All were in a moment struck dumb with fear: a cold thrill went through them. They looked at one another, without dreaming of defying the man who stood there, grim and threatening before them, rolling savage eyes over the terrified multitude. Again he sat down, while the Voyt and his party once more attempted to frighten the peasants into obedience. “Vote for the school!—We must!” “Have ye not heard? An ill thing is impending!” Meanwhile, the scrivener read the list of names, and the cry, “Here! Here!” was heard with incessant reiteration. This done, the Voyt ordered those who were for the school to pass to the right and raise their hands. A good many did so, but the bulk of the assembly would not budge. The head official then, knitting his brows, ordered the votes to be taken by name, “that all might be done with strict justice.” Gregory was dismayed on hearing this order. He was but too sure that the majority would weaken, and not venture to oppose the vote. The polling took a long time, for the people were very numerous; but the result was given at last: “Ayes, two hundred; noes, eighty.” Gregory’s party raised a great protest. “We have been cheated!—Vote again!” “I said, No! and they put my vote down for the school!” one man, soon followed by many others, declared persistently; and the more zealous proposed to tear up the papers and thus annul the voting. A coach from the Manor then passed by good fortune outside the Office, and the people had to draw back willy-nilly. The District Official, having read the list, handed to him by a manservant, declared solemnly: “It is well; ye shall have a school in Lipka.” No one spoke a word any more; they all stood gazing at him in silence. He then, after signing a few papers, got into his coach and drove away. They all bowed to the ground. He took no notice of them, even by a glance; but, having spoken a few words with the gendarmes, turned off to the Manor of Modlitsa by a side road. Their eyes followed him in silence. At last, one of Gregory’s men said: “That lamb, so meek and mild, can show fangs that bite deeper than a wolf’s—aye, and when we least expect it, trample us under his feet!” “How could they govern at all, unless we were fools and they scared us?” Gregory breathed hard, looked round, and whispered: “For to-day, we have lost: it is hard; but the people have not yet learned how to resist.” “And that they will hardly learn, so long as everything can frighten them.” “My God! what a man! He tramples even the laws underfoot.” “Aye, they are for us, not him!” Here a peasant from Przylek came complaining to Gregory. “I meant to vote for you; but behold! when he fixed his eyes on me, I could not speak a word, and the scrivener wrote down what he pleased.” “There have been so many abuses that we might well make an appeal.” “Come all to the tavern!” cried Matthew. “May a brimstone thunderbolt smash them all!” Then, turning to the crowd, he shouted: