"I remember, but for that very reason pain burns me!"
"No one here applauds Pan Gideon for his action," said Stanislav. "It is one thing to censure, and another to trample a man's honor."
Hereupon the Bukoyemskis were moving, and Mateush, whom speech troubled least, added promptly,--
"Under his roof I will say nothing, but when I recover and meet him on the road, or at a neighbor's, I will tell him to kiss a dog's snout that same minute."
"O, yei!" said Marek. "To insult such a cavalier! The hour will come when that will not be forgiven him."
Meanwhile three sleighs with sofas and three servants, besides drivers, appeared to convey the wounded men to Belchantska. Because of regard for the expected arrival of Pan Serafin, Yatsek dared not detain them, and because also of this: that they were really the guests of Pan Gideon. As to the men, they would not have remained after hearing of Yatsek's great poverty lest they might burden him. They took farewell and gave thanks for his hospitality with a heartiness as great as if there had never been a quarrel between them.
But when Stanislav was taking his seat in the last sleigh Yatsek sprang forward on a sudden,--
"I will go with you," said he. "I cannot endure to do otherwise! I cannot endure! Before Pan Gideon returns I must--for the last time--"
Father Voynovski, since he knew Yatsek, knew that words would be useless; still, he drew him aside and began to expostulate,--
"Yatsek! O Yatsek! a woman again. God grant that a still greater wrong may not meet thee. O Yatsek, remember the words of Ecclesiastes: 'In a thousand I found one man, among all I found not one woman.' Take pity on thyself and remember this."