Whirlpools: A Novel of Modern PolandSienkiewicz, Henryk
General
Whirlpools: A Novel of Modern Poland
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Poland -- Fiction
"In view of this it will perhaps be necessary to end with Kajetana with
her appurtenances."
In a sour temper he returned to Jastrzeb and, having given orders to
the night watch, he went into the house where he received better news.
The doctor announced that Ladislaus had a lacerated left shoulder, but
as the shot was fired from below and went upwards, the bullet coursed
above the lungs. The second shot grazed over the ribs, tearing a
considerable portion of the flesh, while the third one carried off the
tip of the small finger. The wounds were painful but not dangerous. The
coachman received a scalp wound. The most severely injured was the left
forehorse, who, however, owing to the small calibre of the bullet was
able to gallop with the other horses, but died an hour after the
return.
All of which, however, tended to prove that the attack was not the
swift revenge of the landless of Rzeslewo in defence of the forest
rights, but a premeditated attempt. For this reason Gronski was of the
opinion that Pani Otocka and Marynia ought to leave the following day.
He wanted to escort them himself to the railroad station and then
return. But both declared that they would remain until all were able to
leave. On this occasion Marynia, for the first time in her life,
quarrelled with Gronski and the matter actually ended in this, that
Gronski had to yield. After all, the departure was not delayed for a
long time, for the doctor promised that if great caution was observed,
they could transfer the injured man to Warsaw in the course of a week.
No one suggested an immediate departure to Miss Anney.
The rest of the evening was passed in conference. About ten o'clock Dr.
Szremski, having performed all that was required of him, wanted to
leave for the city, but out of regard for Pani Krzycki he remained for
the night, and as he was much fatigued, he went to Gronski's room and
fell asleep at once. The ladies divided the work among themselves in
this manner: the two sisters were to watch Pani Krzycki, who after the
temporary excitement suffered severely from heart trouble and asthma.
Miss Anney in conjunction with Gronski undertook to pass the night with
the wounded young man.
II
Out in the world the first glow of dawn was just visible when Ladislaus
awoke, after a fitful and slightly feverish sleep. He did not feel
badly; only a thirst was consuming him; he began to seek with his eyes
for some one near who could give him water, and espied Miss Anney
sitting at the window. She must have watched a long time for she dozed,
with her hands resting inertly upon her knees, and her head was bowed
so low that Ladislaus at first caught only a glimpse of her light hair,
illuminated by the light of the green lamp. She immediately started up
however, as if she had a premonition that the patient was awake, and it
seemed to him that she divined his thoughts, for, approaching
noiselessly, she asked:
"Do you wish any water?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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