Lipka began to hum like a hive; its chimneys bore each a plume of smoke: savoury dishes were preparing within doors. Gaiety spread from hut to hut with the babble of women; the girls adorned themselves with ribbons plaited in their tresses. Some hurried away to get vodka; for the Jew, much pleased that the peasants were to come back, was willing now to give anything on trust to whoever asked him. And from time to time, someone went up on the roof with a ladder to inspect all the roads that led from the town. Few went afield, so busy were they with preparations. They even forgot to drive the geese out, letting them gaggle and scream in the yards; and the children, left to their own devices, went about playing very naughty pranks. The bigger boys, armed with poles, climbed the poplars, and knocked down the crows’ nests; while the parent birds, looking like great smuts in the sky, wheeled about, croaking distressfully. The other youngsters found a mischievous pleasure in chasing the priest’s blind old horse, which had been harnessed to a water-tub on runners, and which they tried to drive into the pond. It managed to resist its tormentors for a while, but at last, taking fright at the smell of fire in its nostrils, bolted into Boryna’s enclosure, knocking down the gate and getting entangled in the bars: of which they took advantage to come to close quarters and beat it. It might have broken a leg in its plunges to escape; but luckily Yagna came up, drove the urchins away and extricated the poor animal; then, seeing they were still lying in wait for it, she led it back to the priest’s. This took her down a lane between his garden and the Klembas’, just as the organist’s britzka came up. Yanek was bidding his family good-bye on the door-step, and his mother had taken her seat already. “I am bringing back the priest’s horse,” she said demurely; “a lot of urchins were ill-treating it.” “Father, call Valek to take it,” cried the organist’s wife; then, as Valek appeared, “You lout you! to let that horse go alone! It might have broken its leg!” she added. Yanek, seeing Yagna, glanced at his parents, and held out his hand to her. “Yagna! God be with you!” “Going back to school?” His mother answered with pride: “I am taking him to begin studying for a priest.” “A priest!” She raised her eyes and looked at him in admiration. He sat down on the foremost seat, but with his back to the horses. “By this means, I shall see Lipka awhile longer!” he exclaimed, casting a fond glance on the lichen-covered roof of his house, and on the orchards around, all bathed in dew and overladen with blossoms. The horses trotted off.