d the prayer of the robber, that you relent, and hear in patience
what I have to say. I have myself declared my name; to ease my conscience
I must gain or at least beg forgiveness. Hear my confession; then you will
do with me as you wish."

Here he joined his two hands as though in prayer; the Warden drew back
amazed, smote his hand on his brow and shrugged his shoulders.

And the Monk began to tell of his former intimacy with the Horeszko and of
the love between him and the Pantler's daughter, and of the enmity between
the two men that thence arose. But he spoke confusedly; often he mixed
accusations and complaints in his confession, often he interrupted his
speech as though he had ended, and then began anew.

The Warden, who was thoroughly familiar with the story of the Horeszkos,
straightened out in his mind the whole tale, though it was sadly tangled,
and could fill up the gaps in it; but the Judge entirely failed to
understand many points. Both listened attentively, bending their heads
forward; but Jacek spoke more and more slowly, and often interrupted
himself.

* * * * * * * *

"You already know, my dear Gerwazy, how often the Pantler used to invite
me to banquets; he would propose my health, and many a time he cried,
raising his beaker aloft, that he had no better friend than Jacek Soplica.
How he would embrace me! All who saw it thought that he shared his very
soul with me. He a friend? He knew what then was passing within my soul!

* * * * * * * *

"Meanwhile the neighbourhood was already whispering; gossips would say to
me: 'Ah, Pan Soplica, your suit is vain; the threshold of a dignitary is
too high for the feet of Jacek the Cup-Bearer's son.' I laughed,
pretending that I mocked at magnates and their daughters, and that I cared
nothing for aristocrats; that if I often visited them, I did it out of
mere friendship, and that I would never marry outside my own station in
life. And yet these jests pricked my soul to the quick: I was young and
daring, and the world was open to me in a land where, as you know, one
born a simple gentleman may be chosen king just as freely as the most
powerful lord. Once Tenczynski asked in marriage a daughter of a royal
house, and the King gave her to him without shame.173 Are not the Soplicas
of equal merit with the Tenczynskis, through their blood, through their
ancient crest, and through their faithful service to th