Pagina 348 di 788

At these words the Count withdrew from the balcony, but before he

departed he glanced through the opening of an embrasure, and

exclaimed, seeing a multitude of lights in the household of the

Soplicas, "Illuminate if you will! To-morrow at this time it will

be bright in this castle, but dark in your mansion."

Gerwazy sat down upon the floor, leaned against the wall, and

bent down his thought-laden brow towards his breast. The light of

the moon fell on his bald pate, and Gerwazy drew upon it various

patterns with his finger; it was evident that he was spinning

warlike plans for future expeditions. His heavy lids were more

and more weighed down; his head nodded on his powerless neck; he

felt that sleep was overcoming him, and began according to his

wont his evening prayers. But between the Pater Noster and the

Ave Maria arose strange phantoms, wavering, and jostling each

other: the Warden sees the Horeszkos, his ancient lords; some

carry sabres, and others maces;100 each gazes menacingly and

twirls his mustache, flourishing his sabre or brandishing his

mace-after them flashed one silent, gloomy shadow, with a bloody

spot upon its breast.