“Give him peace,” said the prior, turning to Pan Pyotr. “It is not a question here of this cavalier.”
“Only one more question,” said Zamoyski; and turning to Babinich, he asked—“You did not expect that we would doubt your truth?”
“As God is in heaven I did not!”
“What reward did you expect?”
Pan Andrei, instead of giving an answer, plunged both hands into a small leather sack which hung at his waist from a belt, and taking out two handfuls of pearls, emeralds, turquoises, and other precious stones, scattered them on the table. “There!” said he, with a broken voice, “I have not come here for money! Not for your rewards! These are pearls and other small stones; all taken from the caps of boyars. You see what I am. Do I want a reward? I wish to offer these to the Most Holy Lady; but only after confession, with a clean heart. Here they are—That’s the reward which I ask. I have more, God grant you—”
All were silent in astonishment, and the sight of jewels thrown out as easily as grits from a sack made no small impression; for involuntarily everyone asked himself what reason could that man have, if he had no thought of rewards?
Pan Pyotr was confused; for such is the nature of man that the sight of another’s power and wealth dazzles him. Finally his suspicions fell away, for how could it be supposed that that great lord, scattering jewels, wanted to frighten monks for profit.
Those present looked at one another and Kmita stood over his jewels with head upraised like the head of a roused eagle, with fire in his eyes and a flush on his face. The fresh wound passing through his cheek and his temple was blue; and terrible was Pan Babinich threatening with his predatory glance Charnyetski, on whom his anger was specially turned.
“Through your anger truth itself bursts forth,” said Kordetski; “but put away those jewels, for the Most Holy Lady cannot receive that which is offered in anger, even though the anger be just; besides, as I have said, it is not a question here of you, but of the news which has filled us with terror and fear. God knows whether there is not some misunderstanding or mistake in it, for, as you see yourself, what you say does not fit with reality. How are we to drive out the faithful, diminish the honor of the Most Holy Lady, and keep the gates shut night and day?”
“Keep the gates shut, for God’s mercy, keep the gates shut!” cried Pan Andrei, wringing his hands till his fingers cracked in their joints.
There was so much truth and unfeigned despair in his voice that those present trembled in spite of themselves, as if danger was really there at hand, and Zamoyski said—
“As it is, we give careful attention to the environs, and repairs are going on in the walls. In the daytime we can admit people for worship; but it is well to observe caution even for this reason, that the king has gone, and Wittemberg rules in Krakow with iron hand, and oppresses the clergy no less than the laity.”
“Though I do not believe in an attack, I have nothing to say against caution,” answered Charnyetski.
“And I,” said the prior, “will send monks to Count Veyhard to enquire if the safeguard of the king has validity.”
Kmita breathed freely and cried—
“Praise be to God, praise be to God!”
“Cavalier,” said the prior, “God reward you for the good intention. If you have warned us with reason, you will have a memorable merit before the Holy Lady and the country; but wonder not if we have received your information with incredulity; more than once have we been alarmed. Some frightened us out of hatred to our faith, to destroy the honor shown the Most Holy Lady; others, out of greed, so as to gain something; still others, so as to bring news and gain consideration in the eyes of people; and maybe there were even those who were deceived. Satan hates this place most stubbornly, and uses every endeavor to hinder piety here and to permit the faithful to take as little part in it as possible, for nothing brings the court of hell to such despair as reverence for Her who crushed the head of the serpent. But now it is time for vespers. Let us implore Her love, let us confide ourselves to her guardianship, and let each man go to sleep quietly; for where should there be peace and safety, if not under Her wings?”
All separated. When vespers were finished Father Kordetski himself heard the confession of Pan Andrei, and listened to him long in the empty church; after that, Pan Andrei lay in the form of a cross before the closed doors of the chapel till midnight. At midnight he returned to his room, roused Soroka, and commanded the old man to flog him before he went to sleep, so that his shoulders and back were covered with blood.
XL
Next morning, a wonderful and unusual movement reigned in the cloister. The gate was open, and entrance was not refused to the pious. Services were celebrated in the usual course; but after services all strangers were directed to leave the circuit of the cloister. Kordetski himself, in company with Zamoyski and Pan Pyotr, examined carefully the embrasures, and the escarpments supporting the walls from the inside and outside. Directions were given for repairing places here and there; blacksmiths in the town received orders to make hooks and spears, scythes fixed on long handles, clubs and heavy sticks of wood filled with strong spikes. And since it was known that they had already a considerable supply of such implements in the cloister, people in the town
