Страница 634 из 788

Here they broke off their conversation, but, deep in thought,

they continued to drink; one could only hear now and then these

brief words, "Yes, yes, Gerwazy"; "Yes, Protazy."

The bench adjoined the kitchen, the windows of which were

standing open and pouring forth smoke as from a conflagration; at

last between the clouds of smoke, like a white dove, flashed the

shining nightcap of the head cook. The Seneschal, putting his

head out of the kitchen window, above the heads of the old men,

listened in silence to their talk, and finally handed them some

biscuits in a saucer, with the remark:-

"Have something to eat with your mead, and I will tell you a

curious story of a quarrel that seemed likely to end in a bloody

fight, when Rejtan, hunting in the depths of the forests of

Naliboki, played a trick on the Prince de Nassau. This trick he

nearly atoned for with his own life; I made up the gentlemen's

quarrel, as I will tell you."