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And I am not afraid of work, for I am young and strong; I know

how to walk about the place and wear a bunch of keys: you will

see how quickly I shall learn how to manage the household!"

While Zosia was speaking these last words, Gerwazy came up to

her, amazed and glum.

"I know it already," he said, "the Judge has already been

speaking of this liberty! But I do not understand what that has

to do with peasants! I am afraid that there may be something a

trifle German in this! Why, liberty is not a peasant's affair,

but a gentleman's! To be sure, we are all derived from Adam, but

I have heard that the peasants proceed from Ham,223 the Jews from

Japhet, and we gentry from Shem; hence we are lords over both, as

the elder brothers. But now the parish priest gives us different

teaching from the pulpit-he says that so it was under the old

law; but that when once Christ our Lord, though he sprang from

the blood of kings, was born among Jews in a peasant's stable,

from that time on he has made equal all classes of men and

brought in peace among them. Well, so be it, since it can't be

otherwise! Especially if, as I hear, Your Excellency my Lady

Sophia has agreed to everything; it is for you to give orders and

for me to obey them: authority belongs to you alone.