The players tuned their instruments, and then strummed softly, so as not to interfere with the feast that Boryna was now giving.
He simply went from matron to matron with a full goblet in hand, offering, pressing them to partake, gathering them in his arms, and drinking to each of them; the blacksmith took his place with the others.
Yuzka was bearing on platters pieces of a cake she had baked with curds and honey on purpose to please her father.
All the same, the party was dull. True, they emptied their glasses as in duty bound, nor did they turn away from the sausages. Nay, they even drank plentifully and with due zest; only there was no mirth amongst them.
The women too, who as a class are inclined to diversions and pastimes, now only sat still on the benches, or here and there in corners, not even talking much amongst themselves.
Yagna went into the private room, where she undressed. Returning in her everyday costume, she would have done the honours of the cabin and treated her guests herself, but that her mother would not let her touch anything.
“Darling, enjoy your wedding-day now! You’ll yet have work enough and enough toil!” And again and again did she weep over her most tenderly, and clasp her to her bosom.
The company found matter for laughter in this maternal sentimentality of hers: their jeers being all the sharper that now, on Yagna’s arrival as mistress in her husband’s home, owner of so much land and property of every sort, her new position was brought home to them. Many a mother, with yet unmarried daughters, felt very bitter against her; many a girl was choked with bile at the thought.
They went over to survey the other apartments, where Antek had formerly lived with his family. There Eva and Yagustynka had prepared a grand supper and made a roaring fire. Vitek had hardly been able to bring logs enough and place them under the enormous pots.
They examined all the premises besides, and ran their envious eyes over all that there was to be seen.
The house itself, to begin with, was the first in the whole village: large, conspicuous, tall, with rooms (they fancied) as good as those in a manor-house: whitewashed, and with boarded floors! Then how numerous the household articles and utensils were! In the big room, too, there were a score of holy images: and all of them glazed! And then, the byre, the stable, the granary, the shed! Five cows were kept there, to say nothing of the bull—no small source of profit. And the horses, and the geese, and the swine—and, above all, the land!
Eaten up with envy, they sighed deeply; and one said to another:
“Lord! and to think that all this goes to one that is undeserving!”
“Oh! they knew well how to bring their pigs to market!”
“Yes; he that goes to meet luck always finds it.”
“Why should your Ulisia have missed this chance?”
“Because she fears God and leads an honest life.”
“And all the rest do the same!”
“Oh, were she other than she is, folk would not stand it of her. Let them but meet her once at night in company with a lad, and all the world will know!”
“What luck this one has!”
“ ’Tis the fruit of shamelessness.”
“Come along!” Andrew called out, interrupting their talk. “The music is playing, and not one petticoat is in the room—nobody to dance with!”
“A mind to dance you have, but will your mother let you?”
“So eager?—Beware and let not your trousers fall, boy: ’twere no fair sight!”
“Nor trip the dancers up with your legs!”
“Pair off with Valentova; you’ll make a fine couple … of scarecrows!”
Andrew rapped out an oath, took hold of the first girl he came across, and led her off, paying no heed to the wasps humming behind him.
There were but few couples in the room as yet, and these danced but slowly and (it seemed) with little zeal. Nastka and Simon Paches were the only exception, and frisked about very willingly. They had arranged matters beforehand and, with the opening sounds of the music, had joined in close union, and bounced about in scrupulous fulfilment of their promise.
But no sooner had the Voyt come in (he was late, having had to go with the recruits to the District Barracks) than he began to make things look more lively; drinking deep, talking with all the farmers present, and cracking jokes with the newly-wedded couple.
“Why, your bride is as red as her skirt, and you are as white as a sheet!”
“You’ll not say that tomorrow.”
“Matthias, experienced as you are, you surely have not wasted a day.”
“Nay, with all eyes upon him? Fie! the man is no gander.”
“I would not bet half a quart that you say true. You know: throw but a pebble into the bush: out flies the bird! ’Tis the Voyt tells you so!”
Yagna made her escape from the room; which occasioned a loud guffaw.
The women then proceeded to wag their tongues very much at their ease, careless of what they said.
The hubbub swelled, and the guests grew more good-humoured in proportion. Boryna, bottle in hand, went several times the round of the company; the dancers, now more numerous, frisked with livelier steps, and began to stamp and sing, and circle about the room in wider rounds.
Then did Ambrose make his appearance and, sitting down (nearly at the threshold), follow the bottle with wistful eyes, as it went its way.
The Voyt cried to him: “You never turn your head, except towards the clinking of glasses.”
“Because of that same clinking!” he answered. “And he has merit who gives to drink to them that thirst.”
“You leather bottle! here’s water for you!”
“What’s good for cattle may be bad for man. They say: ‘Water to drink is now and then not bad, but harm from vodka no one ever had!’ ”
“Here’s vodka for you, since you discourse so well.”
“You first, Voyt!—They say, too: ‘Water for a christening, vodka for a wedding, and tears for a death!’ ”
“Well said: drink another.”
“I should
