Part 29 (1/2)
The prelate bit a nut in two and showed the second half to Pan Gideon.
”Do you know why this nut pleases me? Because it is good! If it were decayed I would not eat it.”
”Then what?”
”Then that Anulka pleases your taste, for she is an almond. Hai! and what an almond! If she were fifty years old it is certain that your conscience would not be so troubled concerning her future.”
Pan Gideon was confused at this, but the prelate continued,--
”I do not take this ill of you, for, as you see, there must be a good reason for everything, and G.o.d has so arranged that every man prefers a young turnip to an old one. With wine it is different, therefore we agree willingly as to wine with the arrangement of Providence.”
”Yes, it is true. Except wine, what is young is better always; Pan Kohanovski wrote only humorously, that an old man, like an old oak, is better than a young one. This is the one question for me: if I leave property to her as my wife no one will dare move a finger; but if I leave it to her as a ward, there will be many lawsuits and quarrels, and perhaps armed attacks also. Who could protect her from the latter?
Of course not Pani Vinnitski!”
”That is undoubted.”
”But since I am neither a giddy nor an empty man, I did not wish to decide this alone, hence I have come to you to confirm me in the conviction that I am acting wisely, and that you will support me with clear counsel.”
The prelate thought a while, and then added,--
”You see, that advice in a matter of this kind is difficult, and a man repeats more than once to himself with B[oe]tius, _Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses_ (if thou remain silent, thou wilt be a philosopher); or with Job, 'Even a fool if he remain silent will be considered a wise man.' Your intention, in so far as it is roused by warm affection, is justified, and in so far also as it flows from care for the good of the girl, is even praiseworthy. But will not some injustice be done her, will there not be need to constrain her, or to lead her with threats to the altar? For I have heard that she and Yatsek Tachevski are in love. And truly, without beating about the bushes, I have more than once seen him a frequent guest at your mansion.”
”What have you seen?” inquired Pan Gideon, abruptly.
”Nothing sinful, but signs through which intimacy and love are denoted.
I saw more than once how they held each other's hands longer than was needed, how they followed each other with their eyes. I saw him once in a tree dropping cherries down into her ap.r.o.n, and how they so looked at each other that the cherries fell to the ground past one rim of the ap.r.o.n. I saw her when looking at flying storks lean on him, and then--women are always subtle--scold him for coming too near her. And what more did I see? Various things which prove secret wishes. You will say that this is nothing. Of course, nothing! But that she felt the will of G.o.d toward him as much, or more, than he toward her, only a blind man could help seeing, and I wonder that you did not see this. I wonder still more, if you did see it, that you did not stop it in view of your own intentions.”
Pan Gideon had seen and known this, but still the words of the prelate produced on him a terrible impression. It is one thing when some pain-causing secret is hidden in the heart, and quite another when a strange hand pushes into one's bosom and shakes up that secret. So now his face became purple, his eyes filled with blood, a great bunch of veins came out on his forehead, and he began to pant on a sudden, and to breathe so quickly that the prelate, in alarm, asked,--
”What is the matter?”
Pan Gideon answered, with a motion of the hand, that it was nothing, but he remained silent.
”Drink some wine,” cried the priest.
He stretched out his arm and with trembling hand took the gla.s.s, raised it to his lips, drank, blew through his lips, and whispered,--
”It darkened before my eyes just a trifle.”
”Because of what I told you?”
”No. That for some time has occurred to me often, but now I am fatigued by the fast, by the journey, and by the spring, which is unexpected and early.”
”Then perhaps it would be better not to wait for May, but be bled immediately.”
”I will be bled, but I will rest a while now, and we will return later on to this business.”