At last the horses of the four brothers were brought to a standstill, but with the feathery steed there was very great trouble. Without a bridle, beaten, terrified, the beast reared at sight of the servants, or sprang to one side with the suddenness of lightning. They stopped it only at the fence when preparing to spring over. One of the men grasped its forelock, another caught its nostrils, a number seized its mane; it could not jump with such a burden, and fell to its knees. The beast sprang up quickly, it is true, but did not try to rush away; it only trembled throughout its whole body. They removed the rider, who, as it seemed then, had not been thrown because his feet were bound firmly beneath the beast's belly. They pulled the feathers from his head, and under the feathers appeared a visage covered so thickly with tar that no man there recognized the features. The rider gave faint signs of life, and only when taken to the porch did old Krepetski and Pan Serafin see who it was and cry out "Martsian!" with amazement. "This is that vile scoundrel!" said Mateush. "We have punished him not a little, and have hunted him in here, so that Panna Sieninski may know that tender souls have not gone from this world yet." Pan Serafin seized his head with his hands, and shouted,-- "The devil take you and your tender souls! Ye are nothing but bandits!" Then, turning to Pani Dzvonkovski who had run up with the others and was crossing herself, he cried,-- "Pour vodka into his mouth. Let him regain consciousness, and be taken to bed." There was hurry and disorder. Some ran to make the bed ready, others for hot water, still others for vodka; a number began to pull the feathers off Martsian, in which they were aided by his father, who was gritting his teeth, and repeating,-- "Is he alive? Is he dead? He is alive! Vengeance! Oh Vengeance!" Then he sprang up on a sudden, jumped forward, and thrusting up to the very eyes of Pan Serafin, fingers, bent now like talons, he shouted,-- "You were in the conspiracy! You have killed my son--you Armenian assassin!" Pan Serafin grew very pale, and seized his sabre, but almost at the same instant he remembered that he was the host, and Krepetski a visitor, so he dropped the hilt, and raised two fingers immediately. "By that God who is above us," said he, "I swear that I knew nothing--and I am ready to swear on the cross in addition--Amen!" "We are witnesses that he knew nothing!" cried Marek Bukoyemski. "God has punished," said Pan Serafin; "for you threatened me, as a defenceless old man, with the passion of your son. Here is his passion for you!" "A criminal offence!" bellowed the old man. "The headsman against you, and your heads under the sword edge! Vengeance! Justice!" "See what ye have done!" said Pan Serafin, as he turned to the Bukoyemskis. "I said it was better to run away at once," answered Lukash.