“He denounced ... more than one.—Oh, how he clenched his fists!—To be stern with sinners, to throw stones at them—anyone can do that.—But there is no one can prevent the evil thing!” She felt deeply mortified at the slur on her own family, and her mood was very angry.—“But,” she added, dropping her voice, “he made no allusion whatever to the Voyt.” Matthew cursed savagely. He would have put one other question, but hesitated; and they moved on in silence, Hanka much vexed at the whole business. Yes, Yagna had sinned, she said to herself. Yes, she deserved punishment.... But to be rebuked from the pulpit, and almost by her name—it was too much!... She was the wife of Boryna, and not a common drab!—He had said naught against Magda or the girls in the mill: yet all knew of their doings!—And the lady of the Manor of Gluhov: did not all know of her fondness for peasant lovers? Had he said one word of her? Her dignity as a Borynova was hurt. “Did he ... did he mention Teresa?” The question was put at last, so low that she scarcely heard it. “Aye. He mentioned both. And everyone guessed of whom he was speaking. Someone must have set him against her.” He was near exploding with rage. “They say it is either Dominikova’s work or Balcerkova’s. The former is avenging herself on you for Simon and Nastka; the other would fain have you for her own girl Mary.” “Aha! Sits the wind in that quarter? I should not have dreamed it.” “Men only see what is under their noses.” “Well, Balcerkova has lost her trouble; and she may well be trounced for it yet by Teresa. Besides, to spite Dominikova, Simon shall marry Nastka: I’ll see to that myself.—Those miserable hags!” “They work out their schemes, and honest folk have to suffer for them,” she said with sorrow. “Each one tries to hurt everyone else: ’tis hard to bear life here.” “So long as Matthias was with us, they had someone to keep them in bounds, someone to listen to.” “Very true. Our Voyt is a fool who knows naught, and who plays such pranks that the folk can abide him no longer. Oh, if Antek were but to come back!” “He will—he will! And shortly! But”—and her eyes sparkled—“would he be obeyed?” “Yes. ’Tis settled between me and Gregory and the others. And when he returns, we shall set the village in order, with him at our head. Ye shall see.” “It is high time. Things here are getting loose, as a wheel when the linchpin has dropped off.” They were now at the hut, where several people had already gathered in the porch—somewhat under a score of farmers ready to start, along with the best of the farm-hands. Yet (as previously, and for the forest expedition) all the villagers had declared that they would go ... to a man! “Our Voyt ought to come with us,” someone observed, stripping the bark off a stick. “The Head Official,” another answered, “has summoned him to the District Office; and the scrivener says he will be ordered to call a meeting and get a school voted by Lipka and Modlitsa.”