?" asked the curious guests; whereupon the
Seneschal, raising his wand, spoke as follows (meanwhile brandy was being
served, in preparation for dinner):--

"With your permission, honoured gentlemen and guests, those persons whom
you see there in countless numbers represent the progress of a Polish
district diet, its consultations, voting, triumphs, and disputes; I myself
guessed the meaning of this scene, and I will explain it to the company.

"There on the right may be seen a numerous assembly of gentry: they have
evidently been invited to a banquet, preceding the diet; the board is
waiting ready set, but no one is showing the guests their seats; they are
standing in groups, and each group is deep in discussion. Notice that in
the centre of each group stands a man from whose parted lips, wide-open
eyes, and restless hands you may see that he is an orator and is
expounding something, that he is explaining it with his finger and marking
it on his palm. These orators are recommending their candidates with
various success, as may be seen from the bearing of the brother gentlemen.

"You may be sure that there in the second group the gentry are listening
with attention: this good man has tucked his hands into his belt and has
pricked up his ears; that other is holding his hand to his ear and is
silently twirling his mustache; he is evidently gathering in the words and
storing them up in his memory. The orator takes solid comfort in seeing
that his hearers are converted; he strokes his pocket, for he already has
their votes in his pocket.

"But in the third gathering the situation is quite different: here the
orator must catch his auditors by their belts--notice how they are pulling
away and turning aside their ears; notice how this auditor bristles with
wrath; he has raised his arms and is threatening the orator and stopping
his mouth; he has evidently heard praise showered on his opponent. That
other man has bent down his brow like a bull; you might think him about to
toss the orator on his horns. This party are drawing their sabres, and
those others have started to flee.

"One gentleman stands silent and alone between the groups; he is evidently
a non-partisan and is timidly hesitating for whom to give his vote! He
does not know, and is at odds with himself; he leaves it to chance--he has
lifted up his hands and extended his thumbs; with his eyes shut he aims
nail against nail; evidently he will trust his vote to fortun