"Perhaps they fight duels with the aid of soldiers among you," replied Pan Michael; "but it is not the custom with us."
"In four days then, on Saturday," said Kharlamp. "We shall be in front of the public house at Lipki; and now with God!"
"With God!" said Volodyovski and Zagloba.
The opponents parted quietly. Pan Michael was made happy by the coming amusement, and promised himself to make a present to Pan Longin of mustaches shorn from the light-horseman. He went therefore in good spirits to Zaborovo, where he found Prince Kazimir, who had come to hunt. But Pan Michael saw his future lord only at a distance, for he was in a hurry. In two or three days he carried out his orders, inspected the horses, paid Pan Tshaskovski, returned to Warsaw, and at the appointed time, yes, an hour earlier, he was at Lipki with Zagloba and Pan Kushel, whom he had asked to be his other second.
On arriving in front of the inn kept by a Jew, they entered to moisten their throats a little with mead and amuse themselves with conversation at the glass.
"Here, scald-head! is your master at the castle?" asked Zagloba of the innkeeper.
"He is away in the town."
"Are there many nobles stopping in Lipki?"
"My house is empty. Only one has stopped with me, and he is sitting in the next room,--a rich man, with servants and horses."
"And why did he not go to the castle?"