Mashko's answer, which Pan Stanislav received two days later, was, "I
bought Kremen yesterday."
Though it might have been foreseen from Marynia's letter that affairs
would take this and no other turn, and the young man was bound to be
prepared for it, the news produced the impression of a thunder-clap.
It seemed to him that a misfortune had happened, as sudden as it was
incurable,--a misfortune for which the whole responsibility fell on
him. Pani Emilia, knowing better than any one else Marynia's attachment
to Kremen, had also a presentiment which she could not conceal, that by
this sale the difficulty of bringing these two young people nearer each
other would be increased greatly.
"If Mashko does not marry Marynia," said Pan Stanislav, "he will strip
old Plavitski in such fashion as to save himself and leave the old man
without a copper. If I had sold my claim to the first usurer I met,
Plavitski would have wriggled out, paid something, promised more; and
the ruin of Kremen would have been deferred for whole years, in the
course of which something favorable might have happened; in every case
there would have been time to sell Kremen on satisfactory conditions.
Now, if they are left without a copper, the fault will be mine."
But Pani Emilia looked on the affair from another side: "The evil is
not in this alone," said she, "that Kremen is sold. You have caused
this sale, and that immediately after seeing Marynia. If some one else
had done so, the affair would not have such a significance; but the
worst is just this, that Marynia was greatly confident that you would
not act thus."
Pan Stanislav felt this as vividly as she; and since he was accustomed
to give himself a clear account of every position, he understood
also that Marynia was the same as lost to him. In view of this, one
thing remained,--to acknowledge the fact and seek another wife. But
Pan Stanislav's whole soul revolted against this. First, his feeling
for Marynia, though sudden, strengthened neither by time nor nearer
acquaintance, though resting mainly on the charm, almost exclusively
physical, which her form had wrought on him, had grown considerably
in recent days. Her letter effected this, and the conviction that
he had inflicted a wrong on her. Compassion for her seized him now,
and he could not think of her without emotion; in consequence of
this, the feeling itself increased through two causes, which play a
very important rôle in each masculine heart. First, that energetic,
muscular man could never yield passively to the course of events. His
nature simply could not endure this. The sight of difficulty roused
him to action particularly. Finally, his self-love also was opposed to
letting Marynia go. The thought which he must acknowledge to himself
sometimes,--that he was only a springe in the hand of that Mashko and
one of the means to his objects; that he had let himself be abused, or
at least used by the advocate,--filled him with rage. Though Mashko
should not receive Marynia's hand, though the affair should end with
Kremen, even that was more than Pan Stanislav could suffer. Now an
irrestrainable desire seized him to go and take the field against
Mashko, to throw a stone under his feet, to cross his further plans,
at least, and show him that his keenness of an advocate was not enough
in a meeting with real manly energy. All these, as well as the more
noble motives, urged Pan Stanislav with irresistible force to undertake
something, to do something. Meanwhile the position was such that there
remained well-nigh nothing to do. Precisely in this contradiction was
hidden the tragedy. To remain in Reichenhall, let Mashko carry out his
plans, extend his nets, work for the hand of Panna Plavitski--no! not
for anything! But what was he to do? To this last question there was
no answer. For the first time in life Pan Stanislav felt as if he were
chained; and the less he was accustomed to such a position, the more
did he bear it with difficulty. He learned too, for the first time,
what sleeplessness means, what excited nerves are. Since Litka, during
the days just preceding, felt worse again, there hung over the whole
society a leaden atmosphere in which life was becoming unendurable.
After a week another letter came from Marynia. This time there was no
mention either of Pan Stanislav or Mashko. Marynia wrote only about the
sale of Kremen, without complaint, and without explanation of how the
affair had taken place. But from this alone he might infer how deeply
the sale had wounded her.
It would have pleased Pan Stanislav more had she complained. He
understood clearly, too, that silence in the letter touching him
showed how far he had been excluded from the heart of that lady, while
silence touching Mashko might show directly the opposite. Finally, if
she valued that Kremen so much, she might return to it by giving her
hand to its present owner; perhaps she had become reconciled by that
thought. Old Plavitski had his prejudices of a noble, it is true, and
Pan Stanislav counted on them; but, considering the man as an egotist
above all, he admitted that in the present case he would sacrifice his
daughter and his prejudices.
In the end of ends, to remain with folded arms at Reichenhall, and wait
for news as to whether Pan Mashko would be pleased to offer his hand
to Panna Plavitski, became for Pan Stanislav simply impossible. Litka,
too, from time to time begged her mother to return to Warsaw. Pan
Stanislav determined, therefore, to return, all the more as the time
was approaching when he and Bigiel had to begin a new affair.
This decision brought him great solace at once. He would return;
he would examine the position with his own eyes, and perhaps
undertake something. In every case it would be better than sitting at
Reichenhall. Both Pani Emilia and Litka heard the news of his departure
without surprise. They knew that he had come only for a few weeks,
and they hoped to see him soon in Warsaw. Pani Emilia was to go in
the middle of August. For the rest of the month she decided to remain
with Vaskovski in Salzburg, and return then to Warsaw. Meanwhile she
promised to inform Pan Stanislav of Litka's health frequently, and
besides correspond with Marynia and learn what her thoughts really were
touching Mashko.
On the day of his departure, Pani Emilia and Litka, with Vaskovski,
took farewell of him at the station. When in the compartment, he was
rather sorry to go. Happen what might, he knew not how things would
turn out at Warsaw; here he was surrounded by persons who were the
sincerest well-wishers that he had in the world. Looking out through
the window, he beheld the sad eyes of Litka raised toward him, and the
friendly face of Pani Emilia, with the same feeling as if they had
been his own family. And again that uncommon beauty of the young widow
struck him,--her features, delicate to the verge of excess, her angelic
expression of face, and her form perfectly maidenlike, dressed in
black.
"Farewell," said Pani Emilia, "and write to us from Warsaw; we shall
see each other in three weeks or sooner."
"In three weeks," repeated Pan Stanislav. "I will write certainly. Till
we meet again, Litus!"
"Till we meet again! Bow from me to Evka and Yoasia."
"I will do so."
And he stretched out his hand through the window again:
"Till our next meeting! Remember your friend."
"We will not forget; we will not forget. Do you wish me to repeat a
novena for your intention?" asked Pani Emilia, smiling.
"Thank you for that too. Do so. Till we meet again, Professor."
The train moved that moment. Pani Emilia and Litka waved their parasols
till the more frequent puffing of the engine hid, with rolls of steam
and smoke, the window through which Pan Stanislav was looking.
"Mamma," asked Litka, "is it really necessary to say a novena for Pan
Stas?"
"Yes, Litus. He is so kind to us, we must pray to God to make him
happy."
"But is he unhappy?"
"No--that is--seest thou, every one has trouble, and he has his."
"I know; I heard in Thumsee," said the little girl. And after a while
she added in a low voice,--
"I will say a novena."
But Professor Vaskovski, who was so honest that he could not hold his
tongue, said after a time to Pani Emilia, when Litka had gone forward,--
"That is a golden heart, and he loves you both as a brother. Now that
the specialist has assured us that there is not the least fear, I can
tell everything. Pan Stanislav brought him here purposely, for he was
alarmed about the little girl in Thumsee."
"Did he bring him?" asked Pani Emilia. "What a man!" And tears of
gratitude came to her eyes. After a while she said, "But I will reward
him, for I will give him Marynia."
Pan Stanislav went away with a heart full of good wishes and gratitude
to Pani Emilia, for the man who has failed and for that reason falls
into trouble, feels the friendship of people more keenly than others.
Sitting in the corner of the compartment, with the image of Pani Emilia
fresh in his mind, he said to himself,--
"If I had fallen in love with her! What rest, what certainty of
happiness! An object in life would have been found; I should know
for whom I am working, I should know whose I am, I should know that
my existence has some meaning. She says, it is true, that she will
not marry, but me!--she might, who knows? That other is perfection,
perhaps, but she may have a very dry heart."
Here he feels suddenly: "Still I can think calmly about Pani Emilia;
while at every recollection of that other a certain unquiet seizes me,
which is at once both bitter and agreeable. I am drawn by something
toward that other. I have just pressed Pani Emilia's hand, and that
pressure has left no sensation; while even now I remember the warm palm
of Marynia, and feel a certain species of quiver at the very thought of
it."
As far as Salzburg, Pan Stanislav thought only of "that other." This
time his thoughts began to take the form, if not of resolves, at least
of questions,--how is he to act toward her, and what in this state of
affairs is his duty?
"It is not to be denied that I caused the sale of Kremen," said he to
himself. "Kremen had for her not only the money value, which might
perhaps have been drawn from it had the sale not been hastened, but
also the value with which her heart was bound to the place. I have
deprived her of both. Briefly speaking, I have wronged her. I have
acted legally; but for a conscience made up of something more than
paragraphs, that is not sufficient. I have offended her, I confess, and
I must correct my fault in some way. But how? Buy Kremen from Mashko?
I am not rich enough. I might perhaps do so by dissolving partnership
with Bigiel and withdrawing all my capital; but that is materially
impossible. Bigiel might fail, should I do that; hence I will not
do it. There is one other way,--to keep up relations as best I can
with Plavitski, and propose later on for the hand of his daughter. If
rejected, I shall have done at least what behooves me."
But here that second internal man, of whom Pan Stanislav made mention,
raised his voice and began,--
"Do not shield thyself with a question of conscience. If Panna
Plavitski were ten years older and ugly, thou mightst have caused in
the same way the sale of Kremen, and taken from her everything which
thou hast taken, and still it would not have come to thy head to ask
for her hand. Tell thyself straightway that Panna Plavitski draws thee,
as with nippers, by her face, her eyes, her lips, her arms, her whole
person, and do not tempt thyself."
But, in general, Pan Stanislav held that second internal man firmly,
and treated him sometimes with very slight ceremony. Following this
method, he said to him,--
"First, thou knowest not, fool, that even in that case I should not
try to make good the injury. That at present I wish to make it good
by proposing for the lady is natural. Men always ask to marry women
who please them, not those for whom they feel repulsion. If thou hast
nothing better to say, then be silent."
The internal man ventured a few more timid remarks, as, for instance,
that Plavitski might give command to throw Pan Stanislav downstairs;
that in the best case he might not permit him to cross the threshold.
But somehow Pan Stanislav was not afraid of this. "People," thought he,
"do not use such means now; and if the Plavitskis do not receive me, so
much the worse for them."
He admitted, however, that if they had even a little tact they would
receive him. He knew that he would see Marynia at Pani Emilia's.
Meditating in this way, he arrived at Salzburg. There was one hour
till the arrival of the train from Monachium, by which he was to go to
Vienna; hence he decided to walk about the town. That moment he saw in
the restaurant the bright-colored pea-jacket of Bukatski, his monocle,
and his small head, covered with a still smaller soft cap.
"Bukatski or his spirit!" cried he.
"Calm thyself, Pan Stanislav," answered Bukatski, phlegmatically,
greeting him as if they had parted an hour before. "How art thou?"
"What art thou doing here?"
"Eating a cutlet."
"To Reichenhall?"
"Yes. But thou art homeward?"
"Yes."
"Thou hast proposed to Pani Emilia?"
"No."
"Then I forgive thee. Thou mayst go."
"Keep thy conceits for a fitter season. Litka is in very great danger."
Bukatski grew serious, and said, raising his brows,--"Ai, ai! Is that
perfectly certain?"
Pan Stanislav told briefly the opinion of the doctor. Bukatski listened
for a while; then he said,--
"And is a man not to be a pessimist in this case? Poor child and poor
mother! In the event of misfortune, I cannot imagine in any way how she
will endure it."
"She is very religious; but it is terrible to think of this."
"Let us walk through the town a little," said Bukatski; "one might
stifle here."
They went out.
"And a man in such straits is not to be a pessimist!" exclaimed
Bukatski. "What is Litka? Simply a dove! Every one would spare her; but
death will not spare her."
Pan Stanislav was silent.
"I know not myself now," continued Bukatski, "whether to go to
Reichenhall or not. In Warsaw, when Pani Emilia is there, even I can
hold out. Once a month I propose to her, once a month I receive a
refusal; and thus I live from the first of one month to the first of
the next. The first of the month has just passed, and I am anxious for
my pension. Is the mother aware of the little girl's condition?"
"No. The child is in danger; but perhaps a couple of years remain yet
to her."
"Ah! perhaps no more remain to any of us. Tell me, dost thou think of
death often?"
"No. How would that help me? I know that I must lose the case;
therefore I do not break my head over it, especially before the time."
"In this is the point,--we must lose, but still we keep up the trial
to the end. This is the whole sense of life, which otherwise would be
simply a dreary farce, but now it is a dull tragedy as well. As to me,
I have three things at present to choose from: to hang myself, go to
Reichenhall, or go to Monachium to see Boecklin's pictures once more.
If I were logical, I should choose the first; since I am not, I'll
choose Reichenhall. Pani Emilia is worth the Boecklins, both as to
outline and color."
"What is to be heard in Warsaw?" asked on a sudden Pan Stanislav, who
had had that question on his lips from the first of the conversation.
"Hast thou seen Mashko?"
"I have. He has bought Kremen, he is a great landholder, and, since
he has wit, he is using all his power not to seem too great. He is
polite, sensible, flattering, accessible; he is changed, not to my
advantage, it is true, for what do I care? but surely to his own."
"Isn't he going to marry Panna Plavitski?"
"I hear that he wants to. Thy partner, Bigiel, said something of this,
also that Mashko bought Kremen on conditions more than favorable. Thou
wilt find clearer news in the city."
"Where are the Plavitskis at present?"
"In Warsaw. They are living in the Hotel Rome. The young woman is not
at all ugly. I called on them as a cousin, and talked about thee."
"Thou mightst have chosen a more agreeable subject for them."
"Plavitski, who is glad of what has happened, told me that thou hadst
done them a service, without wishing it certainly, but thou hadst done
it. I asked the young lady how it was that she saw thee in Kremen for
the first time. She answered that during her visit in Warsaw thou must
have been in foreign countries."
"In fact, I was gone then on business of the firm to Berlin, and I
remained there some time."
"Indeed, I did not observe that they were offended at thee. I heard so
much, however, of the young lady's love of country life, that she must,
I admit, be a little angry at thee for having taken Kremen from her. In
every case, she does not show any anger."
"Perhaps she will show it only to me; and the opportunity will not be
lacking, for I shall visit them immediately after my return."
"In that case do me one little service: marry the lady, for of two
evils I prefer to be thy cousin rather than Mashko's."
"Very well," replied Pan Stanislav, curtly.