ver in a summer's day. But ample as his domain appeared, my uncle was
by no means rich upon it. The greater portion had been forest-land for
ages; elsewhere it was occupied by poor peasants and their fields; and
in the centre he lived, after the fashion of his forefathers, in a
huge timber-house with antiquated fortifications, where he exercised
liberal hospitality, especially at Christmas times. My uncle was a
widower, but he had three sons--Armand, Henrique, and
Constantine--brave, handsome young men, who kept close intimacy and
right merry companionship with their nearest neighbours, a family
named Lorenski. Their property bordered on my uncle's land, and there
was not a family of their station within leagues; but independently of
that circumstance, the household must have had attractions for my
cousins, for it consisted of the young Count Emerich, his sister
Constanza, and two orphan cousins, Marcella and Eustachia, who had
been brought up with them from childhood.

The count's parents had died in his early youth, leaving him not only
his own guardian, but that of his sister and cousins; and the young
people had grown up safely and happily together in that forest-land.
The cousins were like most of our Polish girls in the provinces,
dark-eyed and comely, gay and fearless, and ready alike for the dance
or the chase; but Count Emerich and his sister had the praise of the
whole province for their noble carriage, their wise and virtuous
lives, and the great affection that was between them. Both had strange
courage, and were said to fear neither ghost nor goblin--which, I must
remark, was not a common case in Lithuania. Constanza was the oldest
by two years, and by far the most discreet and calm of temper, by
which it was believed she rather ruled the household, though her
brother had a high and fiery spirit. But they were never known to
disagree, and, though still young, neither seemed to think of
marrying. Fortunately, it was not so with all their neighbours. My
stay at my uncle's house had not been long when I found out that
Armand was as good as engaged to Marcella, and Henrique to Eustachia,
while Constantine, the youngest and handsomest of the three brothers,
paid vain though deferential court to Constanza.

The rising was not then publicly talked of, though known to be in full
preparation throughout the country. All the young and brave hearts
among us were pledged to it, and my cousins did not hesitate to tell
m