Part 9 (1/2)
Self-control in Pan Gideon's mansion was habitual with Yatsek, still, he could hardly sit to the end of the supper as he heard the words of the lady and Pan Stanislav. He saw, unhappy victim, that the other man pleased her, for he was in fact an adroit and agreeable young fellow, and far from being stupid. The talk at table turned always on the levies. Stanislav, learning from Pan Grothus that perhaps the levies would be made under him in those regions, turned to the lady on a sudden, and asked,--
”What regiment do you prefer?”
”The hussars,” said she, looking at his shoulders.
”Because of the wings?”
”Yes. Once I saw hussars and thought them a heavenly army. I dreamt of them afterward two nights in succession.”
”I know not whether I shall dream when a hussar, but I know that I shall dream of you earlier, and of wings also.”
”Why is that?”
”I should dream of a real angel.”
Panna Anulka dropped her eyes till a shade fell on her rosy cheeks from her eyelids.
”Be a hussar,” said she, after an interval.
Yatsek gritted his teeth, drew his palm over his moistened forehead, and during the supper he did not get word or look from the lady. Only when they had risen from the table did a sweet, beloved voice sound at his ear.
”But will you go to this war with the others?”
”To die! to die!” answered Yatsek.
And in that answer there was such a genuine, true groan of anguish that the voice was heard again, as if in sympathy,--
”Why sadden us?”
”No one will weep for me.”
”How know you that?” said the voice now a third time.
Then she slipped away to the other guests as swiftly as a dream vision, and bloomed, like a rose, at the other end of the drawing-room.
Meanwhile, the two elder men sat after the meal over goblets of mead, and when they had discussed public questions sufficiently they began to chat about private ones. Pan Grothus followed Panna Anulka with tender eyes for a time, and then said to Pan Gideon,--
”That is a brilliant spot over there. Just look at those young people who are flying like moths round a candle. But that is no wonder, for were we not in years we too should be flying.”
Pan Gideon waved his hand in displeasure.
”Swarms they are,--rustics, homespuns, nothing better.”
”How so? Tachevski is not a homespun.”
”No, but he is poor. The Bukoyemskis are not homespuns; they even declare that they are kinsmen of Saint Peter, which may help them in heaven, but on earth they are nothing but foresters in the king's wilderness.”
Pan Grothus wondered at the relations.h.i.+p of the Bukoyemskis no less than had Pan Gideon when he heard of it the first time, so he fell to inquiring in detail, till at last he laughed heartily, and added,--
”Saint Peter was a great apostle, and I have no wish to detract from his honor; all the more, since feeling old, I shall soon need his influence. But between you and me, there is not much in this kins.h.i.+p to boast of--no, he was merely a fisherman. If you speak of Joseph, who came from King David,--well, you may talk to me.”