And then he began to talk with Ganhoff, near whom he halted, perhaps of purpose to exhibit himself the better, for Ganhoff was a man marvellously ugly; he had a face dark and pitted with small-pox, a nose like the beak of a hawk, and mustaches curled upward. He looked like the spirit of darkness, but Boguslav near him like the spirit of light.
The ladies entered, – Pani Korf and Olenka. Boguslav cast a swift glance at Olenka, and bowed promptly to Pani Korf; he was just putting his fingers to his mouth, to send in cavalier fashion a kiss to Panna Billevich, when he saw her exquisite beauty, both proud and dignified. He changed his tactics in an instant, caught his hat in his right hand, and advancing toward the lady bowed so low that he almost bent in two; the curls of his wig fell on both sides of his shoulders, his sword took a position parallel with the floor, and he remained thus, moving purposely his cap and sweeping the floor in front of Olenka with the ostrich feather, in sign of respect. A more courtly homage he could not have given to the Queen of France. Panna Billevich, who had learned of his coming, divined at once who stood before her; therefore seizing her robe with the tips of her fingers, she gave him in return a courtesy equally profound.
All wondered at the beauty and grace of manners of the two, which was evident from the greeting itself, – grace not over usual in Kyedani, for, as a Wallachian, Yanush's princess was more in love with eastern splendor than with courtliness, and Yanush's daughter was still a little girl.
Boguslav now raised his head, shook the curls of his wig over his shoulders, and striking his heels together with force, moved quickly toward Olenka; at the same time he threw his hat to a page and gave her his hand.
"I do not believe my eyes, and see as it were in a dream what I see," said he, conducting her to the table; "but tell me, beautiful goddess, by what miracle you have descended from Olympus to Kyedani?"
"Though simply a noble woman, not a goddess," answered Olenka, "I am not so simple-minded as to take the words of your highness as anything beyond courtesy."
"Though I tried to be politest of all, your glass would tell more than I."
"It would not tell more, but more truly," answered Olenka, pursing her mouth according to the fashion of the time.
"Were there a mirror in the room, I would conduct you to it straightway; meanwhile look into my eyes, and you will see if their admiration is not sincere."
Here Boguslav bent his head before Olenka; his eyes gleamed large, black as velvet, sweet, piercing, and at the same time burning. Under the influence of their fire the maiden's face was covered with a purple blush. She dropped her glance and pushed away somewhat, for she felt that with his arm Boguslav pressed lightly her arm to his side.
So he came to the table. He sat near her, and it was evident that in truth her beauty had made an uncommon impression on him. He expected to find a woman of the nobles, shapely as a deer, laughing and playful as a nutcracker, ruddy as a poppy-flower; but he found a proud lady, in whose black brows unbending will was revealed, in whose eyes were reason and dignity, in whose whole face was the transparent repose of a child; and at the same time she was so noble in bearing, so charming and wonderful, that at any king's castle she might be the object of homage and courtship from the first cavaliers of the realm.
Her beauty aroused admiration and desire; but at the same time there was in it a majesty which curbed these, so that despite himself Boguslav thought, "I pressed her arm too early; with such a one subtlety is needed, not haste!"
Nevertheless he determined to possess her heart, and he felt a wild delight at the thought that the moment would come when the majesty of the maiden and that purest beauty would yield to his love or his hatred. The threatening face of Kmita stood athwart these imaginings; but to that insolent man this was but an incentive the more. Under the influence of these feelings he grew radiant; blood began to play in him, as in an Oriental steed; all his faculties flashed up uncommonly, and light gleamed from his whole form as from his diamonds.
Conversation at the table became general, or rather it was turned into a universal chorus of praise and flattery of Boguslav, which the brilliant cavalier heard with a smile, but without overweening delight, since it was common and of daily occurrence. They spoke first of his military deeds and duels. The names of the conquered princes, margraves, barons, streamed as if out of a sleeve. He threw in carelessly from time to time one more. The listeners were astonished; Prince Yanush stroked his long mustaches with delight, and at last Ganhoff said, -
"Even if fortune and birth did not stand in my way, I should not like to stand in the way of your highness, and the only wonder to me is that men of such daring have been found."
"What is to be done, Ganhoff? There are men of iron visage and wild-cat glance, whose appearance alone causes terror; but God has denied me that power, – even a young lady would not be frightened at my face."
"Just as darkness is not afraid of a torch," said Pani Korf, simpering and posing, "until the torch burns in it."
Boguslav laughed, and Pani Korf talked on without ceasing to pose, -
"Duels concern soldiers more, but we ladies would be glad to hear of your love affairs, tidings of which have come to us."
"Untrue ones, my lady benefactress, untrue, – they have all merely grown on the road. Proposals were made for me, of course. Her Grace, the Queen of France was so kind-"
"With the Princess de Rohan," added Yanush.
"With another too, – De la Forse," added Boguslav; "but even a king cannot command his own heart to love, and we do not need, praise be to God, to seek wealth in France, hence there could be no bread out of that flour. Graceful ladies they were, 'tis true, and beautiful beyond imagination; but we have still more beautiful, and I need not go out of this hall to find such."
Here he looked long at Olenka, who, feigning not to hear, began to say something to the sword-bearer; and Pani Korf raised her voice again, -
"There is no lack here of beauties; still there are none who in fortune and birth could be the equal of your highness."
"Permit me, my benefactress, to differ," responded Boguslav, with animation; "for first I do not think that a Polish noble lady is inferior in any way to a Rohan or De la Forse; second, it is not a novelty for the Radzivills to marry a noble woman, since history gives many examples of that. I assure you, my benefactress, that that noble lady who should become Radzivill would have the step and precedence of princesses in France."
"An affable lord!" whispered the sword-bearer to Olenka.
"That is how I have always understood," continued Boguslav, "though more than once have I been ashamed of Polish nobles, when I compare them with those abroad; for never would that have happened there which has happened in this Commonwealth, – that all should desert their king, nay, even men are ready to lay in wait for his life. A French noble may permit the worst action, but he will not betray his king-"
Those present began to look at one another and at the prince with astonishment. Prince Yanush frowned and grew stern; but Olenka fixed her blue eyes on Boguslav's face with an expression of admiration and thankfulness.
"Pardon, your highness," said Boguslav, turning to Yanush, who was not able yet to recover himself, "I know that you could not act otherwise, for all Lithuania would have perished if you had followed my advice; but respecting you as older, and loving you as a brother, I shall not cease to dispute with you touching Yan Kazimir. We are among ourselves, I speak therefore what I think. Our insufficiently lamented king, good, kind, pious, and doubly dear to me, – I was the first of Poles to attend him when he was freed from durance in France. I was almost a child at the time, but all the more I shall never forget him; and gladly would I give my blood to protect him, at least from those who plot against his sacred person."
Though Yanush understood Boguslav's game now, still it seemed to him too bold and too hazardous for such a trifling object; therefore without hiding his displeasure he said, -
"In God's name, of what designs against the safety of our ex-king are you speaking? Who cherishes them, where could such a monster be found among the Polish people? True as life, such a thing has not happened in the Commonwealth since the beginning of the world."
Boguslav hung his head.
"Not longer than a month ago," said he, with sadness in his voice, "on the road between Podlyasye and Electoral Prussia, when I was going to Tanrogi, there came to me a noble of respectable family. That noble, not being aware of my real love for our gracious king, and thinking that I, like others, was an enemy of his, promised for a considerable reward to go to Silesia, carry off Yan Kazimir and deliver him to the Swedes, either living or dead."
All were dumb with amazement.
"And when with anger and disgust I rejected such an offer," said Boguslav, in conclusion, "that man with brazen forehead said, 'I will go to Radzeyovski; he will buy and pay me gold by the pound.'"
"I am not a friend of the ex-king," said Yanush; "but if the noble had made me a proposal like that, I should have placed him by a wall, and in front of him six musketeers."
"At the first moment I wanted to do so, but did not," answered Boguslav, "as the conversation was with four eyes, and people might cry out against the violence and tyranny of the Radzivills. I frightened him, however, by saying that Radzeyovski and the King of Sweden, even Hmelnitski, would put him to death for such a proposal; in one word, I brought that criminal so far that he abandoned his plan."
"That was not right; it was not proper to let him go living, he deserved at least the impaling-stake," cried Korf.
Boguslav turned suddenly to Yanush.
"I cherish also the hope that punishment will not miss him, and first I propose that he perish not by an ordinary death; but your highness alone is able to punish him, for he is your attendant and your colonel."
"In God's name! my colonel? Who is he, – who? Speak!
"His name is Kmita," said Boguslav.
"Kmita!" repeated all, with astonishment.
"That is not true!" cried Panna Billevich at once, rising from her chair, with flashing eyes and heaving breast.
Deep silence followed. Some had not recovered yet from the fearful news given by Boguslav; others were astonished at the boldness of that lady who had dared to throw a lie in the eyes of Prince Boguslav; the sword-bearer began to stutter, "Olenka! Olenka!" But Boguslav veiled his face in sorrow, and said without anger, -
"If he is your relative or betrothed, I am grieved that I mentioned this fact; but cast him out of your heart, for he is not worthy of you, O lady."
She remained yet a moment in pain, flushed, and astonished; but by degrees her face became cool, until it was cold and pale. She sank down in the chair, and said, -
"Forgive me, your highness, I made an unseemly contradiction. All is possible for that man."
"May God punish me if I feel aught save pity!" answered Boguslav, mildly.
"Ho was the betrothed of this lady," said Prince Yanush, "and I myself made the match. He was a young man, hot-headed; he caused a world of turmoil. I saved him from justice, for he was a good soldier. I saw that he was lawless, and would be; but that he, a noble, could think of such infamy, I did not expect."