ne had heard his
witty jests or seen a smile upon his face. He always wore the ancient
livery of the Horeszkos, a long yellow coat with skirts, trimmed with lace
that now was yellow, but once had doubtless been gilt; around its edge was
embroidered in silk their coat of arms, the Half-Goat, and thence all the
neighbours had given the title of Half-Goat to the old gentleman.
Sometimes also, from a phrase that he incessantly repeated, they called
him My-boy, sometimes Notchy, for his whole bald head was notched with
scars. His real name was Rembajlo, but no one knew his coat of arms; he
called himself the Warden, because years ago he had held that office in
the castle. And he still wore a great bunch of keys at his girdle, on a
band with a silver tassel, though he had nothing to open with them, for
the gates of the castle stood gaping wide. However he had found two
folding doors, which he had repaired and set up at his own expense, and he
amused himself daily with unlocking these doors. In one of the empty rooms
he had chosen a habitation for himself; though he might have lived at the
Count's mansion on alms, he refused, for he pined away everywhere else,
and felt out of sorts unless he was breathing the air of the castle.

As soon as he caught sight of the Count, he snatched the cap from his
head, and honoured with a bow the kinsman of his lords, inclining a great
bald pate that shone from afar and was slashed with many a sabre, like a
chopping-block. He stroked it with his hand, came up, and, once more
bending low, said mournfully:--

"My boy, young master--pardon me, that I speak thus to Your Excellency the
Count; such is merely my custom, and it betokens no lack of respect. All
the Horeszkos used to say 'My boy'; the last Pantler, my lord, was fond of
the phrase. Is it true, my boy, that you grudge a penny for a lawsuit, and
are yielding this castle to the Soplicas? I would not believe it, yet so
they say all through the district."

Here he gazed at the castle and sighed incessantly.

"What is there strange in that?" said the Count. "The cost is great and
the bother greater yet; I want to finish up, but the stupid old gentleman
is obstinate; he foresaw that he could tire me out. Indeed I cannot hold
out longer, and to-day I shall lay down arms and accept such conditions of
agreement as the court may offer me."

"Of agreement?" cried Gerwazy, "of agreement with the Soplicas? with the
Soplicas, my boy?" (So speakin