Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/169

Rh and exhibit due gratitude. Zbyshko yielded and went arrayed as if for a wedding, in that same gold-embroidered, golden-clasped, white-satin jacket won by them. Zyh received him with open arms, with delight and with songs. Yagenka, on reaching the threshold of the main room, stopped as if fixed to the spot, and came near dropping the pitcher of wine when she saw Zbyshko, for she thought that some king's son had come to them." She lost her boldness immediately and sat in silence, merely rubbing her eyes from time to time, as if trying to rouse herself from slumber.

Zbyshko, who lacked experience, thought that for reasons which he knew not, she was not glad to see him; so he talked only to Zyh, praising his bounty as a neighbor and admiring his court, which really resembled Bogdanets in nothing.

Abundance and wealth were there visible on all sides. In the rooms were windows with panes of horn scraped so smooth and thin that they were almost as transparent as glass. There were no fires in the middle of rooms, but great chimneys with niches in the corners. The floor was of larch plank well washed, on the walls were arms and a multitude of plates, shining like the sun, a beautifully cutout spoon-rack with rows of spoons, two of which were silver. In one place and another hung carpets plundered in wars, or obtained from travelling merchants. Under the tables lay gigantic tawny skins of wild bulls, also skins of wild boars and bisons.

Zyh showed his wealth with willingness, saying from moment to moment that that was Yagenka's housekeeping. He conducted Zbyshko also to a room, odorous of pitch and mint, from the ceiling of which hung wolf, fox, beaver, and marten skins in whole bundles. He showed him the cheese house, he showed stores of wax and honey, barrels of flour and rusks, hemp, and dried mushrooms. Then he took him to the granaries, the cowhouses, the stables and pens, to sheds in which were wagons, implements for hunting, with nets for fishing, and so dazzled his eyes with abundance that when the young man came back to supper he could not refrain from expressions of wonder.

"One should live here and never die," said Zbyshko.

"In Mochydoly there is almost the same order," said Zyh. "Thou dost remember Mochydoly? That is toward Bogdanets. Formerly our fathers quarrelled about the boundary, and sent challenges to each other to fight, but I will not quarrel."

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