"And such a battle! The soldiers had begun to pull around the basswood barks a little--" "But you quieted them?" "This minute I will tell you how it all happened, my jewel; only let me rest a little, for I am wearied. Ei! it is warm here. It is delightful in this Vodokty, just as in paradise. A man would be glad to sit here all his life, look in those beautiful eyes, and never go away--But it would do no harm, either, to drink something warm, for there is terrible frost outside." "Right away I will have wine heated, with eggs, and bring it myself." "And give my gallows' birds some little keg of gorailka, and give command to let them into the stable, so that they may warm themselves a little even from the breath of the cattle. They have coats lined with wind, and are terribly chilled." "I will spare nothing on them, for they are your soldiers." While speaking she smiled, so that it grew bright in Kmita's eyes, and she slipped out as quietly as a cat to have everything prepared in the servants' hall. Kmita walked up and down in the room, rubbing the top of his head, then twirling his young mustache, thinking how to tell her of what had been done in Upita. "The pure truth must be told," muttered he; "there is no help for it, though the company may laugh because I am here in leading-strings." And again he walked, and again he pushed the foretop on his forehead; at last he grew impatient that the maiden was so long in returning. Meanwhile a boy brought in a light, bowed to the girdle, and went out. Directly after the charming lady of the house entered, bringing with both hands a shining tin tray, and on it a small pot, from which rose the fragrant steam of heated Hungarian, and a goblet of cut glass with the escutcheon of the Kmitas. Old Billevich got this goblet in his time from Andrei's father, when at his house as a guest. Pan Andrei when he saw the lady sprang toward her. "Hei!" cried he, "both hands are full, you will not escape me." He bent over the tray, and she drew back her head, which was defended only by the steam which rose from the pot. "Traitor! desist, or I will drop the drink." But he feared not the threat; afterward he cried, "As God is in heaven, from such delight a man might lose his wits!" "Then you lost your wit long ago. Sit down." He sat down obediently; she poured the drink into the goblet. "Tell me how you sentenced the guilty in Upita." "In Upita? Like Solomon!" "Praise to God for that! It is on my heart that all in this region should esteem you as a steady and just man. How was it then?" Kmita took a good draught of the drink, drew breath, and began,--