g he contorted his lips as though he were
amazed at his own words.) "Agreement with the Soplicas! My boy, young
master, you are jesting, aren't you? The castle, the abode of the
Horeszkos, pass into the hands of the Soplicas! Only deign to dismount
from the steed; let us go into the castle; just look it over a bit! You do
not know yourself what you are doing; do not refuse; dismount!" And he
held the stirrup for him to dismount.

They entered the castle; Gerwazy stopped at the threshold of the hall:--

"Here," he said, "the ancient lords, surrounded by their retinue, used
often to sit in their chairs, after they had dined. The lord settled the
disputes of the peasants, or good humouredly told various curious stories
to his guests, or found amusement in their tales and jests. But in the
courtyard the young men fought with staves or broke in the master's
Turkish ponies."

They entered the hall.--"In this immense paved hall," said Gerwazy, "you
cannot find as many stones as tuns of wine have been broached here in the
good old times. The gentry, when invited to a diet, a district assembly, a
family holiday, or a hunting party, would pull the casks from the wine
cellar on their girdles. During the banquet an orchestra was stationed in
that gallery and played the organ36 and various other instruments; and
when they proposed a health the trumpets thundered in chorus; the vivats
followed in orderly succession, the first to the health of His Majesty the
King, then to the Primate,37 then to Her Majesty the Queen, then to the
Gentry and the whole Republic. But finally, after the fifth glass had been
drunk, they always proposed, 'Let us love one another!' a toast unceasing,
which, proclaimed while daylight still lingered, thundered on till dawn,
when horses and waggons stood ready to carry each guest to his lodging."

They passed through several rooms; Gerwazy in silence now fixed his gaze
on the wall and now on the vaulted ceiling, recalling now a sad and now a
pleasant memory; sometimes, as though he would say, "All is over," he
bowed his head in sorrow; sometimes he waved his hand--evidently even
recollection was a torture to him and he wished to drive it off. Finally
they paused, in a large room on the upper story, once set with mirrors;
to-day the mirrors had been removed and the frames stood empty; the sashes
lacked their panes; directly opposite the door was a balcony. Going out on
it, the old man bowed his head in thought