“If anyone has cause to regret Matthias, it is surely I. Were he living now, I might come to an agreement with Lipka. And perchance,” he added in a louder tone, glancing round, “I might even agree to all your demands. But with whom am I to make terms? With the Commissioner[2] I can have naught to do, and there is no man amongst you now who can represent Lipka.” ----- Footnote 2: The representative of the Russian Government.—_Translator’s Note._ They listened with deep attention, weighing every one of his words. He talked on for some time, and put a few questions; but he might have spoken to a wall with as much effort. No one thought of letting his tongue run freely, or so much as opening his mouth. They only nodded and scratched their heads, and looked at one another.... At length, seeing that he could not break down that barrier of suspicious caution, he went out along with the priest, and all the visitors saw him to the gate. It was only afterwards that their surprise and bewilderment found tongue. “Well, well! The Squire himself coming to a peasant’s burial!” “He fawns on us; therefore he has need of us,” Ploshka said. Klemba took his part. “Wherefore should he not have come as a friend?” “Years have brought you no wisdom. When did ever a Squire come to the peasants as a friend? Say when!” “Since he seeks an agreement, there must be something kept back.” “Only this: that he needs it more than we do.” “And that we are able to hold off!” cried Sikora, who was tipsy. “Ye may be able: not all of us are!” angrily exclaimed Gregory, the Voyt’s brother. They began to quarrel, each man airing his own view. “Let him give up both timber and forest-land, and then we’ll come to terms.” “We need not do so at all. There will be a sentence, and all will be ours by law.” “Mother of dogs! let him go a-begging; ’twill serve him right!” “Because the Jews have got hold of him, lo, he comes whining to us peasants for help!” “And once his only cry was: ‘You peasant! get out of my way, or ’ware my horse-whip!’” Here some one quite drunk cried out: “Never trust him, I tell you; he and his likes only plot the ruin of us peasants.” Then the blacksmith shouted: “Farmers, hear my words—words of wisdom! If the Squire wants to make an agreement, make one by all means, taking what ye can get, and not seeking pears of willow-trees, as the saying is.” Gregory seconded him strongly. “’Tis God’s truth!—Come with me to the tavern, all of you, and let us talk the matter over.” And presently they all left the premises together, accompanied (as it was late) by the gaggling of geese and lowing of herds coming back from the fields, and many a shepherd, playing on the flute. They went along noisily, more than one screaming at the top of his voice, merely to give vent to his satisfaction after the feast and (so to speak) blow off the steam. Meantime, at the Borynas’, when the hut had been tidied up, all was silent and dreary and eerie.