"No--I just wanted to know--"
"Panna Pauly," said Gronski, "Pan Swidwicki lives at No. 5 Oboznej, but it is not very safe for young girls to go to him."
She colored to the ears from fear that the "young lord" might think something bad about her.
And she hesitated for a while whether she should tell that Laskowicz was in the hallway and that it was necessary to hide him, as otherwise destruction awaited him. But again she recollected that Laskowicz had been sought in Jastrzeb and that Krzycki, on account of that had been almost arrested. A fear possessed her that perhaps Gronski himself might want to hide the student and in such case would jeopardize the young lord. She looked once or twice at the shapely form of Krzycki and decided to remain silent.
But Gronski spoke further:
"I do not advise you to go to him. I do not advise it. It is said that you once gave him a tongue-lashing."
And she, raising her head, answered at once haughtily and indignantly:
"Then I will give him a tongue-lashing a second time; but I have some business with him."
And bowing, she left. Gronski shrugged his shoulders and said:
"I cannot understand what she is concerned about. There is something strange in that girl, and I tell you that your future lady gives evidence of holy patience, that she has not dismissed her before this.
She always says that she is a violent character but has a golden heart, and that may be possible. I know, however, from Pani Otocka that the golden heart enacts for her such scenes as no one else would tolerate."
X
In the evening of Marynia"s birthday, Ladislaus and Miss Anney for a time found themselves at some distance from the rest of the company, at a cottage piano, decorated with flowers. His eyes shone with joy and happiness. He felt fortunate that his imprisonment had ended and that he could again gaze upon this, his lady, whom he loved with the whole strength of a young heart.
"I know," he told her, "that you were this morning in the city and bought flowers. I learned this from your maid, who brought the letter to Pan Gronski. Afterwards you went to church. I asked her to which one, as I wanted to go there, but the maid did not know."
"That is strange, for she knows that I always go to the Holy Cross, and at times I even take her with me. I am there, daily, at the morning ma.s.s."
"She told me that she did not know," answered Ladislaus. "Will you be there to-morrow?"
"Yes; unless the weather should be very inclement."
Ladislaus lowered his voice:
"I ask because I have a great and heartfelt prayer. Permit me to come there at the same hour and before the same altar."
Blushes suffused Miss Anney"s countenance and her breast began to move more quickly. She inclined her head somewhat and placing the edge of the fan to her lips answered in a low voice:
"I have not the right to forbid nor to permit. The church is open to all the pious."
"Yes. But I want to kneel a while beside you--together, and not with customary humility; but for a special purpose. As to my piety, I will candidly state that I believe in G.o.d, ah! especially now--I believe in G.o.d and in His goodness; but heretofore I have not been very pious--just like all others. When, however, a whole life is concerned, then even a man, totally unbelieving, is ready to kneel and pray. To kneel beside you, that alone is an immense boon, for it is as if one had beside him an angel. And I want to beg for something else: and that is that we should together, at the same time, say "Under Thy protection we flee, Holy Mother of G.o.d.""
Ladislaus became pale from emotion and on his forehead beads of perspiration appeared. For a time he remained silent, to permit the too violent beating of his heart to subside. After which he again spoke:
""We flee"--that will mean us both. Nothing more, dear, dearest lady, nothing more. After that I will go, and in the afternoon, if you permit, I will come to your residence and will tell you everything which has collected within me from the time I first saw you in Jastrzeb. In your hands, lady, lies my fate, but I must, I must divulge it all; otherwise my bosom will burst. But if you, lady, will agree to a joint prayer of "Under Thy protection," before that time, then I shall be so happy that I do not know how I will survive until to-morrow."
And she looked at him guilelessly and straight in his eyes with the celestial streak of the hazy pupils of her eyes and answered:
"Come to church to-morrow."
And Ladislaus whispered:
"And not to be able to fall at your feet at this moment--not to be able to fall at your feet!"
But Miss Anney tapped lightly, as if reluctantly, his hand, resting on the piano with her own, which was incased in a white glove, and walked away, for, not forgetting herself to the same extent as Ladislaus, she noticed that they were observed. Owing to Marynia"s birthday there a.s.sembled that evening at Pani Otocka"s quite a considerable gathering of acquaintances. The notary, Dzwonkowski, appeared; also, an old neighbor from the vicinity of Zalesin; and besides these Dolhanski and both Wlocek ladies, who after a previous exchange of visits, were invited by Pani Otocka. Gronski actually appeared the earliest and well nigh played the role of host, in which part he was a.s.sisted by the former teacher of Marynia, the violinist Bochener, not less in love with her, and finally Swidwicki, who on that day was exceptionally sober. Pani Otocka was occupied with the Wlocek ladies; Gronski conversed with Swidwicki in so far as he did not direct his eyes after Marynia, who, in her white dress, adorned with violets, slender, almost lithesome, actually looked like an alabaster statuette. But she, and with her Pani Krzycki, began to look with especial attention at Ladislaus and Miss Anney. The little ears of Marynia reddened from curiosity, while on Pani Krzycki"s countenance there appeared uneasiness, and, as if it were, a shadow of dissatisfaction.
But Miss Anney, breaking off her conversation with Ladislaus, approached directly towards his mother and sat down in a chair beside her.
"Pan Ladislaus is so happy," she said, "that his confinement is ended."
"I see," answered Pani Krzycki, "but I fear that conversation fatigues him yet. What did he say to you with such animation?"
For a moment, Miss Anney inclined her head and began to smooth out with her fingers the folds of her bright dress as if troubled, but later, having evidently formed a sudden resolution, she raised her frank eyes straight at Pani Krzycki, just as she had previously at Ladislaus, and replied:
"He said such pleasant and loving things; that he wants to go to church to-morrow and say "Under Thy protection"--together with me--"
In her eyes there were no interrogatories, nor uneasiness, nor challenge, but great goodness and truth.
Pani Krzycki, on the other hand, was put out of countenance by the candor of the reply, so that at first she was silent. It seemed to her that what heretofore was a doubtful, blurred, and indistinct supposition, lightened up and plainly emerged upon the surface, but she tried to disbelieve it; so, after a certain hesitation, she replied:
"Laudie otherwise would be ungrateful. He owes you so much--and I also."
Miss Anney understood perfectly that Pani Krzycki wanted to give her to understand that the motive of Ladislaus" words was only grat.i.tude, but she had no time to reply to the remark, as at that time across the arm of her chair the slender form of Marynia was leaning:
"Aninka, may I trouble you to step over here for a moment?"
"Certainly," answered Miss Anney.
And rising, she left. Pani Krzycki eyed her and sighed. There was in that beautiful form so much youth, health, radiance, so many golden tresses, glances, so much bloom, warmth, and womanly fascination, that an older and experienced woman, like Pani Krzycki, was forced to admit in her soul that it would have been rather incomprehensible if Ladislaus had remained indifferent to all those charms.
And sighing for the second time, she thought:
"Why did Zosia bring her to Jastrzeb?"
And she began to seek with her eyes Pani Otocka, who at that moment was approaching the door to greet an elderly gentleman with a white leonine mane and the same kind of white beard who, evidently being almost blind, stood on the threshold and gazed over the salon through his gold-rimmed spectacles.
Finally espying Pani Otocka, he seized both her hands and commenced to kiss them with great ardor, while she greeted him with that shy grace, peculiarly her own, which made her resemble a young village maid.
"How sweet she is and how lovable!" Pani Krzycki said to herself.
But her further meditations and regrets were interrupted by Swidwicki, who, taking the chair vacated by Miss Anney, said:
"But your son, benefactress, is a genuine Uhlan from under Somo-Sierra.
What a race! what a type! I, who everywhere fancy beauty as a setter does partridges, observed this at once to Gronski. Only put a sabre in his hand and place him on horseback. Or at some exhibition! plainly on exhibition, as a notable specimen of the race. Ah, what blood with milk! The women must rave over him!"
Pani Krzycki, notwithstanding her internal worries, was pleased to hear these words, for Ladislaus" shapeliness was from his childhood days a source of pride and joy for her. But in reality, she did not deem it proper to admit this before Swidwicki.