The very next day after the escape from the police Pauly visited
Laskowicz and afterwards called to see him as often as she could find
leisure time, selecting, nevertheless, hours when Swidwicki was not at
home. But this did not present great difficulties as Swidwicki usually
rose about noon, after which he went away and did not return until late
at night. The girl was not induced to make these frequent visits by any
sentimentality nor exceptional benevolence for the young student. She
even felt, particularly in the first moments, that she could despise
him. But women love in general to look at close range at their good
deeds and to behold, even daily, the people for whom they have become
providential angels; and again Laskowicz, with every word, disclosed to
her worlds of whose existence she heretofore had never guessed. About
socialists thus far she knew almost nothing, except what a certain old
female cook once told her, that "they do not believe in God and do not
eat ducks"; and she only heard that they threw bombs and shot from
revolvers. After the attack upon Krzycki howsoever much she, together
with all the servants in Jastrzeb, was convinced that it was
perpetrated by Rzeslewo men, nevertheless, the supposition that it
might have been the socialists reached her ears, and then she was
inflamed against them with a temporary ungovernable hatred. But now she
was learning that they were people of an entirely different stamp. She
did not yet understand what in general they wanted, but understood in
particular that those people desired that she, Paulina Kielkowna,
should be a kind of lady like Miss Anney or Pani Otocka. And as a bee
sips juice from flowers, so she, from the words of the young fanatic,
extracted nourishment for her envy, her pain, her feelings. Her heart
began to draw her towards that "Party," which appeared to her as a
Providence and as a power; and to this was joined the purely feminine
curiosity of the awful secrets of that power. Laskowicz quickly
observed that the seed fell upon fit soil; and when once, for uttering
inadvertently a disparaging word against Krzycki, the girl almost
scratched out his eyes, he surmised her secret and determined to
exploit her, not only for the good of the cause but also for his own
personal ends.
Although Pauly was not the servant of Pani Otocka but of Miss Anney,
she nevertheless dwelt in the same house; so he could, through her,
secure news of Marynia, which he craved with all his soul; he could
quiet his fears as to Krzycki's intentions, could speak of her and hear
her name; and finally could gain information as to when and where he
could see her, though from a distance. And he questioned Panna Pauly
about all this; at first cautiously and casually, afterwards more and
more, and at last so incessantly that this began to surprise and anger
her. Prone to extremes, and more capable of hatred than affection, she
worshipped, by way of exception, Marynia, regarding her as a sort of
supernal being, and this worship in her was as violent as was her
hatred. On the other hand, on the ideal path, in the direction of
universal equality and dislike of the higher classes she made in a
brief time considerable progress. She could not however, cast off at
once her former notions, and she frequently had sudden relapses to
them. Hence at one time, when Laskowicz as usual began to hurl
questions at her about Panna Marynia, she answered him testily:
"Why are you always talking about Panna Zbyltowska?"
"Perhaps I am in love with her," retorted the student, knitting his
brow.
At this her eyes in a moment blazed with rage.
"What more yet?"
And he began to peer at her keenly and asked:
"Why does the little lady say 'what more yet'?"
"For you are as suited for her as I am--"
And she paused abruptly, but he finished:
"To Pan Krzycki, for instance."
Then she burst into a greater rage yet.
"Why do you meddle in matters that do not concern you?"
"I do not meddle in anything. I say only if the little lady fell in
love with him and if I, hearing of it, said 'What more yet?' that would
be disagreeable to the little lady? And it would be justly
disagreeable. For if the priests prate that it is permissible to love
even God, why not a human being? It is permissible for the little lady,
it is permissible for me, it is permissible for everybody, for that is
the law of nature and therefore our law."
The words seconded that which was hidden in the girl's heart too much
for her anger to remain, so she only glanced at Laskowicz, as if in
sorrow, and replied:
"Eh! Much good will come of that law!"
"It will come or not come, in time. After all, if we adjusted the world
in our own way, no dog would bark at such things. Is not the little
lady worthy of Krzycki? Why not? Is it because he is richer? That is
just what we are trying to prevent. Then what? Education? Lady, spit
upon it. That education you can teach to a monkey. It is he, if the
little lady wanted him, who ought yet to kiss the little lady's feet."
But she again became impatient and replied:
"Idle talk."
"I also want only to say that in case I should fall in love with Panna
Marynia and the little lady with Krzycki, our lot would be identical
and the wrong the same."
"Wrong in what?"
"In the vile institutions of this world; in this, that such riff-raff
as ourselves are permitted to love only to suffer, and we are not
allowed to raise our eyes even upon the bourgeoisie, even though the
hearts within should whine like dogs."
"True," answered the girl through set teeth. "But what of it?"
"This: that we ought to give to each other our hands, as brother and
sister, and not be angry at each other, but assist one another. Who
knows whether one may not be of service to the other?"
"Eh! In what way can we help each other?"
And he again began to gaze fixedly at her with his eyes set so closely
to each other and said, uttering each word slowly:
"I do not know whether Krzycki is in love with Panna Marynia or with
that Englishwoman whom the little lady serves; or perhaps with neither
of them."
In one moment Pauly's face was covered with a pallor; afterwards a
flame passed over it, which in turn gave way to pallor. In her soul
there might have been dumb fears, but up to that time she had dared not
put to herself any questions. Those ladies were entertained in Jastrzeb
as guests. Pani Otocka and Panna Marynia were Krzycki's relatives;
therefore there was nothing unusual in their relations. On the other
hand, when the "Englishwoman" in Jastrzeb drove for the doctor and
later nursed the wounded man, that was a time when the heart of the
girl raged with jealousy and uneasiness. Afterwards she was placated by
the thought that such a young nobleman would not wed a foreign
"intruder," no matter how wealthy, but, at present, jealousy pierced
her like a knife.
Laskowicz continued:
"The little lady asked in what way we can help one another, did she
not?"
"Yes."
"At least in--revenge,"
After which, he changed the conversation.
"Let the little lady come to me and, if I sometimes inquire about
anything, let her not get angry. If at times it is hard for her, it is
not easy for me. One lot, one wrong. Let the little lady come. I do not
want to live with Swidwicki any longer. He is a peculiar man. I know
that he did not take me out of the goodness of his heart, but as he
placed himself in peril on my account I must endure everything from
him. In the meantime he so maligns our party that I feel an impulse to
shoot him in the head or stab him with a knife."
"Why do you argue with that old goat?"
"Because he talks and I must listen. Often he goads me into a reply.
Somebody else for lesser things would get a knife under the ribs."
"But I will not be able to hide you a second time, for I do not know
where."
"No. I myself will find some sort of hole; I have already thought of
that. Our people will help. I now have a passport and am bleached
yellow on the head. Some of my associates could not recognize me. Even
if I am caught they will not try me as Laskowicz but as Zaranczko of
Bessarabia, unless some one should betray me, but such there is not
among us."
"Only be careful, sir, and when you know where to hide, let me know. I
will not betray."
"I know, I know; such do not betray."
After which he suddenly asked:
"Why does not the little lady want to agree that we should call each
other 'associates'? Amongst us we all speak that way."
But she rebuffed him at once.
"I told you once I cannot endure that."
"Ah, if it is so, then it is hard."
Pauly began to prepare for home. Laskowicz on the leave-taking made a
second departure from the customs governing his associates, for he
kissed her hand. Previously he had noticed that this raised her in her
own eyes; that it flattered her and brought her into a good humor.
Although not by nature over-intelligent, he observed that the
principles of the Party alone would not entirely hold her, and that he
would have in that girl an aid capable of all extremes, but only so far
as her own personality entered into the play. This lowered the opinion
which he held of her and his gratitude to her. He nevertheless
submitted to this despotism, remembering that he owed to her his life.
At present he had, besides, a favor to ask of her; so at the door he
kissed her hand a second time and said:
"Panna Pauly--the same lot, the same wrong. Let the little lady answer
yet one more question. Where can I see though from a distance--though
from a distance--"
"Whom?" she asked, knitting her brows.
"Panna Marynia."
"If from a distance, then I will tell," she replied reluctantly. "The
little lady is to play for the starving working people and at noon goes
to the rehearsals."
"Alone?"
"No, with Pani Otocka or with my mistress; but sometimes with one of us
servants."
"Thank you."
"But only from a distance--do you understand, sir,--for otherwise you
will fare badly."
And after these words, which sounded like a menace, she left him. The
next moment Laskowicz heard through the door Swidwicki's voice and
laughter, after which something resembling a scuffle, a suppressed
scream, and--the sound of hasty footsteps on the stairs; finally
Swidwicki stumbled into the room, drunk.
"What were you doing here?" he asked.
"Nothing," answered Laskowicz.
And he began to scan the room, evidently desiring to satisfy himself
whether he could not detect some signs of disorder, and repeated:
"Nothing!"
"I give you my word of honor," the student exclaimed with energy.
At this Swidwicki leered at him, fingering his disheveled beard and
said:
"Then you are a fool!"
After which he flung himself upon the sofa, for he had partaken of a
sumptuous breakfast and was sleepy.