Ogniem i mieczem. English Read online

  CHAPTER VII.

  It was now the second half of March; the grass was growing luxuriantly,the field-roller was blooming, the steppe was stirring with life. Inthe morning the lieutenant, travelling at the head of his men, rode asif over a sea whose moving wave was the wind-stirred grass. Every placewas filled with joy and the voices of spring,--chirruping, whistling,clattering, the shaking of wings, the glad hum of insects; the steppesounded like a lyre touched by the hand of the Lord. Above the heads ofthe horsemen floated falcons motionless in the blue ether, likesuspended crosses, triangles of wild geese, lines of storks; and on theground the coursing of flocks run wild. Behold, a herd of steppe horsesrush on! They move like a storm, stop before the mounted men in ahalf-circle suddenly, as if spiked to the earth, their manes spread tothe wind, their nostrils dilated, their eyes full of wonder. You wouldsay they are here to trample the unbidden guests. But a moment morethey are gone, vanishing as suddenly as they came. Now we have only thesound of the grass and the gleam of the flowers; the clatter is still.Again nothing is heard save the play of birds. The land seems full ofjoy; yet a kind of sadness is in that joy. It seems crowded, and it isan empty land. Oh, it is wide, and it is roomy! With a horse you cannotsurround it; in thought you cannot grasp it,--unless you love thesadness, the desert, and the steppes, and with yearning soul circleabove them, linger upon their gravemounds, hearken to their voices, andgive answer.

  It was early morning. Great drops glittered on the grass and reeds; thequick movement of the wind dried the ground, on which after the rainsbroad ponds were spread, like lakes shining in the sun. The retinue ofthe lieutenant moved on slowly, for it was difficult to hasten when thehorses sank to their knees at times in the soft earth; and he gave themonly short resting-spells on the grave-mounds, for he was hastening toa greeting and a parting.

  The second day, about noon, after he had passed a strip of forest,he saw the windmills of Rozlogi scattered on the hillsides and mounds.His heart beat like a hammer. No one there expected him; no oneknew he was coming. What will she say when she sees him? Now hebeholds the cottages of the neighbors, nearly hidden, covered in thecherry-orchards; farther on is a straggling village of cottages; andstill farther is seen the well-sweep on the square in front of thehouse. The lieutenant, putting spurs to his horse, galloped swiftly;and after him flew his suite through the village with a clatter and anoise. Here and there a peasant, rushing out of his cottage, made asign of the cross. Devils!--not devils? Tartars!--not Tartars? The mudspatters from under their hoofs so that you don't know who is hurryingon. Meanwhile they are at the square, and have halted before the closedgate.

  "Hallo there! Who lives, open!"

  The bustle and pounding, the barking of dogs, called out the peoplefrom the house. They hurried to the gate frightened, thinking it was anattack.

  "Who goes?"

  "Open!"

  "The princes are not at home."

  "But open, you son of an infidel! We are from the prince at Lubni."

  The servants at last recognized Skshetuski. "Oh, that is you! Rightaway! right away!"

  The gate was thrown open. Then the princess herself appeared before theentrance, and shading her eyes with her hand, looked at the new-comers.

  Skshetuski sprang from his horse, and coming up to her said: "Don't youknow me?"

  "Oh! that is you. Lieutenant. I thought it was a Tartar raid. I saluteyou and beg you to enter."

  "You wonder, no doubt," said Pan Yan, "at seeing me in Rozlogi. Still Ihave not broken my word, for the prince sends me to Chigirin andfarther. He asked me also to stop at Rozlogi and inquire for yourhealth."

  "I am thankful to his Highness. Does he think of driving us fromRozlogi soon?"

  "He doesn't think of it at all, for he knows of no cause to drive youout; and what I have said will take place. You will remain in Rozlogi;I have bread enough of my own."

  Hearing this, the princess grew good-humored at once, and said: "Beseated, and be as glad as I am to see you."

  "Is Princess Helena well? Where is she?"

  "I know you. You have not come to see me, my cavalier. She is in goodhealth, she is well; the girl has improved in appearance. But I'll callher to you this minute, and I'll dress a little myself, for I amashamed to receive guests in this gown."

  The princess was wearing a faded dress, with a fur coat outside, andheavy boots.

  At this moment Helena, though not called, rushed into the room; for shehad heard from the old Tartar, Chehly, who the visitor was. She ran inpanting, and red as a cherry, barely able to catch her breath, but hereyes were laughing from happiness and joy. Skshetuski sprang to herhand, and when the princess had withdrawn discreetly, kissed her on thelips, for he was an impulsive man. She did not defend herselfvigorously, feeling that weakness had come upon her from an overflow ofhappiness and joy.

  "I did not expect to see you," whispered she, half closing her eyes."But don't kiss me that way, for it isn't proper."

  "Why shouldn't I kiss when honey is not half so sweet? I thought Ishould wither away without you, till the prince himself sent me here."

  "What does the prince know?"

  "I told him all, and he was glad when he remembered your father. Oh,you must have given me some herb, my girl, for I cannot see the lightof day on account of you."

  "Your blindness is a favor from God."

  "But do you remember that omen which the falcon gave when she drew ourhands together? It was destiny beyond a doubt."

  "I remember."

  "When at Lubni I used to go from sadness to Solonitsa and see you therejust as if present, if I stretched forth my hand you disappeared; butyou will not escape me again, for I think that nothing will stand inour way now."

  "If anything does, it will not be my will."

  "Tell me again that you love me."

  Helena dropped her eyes, but answered with dignity and decision: "Asnobody in the world."

  "If any one should surround me with honor and gold, I should preferthose words of yours; for I feel that you speak the truth, though I donot know why I deserve such favor from you."

  "Because you had pity on me, drew me to you, took my part, and spokewords such as I had never heard before."

  Helena was silent from emotion, and the lieutenant began again to kissher hand.

  "You will be my ruler, not my wife."

  They were silent for a while, but he did not take his eyes from her,wishing to make up for the long time in which he had not seen her. Sheseemed to him more beautiful than before. In that dim room, in thesunlight broken into rays by the glass window-panes, she looked likethose pictures of holy virgins in dusky chapels. At the same time suchwarmth and life surrounded her, so many splendid womanly graces andcharms were pictured in her face and whole form, that it was possibleto lose one's head, fall desperately in love with her, and loveforever.

  "I shall lose my sight from your beauty," said the lieutenant.

  The white teeth of the princess glittered joyously in a smile."Undoubtedly Anusia Borzobogata is a hundred times better looking thanI!"

  "She is to you as a pewter plate to the moon."

  "But Jendzian told me a different story."

  "Jendzian deserves a slap on the mouth. What do I care for her? Letother bees take honey from that flower, and there are plenty of themthere."

  Further conversation was interrupted by the entrance of old Chehly, whocame to greet the lieutenant. He looked on him already as his futuremaster, and he bowed to him at the threshold, giving the salaam inOriental fashion.

  "Well, old Chehly, I take you too with your mistress. You will serveher till you die."

  "She won't have long to wait for my death; but while I live I willserve her. God is one!"

  "In a month or so, when I return from the Saitch, we will go to Lubni,"said the lieutenant, turning to Helena; "and there Mukhovetski is readywith his robes."

  Helena was startled. "Then you are going to the Saitch?"

  "The
prince sends me with letters. But have no fear; the person of anenvoy is sacred, even among pagans. I should send you and the princessimmediately to Lubni, but the roads are fearful. Even on horseback itis hard to get along."

  "Will you stay long in Rozlogi?"

  "I leave this evening for Chigirin. The sooner I go the sooner I shallreturn. Besides, it is the prince's service; neither my time nor willis at my disposal."

  "Will you come to dinner, if you have had enough of billing andcooing?" said the princess, coming in. "Ho! ho! the young woman'scheeks are red; 'tis evident you have not been idle, sir! Well, I'm notsurprised at you."

  Saying this, she stroked Helena affectionately on the shoulder, andthey went to dinner. The princess was in perfectly good humor. She hadgiven up Bogun long ago, and all was arranged now, owing to theliberality of the lieutenant, so that she could look on Rozlogi, "withits pine woods, forests, boundaries, and inhabitants," as belonging toher and her sons,--no small property, indeed.

  The lieutenant asked for the princes,--whether they would return soon.

  "I expect them every day. They were angry at first with you, butafterward, when they scrutinized your acts, they conceived a greataffection for you as their future relative; for in truth it isdifficult in these mild times to find a man of such daring."

  After dinner the lieutenant and Helena went to the cherry orchard,which came up to the ditch beyond the square. The orchard was coveredwith early white blossoms as if with snow; beyond the orchard was adark oak grove in which a cuckoo was heard.

  "That is a happy augury for us," said Skshetuski, "but we must make theinquiry." And turning to the oak grove, he asked: "Good cuckoo, howmany years shall I live in marriage with this lady?"

  The cuckoo began to call, and counted fifty and more.

  "God grant it!"

  "The cuckoo always tells the truth," remarked Helena.

  "If that's the case, I'll ask another question," said the enamouredlieutenant.

  "No, it is not necessary."

  In converse and merriment like this the day passed as a dream. In theevening came the moment of tender and long parting, and the lieutenantset out for Chigirin.