Likewise of wood; and, copying Gothic art,
Above there are artistic ornaments,
Not carved by chisel or by graving-tool,
But cut out by the axe of carpenter;
Crooked like arms of Sabbath candlesticks.116
At the end hang balls—resembling somewhat buttons,
Which on their heads the Jews in praying hang,
And which they cyces call in their own tongue.
In one word, seems the crooked, tottering tavern,
From far off, like a Jew, who to and fro,
In praying nods; the roof is like a cap,
The thatch disordered like a beard, the smoky
And dirty walls resemble a black veil,
And from the front protrudes the carving, like
The cyces on his forehead. In the middle
Of the tavern a division is, as in
The Jewish schools; one part entirely full
Of long and narrow chambers, serves to lodge
Ladies and travelling gentlemen; the other
Contains a great hall; and along each side
A narrow wooden table, many-legged;
Beside the table there are stools, which, though
Lower than the table, yet are like to it,
As children to the father. On the stools
Around sat peasant men and peasant women,
And likewise petty nobles, in a row.
The bailiff at a separate table sat.
For after early mass at chapel, since
’Twas Sunday, all had come to amuse themselves,
And drink at Jankiel’s house. Before each one
Already hummed a goblet of grey wódka.
The serving-maiden with the bottle ran
To every one. In middle of the room
Stood Jankiel, the proprietor, who wore
A lengthy sarafan which reached the ground,
Fastened with silver clasps; upon his girdle
Of silk one hand was planted, with the other
He solemnly stroked down his hoary beard.
Glancing around him he gave forth commands,
Welcomed the guests who entered, stood beside
Those sitting down. He opened conversation,
And made those quarrelling agree, but yet
Himself served no one, only walked around.
An ancient Jew, and everywhere well known
For honesty, he many years had held
On lease the tavern; of the peasants none
Or nobles ever had complaining brought
Against him to the mansion. Why complain?
He had good drinks at choice; strict reckoning
He kept, but void of cheating; cheerfulness
Forbade not, but allowed not drunkenness;
He was of pastimes a great lover, weddings
And christenings were celebrated at
His house; and every Sunday he had music
There from the village, wherein a bass-viol
And bagpipes used to be. He understood
What music was; himself had great renown
For talent; with the cymbals, of his nation
The instrument, he formerly was used
To go to mansions, and astonishment
Rouse by his playing and by singing. He
Could sing with science and with learning. Though
He was a Jew, he had a Polish accent
Of tolerable purity, and most
Loved national songs. He brought a number back,
From every expedition beyond Niemen;
From Halicz kolomyjki, and mazurkas
From Warsaw.117 Fame reported through the district
(I cannot tell if truly) that he first
Brought from beyond the boundary, and spread
That song throughout his district, now renowned
Through all the world; but which for the first time
The trumpets of the Polish legions played
To the Italians.118 Well the power of singing
In Litva pays; it gains the people’s love,
And brings both fame and riches. Jankiel
Had made a fortune; satiate with gain
And glory, he had hung up on the wall
The nine-stringed cymbals; with a family.
He settled down, and occupied himself
With selling liquor in the tavern. He
Was also under-rabbin in the town;
But everywhere agreeable both as guest,
And governor of his house. He understood
Right well the trade of corn, by means of barges;
Such knowledge is most needful in the country.
He also had the fame of a good Pole.119
’Twas he who first the quarrels reconciled,
So often bloody, that had raged between
The taverns, hiring both upon a lease.
And equally respected him the old
Supporters of Horeszko, and the servants
Of Judge Soplica. Only he could hold
In check the threatening Klucznik of Horeszko,
And quarrelling Wozny; they repressed before
Jankiel their ancient causes of offence;
Gervasy dreadful with the hand, Protasy
With tongue. Gervasy was not there, for he
Had gone unto the hunt, as wishing not
The young and inexperienced Count should be
Alone on such a parlous expedition,
And one so weighty; so he went with him
To be his counsellor and to protect.
To-day, Gervasy’s place, that from the threshold
Was most removed, between two benches placed
In the very corner of the tavern, called
Pokucie,120 by Friar Robak occupied
Appeared. ’Twas Jankiel had placed him there.
’Twas seen he for the friar had great respect;
For soon as he perceived his goblet low,
He quickly ran, and ordered to fill up
The glass with July mead121 unto the brim.
’Twas said that he had known the Bernardine
From youth, somewhere in foreign countries. Robak
Came often to the tavern in the night,
And held there conference on weighty things,
In secret with the Jew; the priest, ’twas said,
A smuggler was, but ’twas a calumny,
Unworthy of belief. Now Robak, on
The table leaning, half-aloud discoursed.
A crowd of nobles him surrounded, lending
Their ears, and bending down their noses to
The priestly snuff-box; from it they took pinches,
And all the nobles snorted like to mortars.
“Reverendissime,” Skoluba said,
“This is tobacco, this goes up into
The crown of the head. Since first I wore a nose”—
(Here stroked he his long nose)—“I never had
A pinch of such tobacco.” Here he sneezed
A second time. “ ’Tis truly Bernardine.
No doubt it comes from Kowno, famous town
Through all the world for mead and for tobacco.
I went there”—Robak interrupted him:
“The health of all you gentles, gracious
