Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - The New Soldier.djvu/125

Rh that according to his positive belief the road would need no repair whatever, as people might go across the meadow belonging to Pan Skorabiewsky's farm, without setting foot on the public road. Now, if Pan Skorabiewsky had been present he might probably have raised one or two objections, for the benefit of the public. He was conspicuous, however, by his absence, owing, of course, to the principle of non-intervention. So the objections raised by that honorable member would have prevailed against anything else, unless Pan Zolzikiewicz had not taken dinner, on the day before, with the proprietor of the meadow in question. There, he had related to Lady Jadwiga the scene of two Spanish generals being choked in Madrid, which scene was described in the Breslauer edition of "Isabella of Spain." When dinner was over he had been honored with the obligate handshake, attend-