صفحة 238 من 788

Gerwazy was not there; he had gone to join the beaters, not

wishing that the Count, young and inexperienced, should undertake

alone so important and difficult an expedition. So he had gone

with him for counsel, and likewise for defence.

To-day Gerwazy's place, the farthest from the threshold, between

two benches, in the very corner of the tavern (called pokucie74),

was occupied by the Monk, Father Robak, the alms-gatherer.

Jankiel had seated him there; he evidently highly respected the

Bernardine, for whenever he noticed that his glass was empty he

immediately ran up and told them to pour out for him July mead.75

They said that the Bernardine and he had been acquainted when

young, somewhere off in foreign lands. Robak often came by night

to the tavern, and consulted secretly with the Jew about

important matters; they said that the Monk was smuggling goods,

but this was a slander unworthy of belief.