beneath the
horse's neck, as if he were dragging a harrow or riding along a boundary
strip, but continually draws near to the place where the birds are
standing: even so did Thaddeus steal forward.

The Judge foiled his plan; and, cutting him off, hurried to the spring. In
the wind fluttered the white skirts of his dressing-gown and a large
handkerchief, of which the end was fastened in his girdle; his straw hat,
tied beneath his chin, flapped in the wind from his swift motion like a
burdock leaf, falling now on his shoulders and now again over his eyes; in
his hand was an immense staff: thus strode on the Judge. Bending down and
washing his hands in the stream, he sat down on the great rock in front of
Telimena, and, leaning with both hands on the ivory knob of his enormous
cane, he thus began his discourse:--

"You see, my dear, that ever since our Thaddeus has been our guest, I have
been not a little disquieted. I am childless and old; this good lad, who
is really my only comfort in the world, is the future heir of my fortune.
By the grace of heaven I shall leave him no bad portion of gentleman's
bread; it is time too that we think over his future and his settlement.
But now, my dear, pray observe my distress! You know that Jacek, my
brother, Thaddeus's father, is a strange man, whose intentions are hard to
penetrate. He refuses to return home; God knows where he is hiding; he
will not even let us inform his son that he is alive, and yet he
continually gives us directions in regard to him. At first he wanted to
send him to the legions; I was fearfully distressed. Later, however, he
agreed that he might remain at home and marry. He would easily find a
wife; I have a match in mind for him. None of our citizens compares in
name or connections with the Chamberlain; his elder daughter Anna is of
marriageable age, a fair and well-dowered young lady. I wanted to begin
negotiations."

At this Telimena grew pale, closed her book, rose a bit, and sat up.

"As I love my mother," she said, "is there any sense in this, my dear
brother? Are you a God-fearing man? So you think that you will really be
doing a good turn to Thaddeus if you make a sower of buckwheat out of the
young man! You will close the world to him! Believe me, some time he will
curse you! To think of burying such talent in the woods and the garden!
Believe me, judging from my knowledge of him, he is a capable boy, worthy
of acquiring polish in the great world.