Part 29 (1/2)

She was not distressed on her own account, but she could not bear to hear her husband run down.

And now all the women crowded together at the corner of the pew, and turned their backs upon her just to let her know that there was no room for her anywhere.

Poor Michal could have sunk into the ground for shame, when all at once a wondrously beautiful, handsomely dressed lady stepped out of a richly carved pew covered with heraldic emblazonments which stood close to the central column, hastened toward Michal, and said to her: ”What! is there no room for the young lady? Pray come into my pew, there is room enough there.” And with that she took pilloried Michal by the hand, led her to her own pew, made her sit down beside her, and pushed toward her her beautiful gold-clasped prayer book, so that they might both sing out of it together.

Now this lady was the Countess Isabella Hommonai the wife of the Captain-General and Commander of Ka.s.sa, whom the latter, as we have already mentioned, had married a short time before.

The whole sisterhood of backbiters was most cruelly checkmated, their vexation nearly choked them.

But Michal, with streaming eyes, prayed the Almighty to protect her beloved Valentine in his present great peril, save him from wounds and captivity, and bring him back safe and sound. She had nothing else to pray for.

And when divine service was over, the countess did not consider it beneath her dignity to accompany Michal out of church, waited in the porch for Dame Sarah, and then said to Michal, who gratefully kissed her hand, that she must make haste and come and pay her a visit at the castle.

All the other women heard it and were ready to burst for envy.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Wherein is shown how great a force the will of a woman is, and how quickly it can alter the order of things which man devises.

Three days later, Count Hommonai brought back his forces, after successfully driving the Turkish freebooters into the neighboring county; it was for the neighboring county to drive them on still further.

Valentine came riding safe and sound into his own courtyard, and great was Michal's joy when she saw him return in such a merry mood.

Nevertheless, she surrendered the first kisses to her mother-in-law.

”Well, have you cut down many Turks?” inquired Dame Sarah.

”I've felled a few, but I did not count how many.”

”I'm only glad they've done you no harm,” said Michal joyfully.

”You've been praying for me, darling, have you not? Were you not in church, did you sit by my mother?”

”Oh, no!” cried Dame Sarah, eager to tell everything. ”That wicked old Furmender woman would not let her come into the pew. She said to her: 'Servant maids must sit behind.' And do you know who it was that found her a seat after all? Why the good Countess Hommonai!

Yes, the countess herself actually made Michal come and sit down beside her in her own beautiful pew.”

Valentine s.n.a.t.c.hed his cap from his head as if the countess stood before him in person.

”G.o.d bless her for it! You thanked her for her graciousness, I hope?”

”At the time we hardly knew what to say, we were so confused; but her ladys.h.i.+p has invited Michal to the castle.”

”And have you been?”

”Not yet, I waited for you. We must go together.”

Valentine scratched his head.

”With Count Hommonai I should think nothing of going against a whole host of dog-headed Tartars, but how can I approach the countess? She is such a fine lady, and I am such a stupid blockhead.”