He stroked his head, and offered him snuff; and Antek, encouraged, at last made a clean breast of it. The priest heard him out, and then said with a deep sigh: “For the slaying of the forester, I should have given you only a canonical penance. You were fighting to save your father; and, moreover, the man—a libertine and an unbeliever—is no very great loss. But the courts will not let you off so. Ye will get at least four years of hard labour! As to escaping.... True, men can live in America. And they get out of jail likewise.—But, between the two evils, the choice is a hard one!” And now he was for Antek’s escaping instantly; now he advised him to stay and work his time out; and said in conclusion: “One thing is undoubtedly to be done: have trust in God’s Providence and wait upon His mercy.” “But they will put me in irons and drive me to Siberia!” “Well, men come back thence: I myself have seen some.” “Aye, but in what state shall I find my farm—after so many a year? How will my wife be able to keep things going?—All will go to rack and ruin!” “With all my heart I wish I could do something for you; but what can be done?—Wait a little: I shall say Mass for you at the altar of the Transfiguration here!—Pray drive me these horses into the stable; it is high time—yes, yes, it is high time to go to bed.” Antek was so greatly upset that he had forgotten all about Yagna, whom he did not remember till he left the priest’s yard, and hastened to find her. She was awaiting him, crouched in the shadow of the granary. “Oh, the time has been long—how long!” Her voice was changed and hoarse ... perhaps with the falling dew. “How could I slip away from his Reverence?” he asked, with an attempt to embrace her; but she thrust him away. “I am in no mood now for that sort of thing!” “You are so changed, I know you no longer!” Her behaviour hurt him. “As ye left me, so I am!” “Were you another, you could not be more different!” He pressed closer to her. “Can you marvel, after such long neglect?” “Never did I neglect you; but could I fly to you out of prison?” “I was alone—alone with my remorse and with a living corpse!” And she shuddered with cold. “And did you never think to come and visit me? Oh, no, your head was full of other thoughts!” “O Antek; Antek!” she exclaimed incredulously; “did you ever expect my coming?” “Can I say how much?—Like an idiot, I was hanging at the bars every day, looking out for you.” He stopped, shaken with sudden anguish. “My God!—And your curses on me—there, beyond the haystack? And your rancour of old days? And when they took you away, did you speak to me—look at me even? Ye had a kind word for all, even for the dog—I marked it well—but none for me!”