She had shrewdly guessed at the unspoken desire of Yagna, who ran out into the village, and followed the Tsiganes about all the afternoon. Unable either to free herself of a vague dread, or to overcome her curiosity to know the future, she returned to the cabin many a time, and went out again as often; and it was only when twilight fell, and the Tsiganes were going off to the forest, that she saw one of them enter the tavern, followed her in, and, in extreme terror, crossing herself again and again, had her fortune told, heedless of the bystanders. At Boryna’s cabin in the evening, Pete told them about the Tsiganes: how they had a king, who went about covered with silver bosses, and was so perfectly obeyed that, should he even in jest command one of them to hang himself, he would do so at once! “A king of thieves!” whispered Vitek; “a mighty man whom they set the dogs at!” “Accursed heathens!” the old woman chimed in; and, drawing nearer, related how the Tsiganes were wont to kidnap children all about the villages. “And, to make them black, they put them in a bath of alder-bark, so that their own mother would not know them; and then they take a brick and rub away the flesh—even to the bone—where the holy oil of baptism had been set: they simply make little fiends of them.” “And ’tis said,” a girl’s voice piped shrilly, “that they know charms and incantations awful even to name!” “Aye, indeed; one would have but to breathe on you, and moustache would sprout out to a cubit’s length at once!” “We are told that a man of the parish of Slupia once set his dog on a Tsigane hag: she only waved a mirror before his eyes, and he was struck stone-blind!” “Belike, they can change a man into anything they may choose—into a beast even!” “Ha! whosoever drinks overmuch does truly change himself into a swine!” “But what of that farmer in Modlitsa, who barked and ran on all fours?” “He was possessed of an evil spirit that his Reverence cast out of him.” “Gracious Lord! can such things be? It makes my flesh creep to think of them.” “Yea, for the Wicked One prowleth on every side as a wolf round the fold!” Terror clutched at their hearts; they gathered closer together, while Vitek, all of a flutter with dread, faltered out: “But this place too is haunted!” Yagustynka was down upon him at once: “Don’t be a fool; don’t talk nonsense.” “I do not. For I know that Something walks the stable at night, and shakes out the provender, while the horses neigh.... And then it passes out beyond the haystack; for Lapa follows it, first growling, then fawning and wagging its tail: and yet there is no one to be seen.... It must be Kuba’s ghost,” he added in a low voice, looking round him with dread. “Kuba’s ghost!” echoed Yuzka, and crossed herself several times. All were greatly impressed, and cold to the very backbone. The door opened, creaking: they all started and cried out. It was only Hanka standing on the threshold.