Page:Brandes - Poland, a Study of the Land, People, and Literature.djvu/122

110 been on his way to danger he had left a pair of boots behind, and had thus scattered no less than 112 pairs of boots in Russia, Turkey, and Asia.

Perhaps much apparent heroism may be explained by such a firm faith in boots.

We drove on; it grew dark and the stars appeared. We drove through miserable towns and still more miserable villages, whitewashed frame houses, common wooden houses with thatched roofs, and outside swarms of bare-legged children.

The horses did not get tired, and the avenue seemed to be endless. As far as we could see, no manor-house was visible for miles round. I began to insist that Krolewice did not exist at all, that probably we were travelling in a circle and most likely towards dawn we should drive through B. at a gentle trot and return to the station at K. Mme. Jozefa's grey eyes gleamed laughingly in the darkness; the two young girls, guests, agreed that I was right, and began to tell stories, that moved them to incessant peals of laughter. One funny story called forth another, and while the fields sent forth their aromatic perfume, and the air grew cooler and fresher, the merry carriage rushed on in the transparent darkness of the midsummer night. One might have supposed that it contained only happy people.

At length we caught sight of something white behind large groups of trees. Soon we faintly saw the outlines of a spacious courtyard and the contour of a mighty garden.

The carriage makes a turn, drives through the open gateway and stops. In the luminous hall were assembled the staff of the manor and all the servants in gala dress to receive their master and mistress. After a hasty toilet, we all assembled late in the evening for the dinner so long postponed. It looked so pretty; the table was decked with masses of flowers, and all was festively arranged for the occasion, with excellent food and Polish champagne—that is, French, imported half finished, and given the last admixture here, as otherwise the duty would amount to two rubles and fifty copecks for each bottle.