Страница 383 из 788

At daybreak there had appeared in Dobrzyn a mounted messenger; he

galloped from cottage to cottage and awoke them as if to work for

the manor: the gentry arose and filled with a crowd the streets

of the hamlet; cries were heard in the tavern, candles seen in

the priest's house. All were running about, each asked the other

what this meant; the old men took counsel together, the young men

saddled their horses while the women held them; the boys scuffled

about, in a hurry to run and fight, but did not know with whom or

about what! Willy-nilly, they had to stay behind. In the priest's

dwelling there was in progress a long, tumultuous, frightfully

confused debate; at last, not being able to agree, they finally

decided to lay the whole matter before Father Maciej.