Pagina 626 di 788

"As for the cross of the Legion of Honour, the fact that it

arrived late does not derogate from its glory; if it could not

serve Jacek as an adornment, let it serve as a memorial of him: I

hang it on his grave. For three days it will hang there, then it

will be deposited in the chapel, as a votum for the Virgin."

So saying, he took the badge from its case and hung on the modest

cross that marked the grave a red ribbon knotted into a cockade,

and a starry white cross with a golden crown; the rays of the

star shone in the sunlight like the last gleam of Jacek's earthly

glory. Meanwhile the kneeling folk repeated the Angelus, praying

for the eternal repose of the sinner; the Judge walked about

among the guests and the throng of villagers and invited all to

the banquet at Soplicowo.