Pagina 344 di 788

"Seize the castle," exclaimed the Warden, "the village and the

lands!"-As he said this he turned to the Count.-"If you wish to

have peace, take possession of the whole. Of what use is the

lawsuit, my boy! The affair is plain as day: the castle has been

in the hands of the Horeszkos for four hundred years; a part of

the estate was torn from it in the time of the Targowica

confederacy, and, as you know, given into the possession of the

Soplica. You ought to take from them not only that part, but the

whole, for the costs of the suit, and as punishment for their

plundering. I have always said to you, let lawsuits alone; I have

always said to you, raid them, make a foray97 on them. That was

the ancient custom: whoever once possessed an estate was the heir

thereof; win in the field and you will win in the court too.