“Aye, he was puffed up, and proud, and played the great man; now he must pay for his greatness.” “Can his land be taken from him?” “Of course it can; and if it should not suffice, he must go to jail,” Yagustynka said. “The rogue has had his fling: let him have his punishment!” “I could not understand why of late he never showed his face at our cabin, even for the funeral.” “Oh, ’twas not Boryna but Boryna’s widow he cared for!” But Yagna, holding her mother by the hand, was passing by, and they held their peace. Nevertheless, and though the old dame walked stooping and with eyes still bound, Yagustynka could not refrain from a hit at her. “When is Simon’s wedding to be? What we heard to-day from the pulpit was so unexpected!... Though indeed, now the lad is tired of doing a girl’s work, it is hard to forbid him his manhood. And,” she added mockingly, “Nastka will do that work now for him.” Dominikova drew herself up suddenly, and addressed Yagna in a hard voice: “Take—take me away, else that viper will sting me again.” She went sobbing away, and Ploshka chuckled. “Blind as she was, she knew well who you were!” “She’s not so blind but that she can see to tear Simon’s hair out!” “Ah, God grant she may harm no one else besides!” There was no more talking; they were in the great crush close to the gate, and Hanka was separated from the others: not much grieved to be spared that cruel backbiting they enjoyed so. To each of the _Dziads_ she gave a kopek, and five to the blind one with the dog, saying: “Come and dine with us, _Dziad_!—At the Borynas’!” He lifted his head, and rolled his sightless eyes. “I think ye’re Antek’s wife.—God reward you!—Surely I shall come ... and speedily.” Without the gates, the throng was less dense; but there too sat more _Dziads_, in two parallel rows, uttering various complaints. At the very end was a young man, with a green shade over his eyes, singing to the accompaniment of his fiddle ballads about the “kings of olden time,” and surrounded by a large audience: coins were frequently dropped into his cap, his performance being a decided hit. Hanka, who stood close to the churchyard, looking for Yuzka, most unexpectedly happened to see her father. He was amongst the _Dziads_, holding out his hands for alms, and begging with the usual whine of the class! At first she thought her eyes were mistaken, and rubbed them, and looked again. No! it was—it was—he himself! “My father a _Dziad_! O Lord!” She flushed burning red with the shame of it, drew her kerchief far over her brows, and crept round to him from behind the wagons by which he was sitting. “What, oh, what do ye here?” she groaned, crouching behind him lest she should be seen. “Hanka!... Yes ... it is I.” “Come with me!—Come home!—Instantly!—O Lord Jesus, such a disgrace to us all! Come.”