Then Pan Skorabevski pushed his bulk back into the porch; the woman
withdrew to the garden fence, and stood there in humility. But she had
to wait long enough. The lord and lady amused themselves with
conversation; and to her ears flew from time to time glad laughter,
which gripped her heart wonderfully, for she was not inclined to
laughter, poor thing. Later Panna Yadviga and Pan Victor came home; and
all entered the house. The sun inclined gradually to its setting. To the
porch came out the lackey Yasek, whom Pan Skorabevski always called "one
another," and began to lay the table for tea. He changed the cloth, set
glasses on the table, and put spoons into them with a rattle. Marysia
waited and waited. It came to her head to go back to her cottage and
return later; but she was afraid that it might be too late then; so she
sat down on the grass near the fence and gave her breast to the child.
The child suckled and went to sleep, but with an unhealthy sleep, for
since morning he was weak, somehow. She too felt that heat and cold ran
through her from foot to head.
At times yawning seized her; but she did not mind that, she just waited
patiently. By degrees it grew dark, and the moon rose on the dome of the
sky. The table was set for tea; lamps were burning on the porch; but the
company did not come out, for the young lady was playing on the piano.
Repa's wife repeated the "Angel of the Lord," at the paling; and then
she thought how Pan Skorabevski would save her. She did not know well
how; she did not understand that he, from his position, was acquainted
with the commissioner and with the chief of the district; that if he
would only say a word, all would be well, and with God's help the evil
would be turned aside. Meanwhile she thought that if Zolzik or the mayor
opposed, he would know where to go for justice. "The young lord has
always been kind and good to people," thought she, "so he will not
desert me." And she was not mistaken, for Pan Skorabevski was really a
humane man. She remembered that he had always been kind to Repa;
further, that her late mother had nursed Panna Yadviga: so consolation
entered her heart. That she had been waiting already a couple of hours
seemed so natural that she did not stop to think over it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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