"Because thou didst not know how to handle him," said Lukash. "Thou shouldst have tickled his horse in the belly with thy stirrup, or, since thou knowst his name, have said: 'Yatsek, here is a platsek (a cake) for thee!'" "Or said this to him: 'The wolves ate thy horse, buy a he goat in Prityk.'" "That is not lost, but what did it mean when he said: 'Are thy brothers also?'" "Maybe he wanted to ask if we were fools also." "Of course! As God is dear to me!" cried Marek. "He could not think otherwise. But what now?" "His death, or ours. As God lives, what he says is open heresy. We must tell Stashko." "Tell nothing, for since we give up the young lady to Stashko, Stashko must challenge him, and here the great point is that we challenge first." "When? At Pan Gideon's a challenge is not proper. But here is Belchantska." In fact Belchantska was not distant. On the edge of the forest stood the cross of Pan Gideon's establishment, with a tin Saviour hanging between two spears; on the right, where the road turned round a pine wood, broad meadows were visible, with a line of alders on the edge of a river, and beyond the alders on the bank opposite and higher, were the leafless tops of tall trees, and smoke rising from cottages. Soon the retinue was moving past cottages, and when it had gone beyond fences and buildings Pan Gideon's dwelling was before the eyes of the horsemen,--a broad court surrounded by an old and decayed picket fence which in places was leaning. From times the most ancient no enemy had appeared in that region, so no one had thought defence needful for the dwelling. In the broad court there were two dovecotes. On one side were the quarters for servants, on the other the storehouse, provision rooms, and a big cheese house made of planks and small timbers. Before the mansion and around the court were pillars with iron rings for the halters of horses; on each pillar a cap of frozen snow was fixed firmly. The mansion was old and broad, with a low roof of straw. In the court hunting dogs were rushing around, and among them a tame stork with a broken wing was walking securely; the bird as it seemed had left its warm room a little earlier to get exercise and air in the cold courtyard. At the mansion the people were waiting for the company, since Pan Gideon had sent a man forward with notice. The same man came out now to meet them and, bowing down, said to Pan Gideon,-- "Pan Grothus, the starosta of Raygrod, has come." "In God's name!" cried Pan Gideon. "Has he been waiting long for me?" "Not an hour. He wished to go, but I told him that you were coming and in sight very nearly." "Thou didst speak well." Then he turned to the guests,-- "I beg you, gentlemen, Pan Grothus is a relative through my wife. He is returning, it is evident, to Warsaw from his brother's, for he is a deputy to the Diet. Please enter."