It was no easy beginning for the stranger. The people laughed at him freely, his garb and his ways differing so entirely from their own; they even called him a coward because he carried no arms and spoke respectfully of Count Borecki as the lord of the manor. The fact was that Taras just continued to be the man he had always been, taking their sneers quietly, and the management of the farm entrusted to him was his only care. Iwan Woronka was old and enfeebled, his tottering steps carrying him a little way only, to the village inn, his constant resort. It was natural, therefore, that the farm had been doing badly.
His only son had died, and a.n.u.sia, his daughter, had striven vainly to save the property from ruin. She blessed the day when the new head-servant took matters in hand, if no one else did; for not many weeks pa.s.sed before the traces of his honest diligence grew apparent everywhere. "He understands his business," even Iwan must own, though over his tipple he kept muttering that the sneaking stranger was too much for him. But that Taras was neither a coward nor a sneak all the village soon had proof of, when on a bear hunt, with not a little danger to himself, he saved the old judge"s life, killing a maddened brute by a splendid shot in close encounter. This and his evident ability in the fulfilment of his duties gained him most hearts before long. "You are a good fellow, Podolian," the people would say; and not a year had pa.s.sed before they swore behind his back that there was no mistake about his being a real acquisition to the village.
a.n.u.sia said nothing. She was a handsome girl of the true Huzul type, tall, shapely, lissom, with dark, fiery eyes. High-spirited and pa.s.sionate in all things, her partiality for the silent stranger made her shy and diffident. She went out of his way, addressing him only when business required. He saw it, could not understand, and felt sad.
Now, strange to say--at least it took him by surprise--by reason of this very sadness he discovered that a.n.u.sia was pleasant to behold. It quite startled him, and it made him shy in his turn when he had to speak to her. But one day, riding about the farm, he without any palpable reason caught himself whispering her name. That was more startling still, and he felt inclined to box his own ears, calling himself a fool for his pains. "You idiot!" he said, "your master"s daughter, and she hating you moreover!" And having mused awhile, he added philosophically--"Love is only a sort of feeling for folk that have nothing to do. Some drink by way of a pastime, and some fall in love." He really believed it; his life had been so sunless. .h.i.therto, that no flower for him could grow.
Well, love may be a sort of feeling, but Taras found that he could do nothing but just give in. Then it happened, one bright spring morning, that he was walking on a narrow footpath over the sprouting cornfields, a.n.u.sia coming along from the other end.
"How shall I turn aside?" they both thought; et neither quite liked to strike off through the budding grain.
""Twere a pity to trample upon the growing blades," murmured he, and proceeded slowly.
"It is father"s cornfield," whispered she, and her feet carried her toward him.
Presently they came to a standstill, face to face.
"Why don"t you move out of my way?" she said, angrily.
He felt taken aback, and was silent.
"I have been looking over the fields--the wheat by the river might be better," continued the damsel.
"It might," owned he, "but it is not my fault."
"Is it mine?" cried she.
"No, the field was flooded."
"That is your excuse!" retorted the maiden. "I think the seed was bad.
You are growing careless!"
"Oh!" said he, standing erect, "I can look for another place, if that is all." He quite trembled. "I believe I hate her," he said to himself.
"Yes, go! go!" she cried, her bosom heaving, and the hot tears starting to her eyes. Another moment, and they had caught one another, heart to heart and lip to lip. How it could happen so quickly they never knew.
But the occurrence is not supposed to be unprecedented in the history of this planet.
It was a happy hour amid the sun-flooded fields. They both believed they had to make up for no end of past unkindness. But, being sensible, they soon took a matter-of-fact view.
"You will just have to marry me, now," said a.n.u.sia; "it is the one thing to be done. I will at once tell my father."
And so she did; but Iwan Woronka unfortunately did not consider her marrying his head-servant the one thing to be done. She was his only child and his heiress to boot, and he had long decided she should marry his nephew Harasim, Judge Stephen"s son--a young man who might have been well enough but for his repellent countenance and his love for drink. But Iwan argued, "Good looks are no merit, and drinking no harm;"
and therewith he turned Taras off his farm.
The poor fellow went his way without venturing to say good-bye to a.n.u.sia, or letting her know where he could be heard of. It cost him a hard battle with himself; but he knew the girl"s pa.s.sionate temper, and he wanted to act honestly by his master. But the victory was not thus easily got.
It was some two months later, a splendid summer night. The moon was weaving her mellow charm about the heathlands, lighting up the old tin-plated tower of the castle at Hankowce with a mysterious light, till it sparkled and shone like a silver column. It was the abode of Baron Alfred Zborowski, and Taras had found service there as coachman and groom. He did not sleep in the stables at this time of the year, but on the open heath, where the remains of a watchfire glowed like a heap of gold amid the silvery sheen. A number of horses were at large about him.
The night was pleasantly cool, but the poor fellow had a terrible burning at the heart as he lay wakeful by the glowing embers, thinking of her who was far away. There was a sound of hoofs suddenly breaking upon the night, and a figure on horseback appeared with long hair streaming on the wind. "Good heavens!" cried the young man trembling; "is it you, a.n.u.sia?"
"Taras!" was the answer, and no more.
She glided from her horse, and his arms were about her.
"Here I am, and here I shall stay," she said at last. "I have scarcely left the saddle since yesterday. It was Jacek, the fiddler, that told me where I should find you. I shall not return to my father--not without you. And if you will not go back with me you must just keep me here. I cannot live without you, and I will not--do you hear? I will not! I want to be happy!"
She talked madly--laughing, crying on his neck. And then she slid to the ground, clasping his knees. But he stood trembling. He felt as though he were surrounded by a flood of waters, the ground being taken from under his feet. His fingers closed convulsively, till the nails entered the quick--he shut his eyes and set his teeth. Thus he stood silent, but breathing heavily, and then a shiver went through him; he opened his eyes and lifted up the girl at his feet. "a.n.u.sia," he said, gently but firmly, "I love you more than I love myself! and therefore I say I shall take you back to-morrow as far as the Pruth, where we can see your father"s house, and then I shall leave you. But till then"--he drew a deep breath, and continued with sinking voice, "till then you must stay with an old widow I know in this village. I will show you the way now; she will see to your wants."
The girl gazed at him helplessly, pa.s.sing her hand across her forehead once, twice; and then she groaned, "It is beyond me--do you despise me?--turn me from you?"
"No!" he cried; "but I will not drag you down to misery and disgrace.
If you stayed here, a.n.u.sia, you could only be a servant-girl in the village where I work. We should suffer--but that is nothing! Marry one another we cannot; not while your father lives, for the Church requires his consent. You could only be my--my----. a.n.u.sia, I dare not!"
Whereupon she drew herself tip proudly, looking him full in the face.
"I am a girl of unblemished name," she said. "If I am satisfied to be near you----"
"You! you!" he gasped, "what do you know about it? You are an honest girl! But I--good G.o.d, my mother----. Go! go!" And there was a cry of despair; then he recovered himself "G.o.d help me, a.n.u.sia, it must be.
The woman that will take care of you now lives next door to the church, the old s.e.xton"s widow, Anna Paulicz--this way!"
The girl probably but half understood him. As in a dream she moved toward her horse, seized the bridle, and turned back to Taras mechanically.
She stood before him. Her face was white as death; she opened her colourless lips once, twice, as though to speak, but sound there was none. At last, with an effort, a hoa.r.s.e whisper broke from her, "I hate you!"
"a.n.u.sia!" he cried, staggering. But answer there was none--the thundering footfall of a horse only dying away in the night.
Harvest had come and the harvest-home. The Jewish fiddlers played their merry tunes in the courtyard of the castle at Hankowce, and far into the evening continued the dancing and jumping and huzzaing of the reapers. The baron and his coachman were perhaps the only two of all the village who took no pleasure in the revelry--the one because he had to provide the schnaps and mead that were being consumed, the other because his heart was nowise attuned to it.
Dreary weeks had pa.s.sed since that impa.s.sioned meeting on the heath, but the girl"s parting words kept ringing in poor Taras"s ear. "It is all at an end," he said, "and no use in worrying." But he kept worrying, and that she should hate him was an undying grief to his heart. It was little comfort that he could say to himself, "You have done well, Taras; it is better to be unhappy than to be a villain."
Comfort? nay, there was none! for what self-conscious approval could lessen the wild longings, the deep grief of his love? And so he went his way sadly, doing his duty and feeling more lonely than ever. He did not grudge others their merry-heartedness, but the noisy expression of it hurt him. For this reason he kept aloof on that day, busying himself about his horses, plaiting their manes with coloured ribands, but anxious to take no personal part in the feast. But the shouts of delight would reach him, clashing sorely with his sorrowing heart. Then the poor fellow shut the stables, and, going up to his favourite horse, a fine chestnut, he pressed his forehead against the creature"s neck, sobbing like a forsaken child.
He was yet standing in this position when a well-known voice reached his ear--a man"s voice, but it sent the blood to his face. Could he be dreaming? but no, there it was again, and a ponderous knocking against the door, which he had locked. He made haste to open--it was Stephen Woronka, the judge.
Taras was unable to speak, and the old man on his part could only nod.
He looked mournful. "Come!" he said, after a brief pause that seemed filled with pain.
"Where to?" faltered Taras.
The judge appeared to consider explanation needless. "I have already spoken with your master; he allows you to go on the spot. Your things can come after you. My horses are ready to start."
"I cannot," murmured Taras, turning a step aside.
Old Stephen nodded, as though this were just the answer he expected.
"But you must," he said, "we cannot let the girl die, Iwan and me. It is no light thing for us, to let her marry you, for you have just nothing--a poor stranger--and," he added, with a sigh, "my Harasim might be saved by a good wife. However, we have no choice now and neither have you!"
"Then she is ill?" shrieked Taras.
"Yes--very; come at once." And such was Stephen"s hurry that he barely allowed Taras to take his leave of the baron. The judge drove, and so little he spared his horses, that the vehicle shot along the moon-lit roads like a thing demented.
"Let me take the reins," said Taras, after a while.