“God aid thee, my lord!” answered Halim.
And he began to make obeisances, and Tugai Bey’s son bent over him and repeated a number of times yet—
“Hasten the messengers, hasten the messengers, for only a month’s time is left!”
He dismissed Halim then, and remaining alone began to pray, for he had a breast filled with happiness and gratitude to God.
And while praying he looked involuntarily through the window at his men, who were leading out their horses just then to water them at the wells; the square was black there was such a crowd. The Tartars, while singing their monotonous songs in a low voice, began to draw the squeaking well-sweeps and to pour water into the trough. Steam rose in two pillars from the nostrils of each horse and concealed his face. All at once Pan Michael, in a sheepskin coat and cowhide boots, came out of the main building, and, approaching the men, began to say something. They listened to him, straightening themselves and removing their caps in contradiction to Eastern custom. At sight of him Azya ceased praying, and muttered—
“You are a falcon, but you will not fly whither I fly; you will remain in Hreptyoff in grief and in sorrow.”
After Pan Michael had spoken to the soldiers, he returned to the building, and on the square was heard again the songs of Tartars, the snorting of horses, and the plaintive and shrill sound of well-sweeps.
XXXVII
The little knight, as Basia had foreseen, cried out against her plans at once when he learned them, said he never would agree to them, for he could not go himself and he would not let her go without him; but on all sides began then prayers and insistence which were soon to bend his decision.
Basia insisted less, indeed, than he expected, for she wished greatly to go with her husband, and without him the journey lost a part of its charm; but Eva knelt before the little knight, and kissing his hands implored him by his love for Basia to permit her to go.
“No other will dare approach my father,” said she, “and mention such an affair—neither I, nor Azya, nor even my brother. Basia alone can do it, for he refuses her nothing.”
“Basia is no matchmaker,” said Pan Michael, “and, besides, you must come back here; let her do this at your return.”
“God knows what will happen before the return,” answered Eva, with weeping—“it is certain only that I shall die of suffering; but for such an orphan for whom no one has pity, death is best of all.”
The little knight had a heart tender beyond measure, hence he began to walk up and down in the room. He wished above all not to part with his Basia, even for a day, and what must it be for two weeks! Still, it was clear that the prayers moved him deeply, for in a couple of days after those attacks he said one evening—
“If I could only go with you! But that cannot be, for service detains me.”
Basia sprang to him, and putting her rosy mouth to his cheek began to cry—
“Go, Michael, go, go!”
“It is not possible by any means,” answered Pan Michael, with decision.
And again two days passed. During this time the little knight asked advice of Zagloba as to what he ought to do; but Zagloba refused to give advice.
“If there are no other obstacles but your feelings,” said he, “what have I to say? Decide yourself. The house will be empty here without the haiduk. Were it not for my age and the hard road, I would go myself, for there is no life without her.”
“But you see there is really no hindrance: the weather is a little frosty, that is all; for the rest, it is quiet, there are commands along the road everywhere.”
“In that case decide for yourself.”
After that conversation Pan Michael began to hesitate again, and to weigh two things. He was sorry for Eva. He paused also over this—is it proper to send the girl alone with Azya on such a long road? and still more over another point—is it proper to withhold help from devoted people when the opportunity to give it is so easy? For what was the real difficulty? Basia’s absence for two or three weeks. Even if it were only a question of pleasing Basia, by letting her see Mohiloff, Yampol, and Rashkoff, why not please her? Azya, in one event or another, must go with his squadron to Rashkoff; hence there would be a strong and even a superfluous guard in view of the destruction of the robbers, and the quiet during winter from the horde.
The little knight yielded more and more, seeing which the ladies renewed their insistence—one representing the affair as a good deed and a duty, the other weeping and lamenting. Finally Azya bowed down before the commandant. He knew, he said, that he was unworthy of such a favor, but still he had shown so much devotion and attachment to the Volodyovskis that he made bold to beg for it. He owed much gratitude to both, since they did not permit men to insult him, even when he was not known as the son of Tugai Bey. He would never forget that the wife of the commandant had dressed his wounds, and had been to him not only a gracious lady, but as it were a mother. He had given proofs of his gratitude recently in the battle with Azba Bey, and with God’s help in future he would lay down his head and shed the last drop of his blood for the life of the lady, if
