To misconstrue his will. Within the house
There was no room which could a space supply
For guests so many or so honourable.
The castle had a great hall, yet preserved;
The roof was whole; one wall indeed had fallen.
The windows had no panes; but this in summer
Was of no moment; and the cellars’ nearness
Was for the servants a convenience great.
While saying this he winked unto the Judge,
And by his mien disclosed his mind concealed
Yet weightier causes. Some two thousand paces
A castle stood beyond the house. It was
A stately structure, by its mass imposing:
In former times it was the heritage
Of the Horeszkos’ ancient race. Deceased
Its last possessor in intestine wars,
The estates, by sequestration half destroyed,
By the trustees’ neglect, and law-decrees,
In part had fallen unto distant kinsmen
By spindle side, the rest to creditors
Had been divided. None would take the castle;
’Twere hard to spare the cost of maintenance
In noble state. But yet these old walls pleased
The youthful Count, a neighbour near, who when
He passed from tutelage, and late was come
From travel, said they were of Gothic structure;
Although the Judge made sure from documents
The architect a master was from Wilna,
And not a Goth at all. It was enough
The Count desired the Castle; and the Judge
Did suddenly conceive the same desire;
None knew the reason. So began a suit
Before the local, then the central court,
Then in the Senate, local court again,
And governor’s tribunal. And at last,
After great cost and many ukases,
This action to the local courts returned.
Well had the Wozny said that in this hall,
The guests invited, and a court of law
Alike might find a place. The hall was great,
Like a refectory; its arch swelled high,
Raised upon pillars; paved the floor with stone.
The walls were unadorned, but smooth and clear.
The horns of roes and stags were ranged around,
With legends, showing where these spoils were ta’en;
Each with its proper name stood there inscribed,
And on the arched roof gleamed Horeszko’s crest,
Polkozic.18 All the guests in order came,19
And in a circle stood. 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
A 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 cholodziec20 with appetite.
Though young, by right of guest Thaddeus sat
Beside his uncle, and among the ladies.
Between him and his uncle there remained
An empty place, that seemed to wait its guest.
The uncle glanced at it, and at the door,
As sure of some one’s coming and desirous;
And Thaddeus followed too his uncle’s glance.
Strange thing: the places round were seats of maidens,
All highly born, and each one young and fair,
But Thaddeus gazed on that where none appeared.
This place a riddle was; young men love riddles.
Absent in thought, to the Podkomorzanka,21
His lovely neighbour, scarce few words he said;
Nor changed her plates, nor filled her glass with wine,
Nor e’er with courteous speeches entertained
The ladies, whereby they might recognise
His city breeding. But this empty place
Alone had power to charm him; not now void:
He had filled it with his thoughts; around this place
A thousand guesses ran, as after rain
Frogs on a lonely meadow; ’mid them queens
One solitary figure, as in sunshine
The lily of the lake her white brow lifts
Above the waters. Now the third course came.
And now the Chamberlain a drop of wine
Outpouring into Mistress Rosa’s glass,
And pushing to his younger daughter’s hand
A plate of cucumbers, thus said, “ ’Tis I
Myself must serve you, daughters mine, although
I am but old and clumsy.” Hearing this,
Some youths from table sprang, and served the ladies.
The Judge a side glance cast at Thaddeus,
And setting right the cuffs of his kontusz,
Poured out the wine of Hungary, and said,
“To-day, by our new custom, we send out
Our youth to study in the capital;
Not grudging they should have more lore from books
Than had their elders, but I see each day
How much from this young men are suffering,
For lack of schools to teach our youth to live
With men, and in the world. In former times
Young nobles went unto the courts of lords.
Myself a Wojewode’s22 courtier was ten years,
The father of our gracious Chamberlain.”
This saying, he pressed his friend upon the knee.
“His counsels formed me for the public service,
His favour left me not till made a man.
In my house ever be his memory dear,
Each day I pray the Lord God for his soul.
If in his court so much I did not profit
As others, worthier of the Wojewode’s grace,
Who after reached the country’s highest places,
At least I reaped this profit; in my house
None can reproach me, that I ever fail
In honour or in courtesy to any;
And this I boldly say, that courtesy
Is not an easy, nor a little thing.
Not easy, for ’tis not comprised in this,
To deftly lift a leg, or to salute
No matter whom with smiles. Such modish court’sy
Seems merchant-like to me, but not Old Polish,
Nor noble. Courtesy belongs to all,
But unto each another sort. For not
Devoid of courtesy is children’s love,
Nor for his wife attentions of a husband,
Nor of a master for his servants; still
There is in each a certain difference;
And long a man must study not to err,
And give to each the honour that is due.
Our elders learned it from discourse of lords,
The living history of the country, and
’Mid noblemen the annals of the district.
Thereby a nobleman might show his brother
All knew him well, and did not lightly prize him;
So nobles held their manners under guard.
Ask not a man to-day, Who is he? Who
Has been his father? With whom has he lived?
What are his deeds? Each enters where he will,
So he is not a governmental spy,
And not in poverty. As once Vespasian
Sniffed not at money, and would not inquire
Whence came it, from what hands, and from what country,
So men ask not a man’s race, or his customs.
Enough he seems important, and they
