“I could not repay you in a lifetime for Basia!” cried the little knight.
Then they took each other by the shoulders, and the best harmony began between them.
“I have planned,” said the little knight, “that when war comes, you will take Basia to Pan Yan’s place. Chambuls do not go that far.”
“I will do so for you, though it would delight me to go against the Turk; for nothing disgusts me like that swinish nation which does not drink wine.”
“I fear only one thing: Basia will try to be at Kamenyets, so as to be near me. My skin creeps at thought of this; but as God is God she will try.”
“Do not let her try. Has little evil come already, because you indulge her in everything, and let her go on that expedition to Rashkoff, though I cried out against it immediately?”
“But that is not true! You said that you would not advise.”
“When I say that I will not advise a thing, that is worse than if I had spoken against it.”
“Basia ought to be wise now, but she will not. When she sees the sword over my head she will resist.”
“Do not let her resist, I repeat. For God’s sake, what sort of a straw husband are you?”
“I confess that when she puts her fists in her eyes and begins to cry, or just let her pretend to cry, the heart in me is like butter on a frying-pan. It must be that she has given me some herb. As to sending her, I will send her, for her safety is dearer to me than my own life; but when I think that I must torture her so the breath stops in me from pity.”
“Michael, have God in your heart! Don’t be led by the nose!”
“Bah! don’t be led yourself. Who, if not you, said that I have no pity for her?”
“What’s that?” asked Zagloba.
“You do not lack ingenuity, but now you are scratching behind your ear yourself.”
“Because I’m thinking what better argument to use.”
“But if she puts her fists in her eyes at once?”
“She will, as God is dear to me!” said Zagloba, with evident alarm.
And they were perplexed, for, to tell the truth, Basia had measured both perfectly. They had petted her to the last degree in her sickness, and loved her so much that the necessity of opposing her wish and desire filled them with fear. That Basia would not resist, and would yield with submission to the decree, both knew well; but not to mention Pan Michael, it would have been pleasanter for Zagloba to rush himself the third man on a whole regiment of janissaries, than to see her putting her little fists into her eyes.
XLIV
On that same day there came to them aid infallible, as they thought, in the persons of guests unexpected and dear above all. The Ketlings came toward evening, without any previous intimation. The delight and astonishment at seeing them in Hreptyoff was indescribable; and they, learning on the first inquiry that Basia was returning to health, were comforted in an equal degree. Krysia rushed at once to the bedroom, and at the same moment exclamations and cries from there announced Basia’s happiness to the little knight.
Ketling and Pan Michael embraced each other a long time; now they put each other out at arm’s length, now they embraced again.
“For God’s sake!” said the little knight. “I should be less pleased to receive the baton than to see you; but what are you doing in these parts?”
“The hetman has made me commander of the artillery at Kamenyets,” said Ketling; “therefore I went with my wife to that place. Hearing there of the trials that had met you, I set out without delay for Hreptyoff. Praise be to God, Michael, that all has ended well! We travelled in great suffering and uncertainty, for we knew not whether we were coming here to rejoice or to mourn.”
“To rejoice, to rejoice!” broke in Zagloba.
“How did it happen?” asked Ketling.
The little knight and Zagloba vied with each other in narrating; and Ketling listened, raising his eyes and his hands to heaven in wonderment at Basia’s bravery.
When they had talked all they wished, the little knight fell to inquiring of Ketling what had happened to him, and he made a report in detail. After their marriage they had lived on the boundary of Courland; they were so happy with each other that it could not be better in heaven. Ketling in taking Krysia knew perfectly that he was taking “a being above earth,” and he had not changed his opinion so far.
Zagloba and Pan Michael, remembering by this expression the former Ketling who expressed himself always in a courtly and elevated style, began to embrace him again; and when all three had satisfied their friendship, the old noble asked—
“Has there come to that being above earth any earthly case which kicks with its feet and looks for teeth in its mouth with its finger?”
“God gave us a son,” said Ketling; “and now again—”
“I have noticed,” interrupted Zagloba. “But here everything is on the old footing.”
Then he fixed his seeing eye on the little knight, whose mustaches quivered repeatedly.
Further conversation was interrupted by the coming of Krysia, who pointed to the door and said—
“Basia invites you.”
All went to the chamber together, and there new greetings began. Ketling kissed Basia’s hand, and Pan Michael kissed Krysia’s again; then all looked at one another with curiosity, as people do who have not met for a long time.
Ketling had changed in almost nothing, except that he had his hair cut closely, and that made him seem younger; but Krysia had changed greatly, at least considering the time. She was not so slender and willowy as before, and her face was paler, for which reason the down on her lip seemed darker; but she had the former beautiful eyes with unusually long lashes, and the former calmness
