ds--the altar, the image, and even the belfry and
the galleries. Sometimes a morning zephyr, stirring from the east, would
tear down the garlands and throw them upon the brows of the kneeling
worshippers, and would spread fragrance abroad as from a priest's censer.

When the mass and the sermon were over in the church, there came forth at
the head of the whole gathering the Chamberlain, who had recently been
unanimously chosen Marshal of the Confederacy192 by the electoral assembly
of the district. He wore the uniform of the wojewodeship, a tunic
embroidered with gold, a kontusz of gros-de-Tours with a fringe, and a
massive brocade belt, on which hung a sabre with a hilt of lizard skin. At
his neck shone a large diamond pin; his cap was white, and on it was a
large tuft of costly feathers, the crests of white herons. (Only on
festival days is worn so rich an ornament, every little feather of which
is worth a ducat.) Thus adorned, he stepped up on a mound before the
church; the villagers and soldiers crowded around him: he spoke:--

"Brothers, the priest has proclaimed to you from the pulpit the liberty
that the Emperor-King has already restored to the Kingdom, and is now
restoring to the Duchy of Lithuania, to all Poland; you have heard the
official decrees and the letters convening a General Diet. I have only a
few words to say to the company on a matter that pertains to the Soplica
family, the lords of this district.

"All the neighbourhood remembers the crime committed here by the deceased
Pan Jacek Soplica; but, since you all know of his sins, it is time to
proclaim his merits, also, before the world. Here are present the generals
of our armies, from whom I have heard all that I tell you. This Jacek did
not die at Rome, as was reported, but only changed his former way of life,
his calling, and his name; and all his offences against God and his
country he has blotted out by his holy life and by great deeds.

"It was he who at Hohenlinden,193 when General Richepanse, half
vanquished, was already preparing to retreat, not knowing that Kniaziewicz
was on the way to his rescue--it was he, Jacek, called Robak, who amid
spears and swords brought to Richepanse from Kniaziewicz letters
announcing that our men were attacking the enemy in the rear. Later, in
Spain, when our uhlans had taken the fortified ridge of Somosierra,194 he
was wounded twice by the side of Kozietulski! Following this, as an
emissary, with secret instr