Children of the Soil

Marynia looked at him with moist eyes and said, “If only you are happy.”

“Is it possible not to be happy with you? I saw that from the first moment at Kremen. But afterward, you know, everything was spoiled. I thought you would marry Mashko, and how I worried – ”

“I was angry, and I beg forgiveness – my dear – Pan Stas.”

“This very day the professor said, ‘Marynia is gold,’” exclaimed Pan Stanislav, with great ardor. “This is true! all say the same – not only gold, but a treasure – a very precious one.”

Her kindly eyes began to smile at him: “Maybe a heavy one.”

“Let not your head ache over that. I have strength enough; I shall be able to bear it. Now at least I have something to live for.”

“And I,” answered Marynia.

“Do you know that I have been here already to-day? I sent chrysanthemums later. After yesterday’s letter to you, I said to myself, ‘That is simply an angel, and I should lack, not only heart, but common-sense to delay any longer.’”

“I was so alarmed about that duel, and so unhappy. But is it all over now?”

“I give you my word, most thoroughly.”

Marynia wanted to make further inquiries, but at that moment Plavitski came. They heard him cough a little, put away his cane, and remove his overcoat; he opened the door then, and, seeing them alone, said, —

“So you are sitting all by yourselves?”

But Marynia ran up to him, and placing her hands on his shoulders, and putting forth her forehead for a kiss, said, —

“As betrothed, papa.”

Plavitski stepped back a little and inquired, “What dost thou say?”

“I say,” answered she, looking quietly into his eyes, “that Pan Stanislav wishes to take me, and that I am very happy.”

Pan Stanislav approached, embraced Plavitski heartily, and said, “I do with uncle’s consent and permission.”

But Plavitski exclaimed, “Oh, my child!” and, advancing with tottering step to a sofa, he sat on it heavily. “Wait a moment,” said he, with emotion. “It will pass – do not mind me – my children! If that is needed, I bless you with my whole heart.”

And he blessed them; wherewith still greater emotion mastered him, for, after all, he loved Marynia really. The voice stuck in his throat repeatedly; and the two young people heard only such broken expressions as, for example, “Some corner near you – for the old man, who worked all his life – an only child – an orphan.”

They pacified him together, and pacified him so well that half an hour later Plavitski struck Pan Stanislav on the shoulder suddenly, and said, —

“Oh robber! Thou wert thinking of Marynia, and I was thinking thee a little – ” He finished the rest in Pan Stanislav’s ear, who grew red with indignation, and answered, —

“How could uncle suppose such a thing? If any one else had dared to say that?”

“Well, well, well!” answered Plavitski, smiling; “there is no smoke without fire.”

That evening Marynia, taking farewell of Pan Stanislav, asked, —

“You will not refuse me one thing?”

“Nothing that you command.”

“I have said long to myself that if a moment like the present should come, we would go to Litka together.”

“Ah, my dear lady,” answered Pan Stanislav; and she continued, —

“I know not what people will say; but what do we care for the world – what indeed?”

“Nothing. I am thankful to you from my heart and soul for the thought – My dear lady – my Marynia!”

“I believe that she looks at us and prays for us.”

“Then she is our little patroness.”

“Good-night.”

“Good-night.”

“Till to-morrow.”

“Till to-morrow,” said he, kissing her hands, – “till after to-morrow, daily;” and here he added in a low voice, “Until our marriage.”

“Yes,” answered Marynia.

Pan Stanislav went out. In his head and in his heart he felt a great whirl of feelings, thoughts, impressions, above which towered one great feeling, – that something unheard of in its decisiveness had happened; that his fate had been settled; that the time of reckoning, of wavering and changing, had passed; that he must begin a new life. And that feeling was not unpleasant to him, – nay, it verged on a kind of delight, especially when he remembered how he had kissed Marynia’s hair and temples. That which was lacking in his feelings shrank and vanished almost utterly in this remembrance; and it seemed to Pan Stanislav that he had found everything requisite to perfect happiness. “I shall never grow sated with this,” thought he; and it seemed to him simply impossible that he should. He remembered then the goodness of Marynia, and how reliable she was; how on such a heart and character he might build; how in living with her nothing could ever threaten him; how she would not trample on any quality of his, nor make it of no avail; how she would receive as gold that which in him was gold; how she would live for him, not for herself. And, meditating in this way, he asked what better could he find? and he wondered indeed at his recent hesitation. Still he felt that what was coming was a change so gigantic, so immensely decisive, that somewhere at the bottom, in the deepest corner of his soul, there was roused a kind of alarm before this unknown happiness. But he did not hesitate. “I am neither a coward nor an imbecile,” thought he. “It is necessary to go ahead, and I will go.”

Returning home, he looked at Litka; and immediately there opened before him, as it were, a new, clear horizon. He thought that he might have children, have such a bright dear head as this – and with Marynia. At the very thought his heart began to beat with greater life, and to the impulse of thoughts was joined such a solace of life as he had not known previously. He felt almost perfectly happy. Looking by chance at Bukatski’s letter, which he took from his pocket before undressing, he laughed so heartily that the servant looked in with astonishment. Pan Stanislav wished to tell him that he was going to marry. He fell asleep only toward morning, but rose sprightly and fresh; after dressing, he flew to his office to announce the news to Bigiel at the earliest.

Bigiel embraced him, then, with his usual deliberation, proceeded to consider the affair, and said finally, —

“Reasoning the matter over, this is the wisest thing that thou hast done in life;” then, pointing to a box of papers, he added, “Those contracts ought to be profitable, but thine is still better.”

“Isn’t it?” exclaimed Pan Stanislav, boastfully.

“I will fly to tell my wife,” said Bigiel, “for I cannot contain myself; but go thou home, and go for good. I will take thy place till the wedding, and during the honeymoon.”

“Very well; I will hurry to see Mashko, and then Marynia and I will go to Litka.”

“That is due from you both to her.”

Pan Stanislav bought more flowers on the way, added a note to them that he would come soon, and dropped in to see Mashko. Mashko was notably better, under the care of Pani Kraslavski, and was looking for her arrival every moment. When he had heard the news, he pressed Pan Stanislav’s hand with emotion, and said, —

“I will tell thee only one thing, – I do not know whether she will be happy with thee, but certainly thou wilt be happy with her.”

“Because women are better than men,” answered Pan Stanislav. “After what has happened to thee, I hope that thou art of this opinion.”

“I confess that to this moment I cannot recover from astonishment. They are both better, and more mysterious. Imagine to thyself – ” Here Mashko halted, as if hesitating whether to continue.

“What?” inquired Pan Stanislav.