Imprecations, threats, and even the priest’s tearful entreaties, were all of no avail. They stood gazing stolidly on the fire with sombre looks, and remained immovable. Kobusova even shook her fist at the Manor servants she could see. “Those sons of dogs!” she shrieked. Only the Voyt, the Soltys, and the smith drove over to the fire at last; and that without any appliances, the peasants refusing to let them take so much as a bucket with them. “The dirty scoundrel who touches one of them shall be cudgelled to death!” they all shouted in chorus. The whole village was there in a close-packed crowd, down to the youngest, busily soothing the cries of infants in arms. Few spoke. All looked on, greedily feasting their eyes and hearts, enjoying the thought that the Lord had punished the Squire for the wrong done them. It burned on far into the night, but no one went home. They waited patiently till all was over, till the whole farm was one sea of fire, and the burning thatches and shingles flew up and came down in a red rain, and the vermilion reflections from the great sheets of fire waving in the dark, tinged the tree-tops and the mill-roof, and threw a faint glimmer on the pond, strewn as it were with dull glistening embers. Rolling carts, men’s shouts, the din of bellowing, and fearful threats of destruction, echoed through the village: and still there the people stood like a living wall, feeding their eyes and souls with vengeance. But there arose from outside the tavern old Ambrose’s husky drunken voice, continually singing the same unvarying song! CHAPTER VI It was a strange piece of news that Hanka heard the next morning; one that made her start up in bed. But Yagustynka luckily caught hold of her in time, and pressed her down on the pillow. “Hold ye still! Is the cabin afire?” “But he says such things!—He must be mad!” “Nay,” Bylitsa replied, stooping to sneeze after an abundant pinch of snuff; “nay, I am in my right mind, and what I say I know. Since yesterday, Mr. Yacek is my lodger!” “Hear ye? He has quite lost his wits!... Pray look whether they are not coming home yet: it must be starved, my new-born!” The old woman went on tidying and sanding the room. Hanka’s father sneezed so violently that he was thrown back on to a bench. “Ye’re loud as the trumpet that tells the time in the market-place.” “Ah, because it is strong snuff: Mr. Yacek gave me a whole packet!” It was early. The sun, bright and warm, looked into the cabin; the orchard trees waved; through the half-open door appeared the straight necks of geese, with coral beaks at the end; and a whole family of muddied and noisy goslings tried to scramble over the high threshold. Thereupon a dog growled: the geese screamed, and brooding hens in the passage cackled in alarm, and began to flutter out of their nests. “Please drive them to the orchard; they will have grass to pluck, at any rate.”