They then played at blind man’s buff with him, who of course was blindfolded, and did not succeed, much as he tried, in catching any of the girls. These flew about him, nimble as swallows, and the noise and laughter and uproar grew louder and louder.
Twilight was falling, and the game was at its height, when the sudden cry of many fowls was heard in the yard. Yuzka, who ran there at once, found Vitek in the outhouse, holding something behind his back, and young Gulbas, whose flaxen head of hair was seen peeping over a plough.
“ ’Tis naught, Yuzka,” Vitek said in confusion, “ ’tis naught!”
“Ye have been killing a hen: I can see the feathers about!”
“Nay, nay! I only took a few from a cock’s tail, which I needed for my own bird.—But, Yuzka, it was no cock of ours! Oh, no! This boy Gulbas brought it here to me.”
“Show!” she commanded sternly.
He laid at her feet a bird quite plucked of all its feathers, and in a pitiable state.
“No doubt it is not one of ours,” she said, though she could not make sure.
“Now show your marvellous toy!”
Vitek then unveiled an artificial cock, that he had just finished: it was made of wood, plastered over with dough, into which the feathers had been stuck, and it looked as if alive, with a real head and beak mounted on a stick.
It had been fixed upon a board painted red, and very cleverly attached to a small cart; and when Vitek began to pull at the shaft, the bird would at once dance and flap its wings, Gulbas crowing the while till the hens cackled in reply.
Yuzka squatted down to admire this miracle of art.
“Lord! why, never in my life have I seen aught so wonderful!”
“ ’Tis good, hey, Yuzka?—I have hit it off well, hey?” he whispered, full of pride.
“And ye have made the thing all out of your own head?”
She was overwhelmed with amazement.
“Aye, all by myself, Yuzka! Yendrek here only brought me this live cock.—Aye, all by myself!”
“Dear, dear! how lifelike it moves! And yet ’tis but wood.—Show it to the girls, Vitek! How they all will marvel!—Show it to them, Vitek!”
“Ah, no. We shall go round tomorrow for the Dyngus,32 and then they shall see it. I must still put up a railing all round to protect it.”
“Then come round to our big room and work at it, as soon as you have seen to the kine. There will be more light there.”
“So I will, but I have something else to do first in the village.”
She returned, but the company had finished the game and was now breaking up. For it was dark; lights gleamed in the huts and twinkled in the sky, and the evening chill was rising from the fields.
By now, everybody save Hanka was back from town.
Yuzka prepared a glorious supper: barszcz with shredded sausage, and potatoes seasoned with much fried bacon. She set it on the table, where Roch was waiting already; the little ones were whimpering, and Yagna had been looking in more than once. At that moment Vitek glided in noiselessly, and sat down at once before the smoking dishes. His face was red as fire and he ate but little; his teeth were chattering, his hands trembling; and before supper was ended, he had slunk away.
Yuzka, wondering what was the matter, met him afterwards outside the sty, taking some draff out of the trough, and questioned him sharply.
For some time he tried to hold back the truth, and put her off with fibs; but all came out at last.
“Well, I have got my stork back again from his Reverence!”
“Gracious Lord! and no one saw you?”
“No one. His Reverence was away from home, the dogs were at their meal, and there stood my stork in the porch. Maciek had seen it, and came to let me know. I wrapped it close in Pete’s capote lest it should peck at me, carried it off, and hid it … somewhere!—But do not, my Yuzka, my golden girl!—do not breathe one word of this. In a few weeks I will bring it round to our cabin, and you’ll see it strutting about in front of the porch; and none will know it for the same. Only betray me not!”
“Betray you? have I ever done that? … But I am amazed at your daring—Good heavens!”
“ ’Twas but my own property I have taken back again. I said I would never give it him: and behold, I have it once more. A likely thing indeed, that I should tame it all for the delight of others! Yea, surely!”—And he ran off, whistling.
Returning presently, he came in and sat down by the fireside with the little ones, intent on finishing his creation.
The cabin became a drowsy tedious place. Yagna had gone over to her side of the hut, and Roch was sitting outside with Bylitsa, who felt very sleepy.
“Get home,” Roch said to him; “there, Mr. Yacek is waiting to talk with you.”
“Mr. Yacek … waiting?” he stammered, astounded and thoroughly waked up.—“To talk with me? Well, well!” And away he hurried.
Roch stayed where he was, murmuring prayers, and looking out into the impenetrable depths of the nocturnal sky, vibrant with twinkling stars, wherein the moon was rising—a sharp bright semicircle that cut deep into the darkness.
In the cabins, the lights had gone out one by one, like sleepy eyes that close fast: stillness reigned, disturbed only by the quiet rustling of leaves, mingling with the bubbling of the distant stream. At the miller’s alone did the windows all shine brilliantly, and the folk enjoyed themselves late into the night.
At Boryna’s all was still; everyone had gone to rest and the lights were out, except for the dying embers about the pots on the hearth, where the crickets chirped unseen; but Roch stayed up, waiting outside for Hanka. It was near midnight, when hoofs were heard beating upon the bridge by the
