Page 687 of 788

"I will not disturb your happiness, madam," said the Count, and

he turned away his eyes, full of grief and contempt; and, in

order to punish his faithless sweetheart, he chose the

Chamberlain's daughter as the object of his constant flames.

The Seneschal was eager to make peace between the estranged young

men by citing wise examples, so he began to recount the story of

the wild boar of the forests of Naliboki, and of the quarrel

between Rejtan and the Prince de Nassau;222 but meanwhile the

guests had finished eating their ices and were going outside the

castle into the yard, to enjoy the fresh air.

There the peasantry were just finishing their banquet, and

pitchers of mead were going the rounds; the musicians were

already tuning their instruments and summoning people to dance.

They looked for Thaddeus, who was standing some distance away and

whispering something of pressing moment to his future wife:-