The Doll - Bolesaw Prus [183]
‘Why is that, father?’
‘You are still a child,’ said Tomasz, somewhat embarrassed, ‘you are an idealist, so … it might set you against them. But you have common sense, after all. The Baron, d’you see, is in some company with usurers and the marshal’s fortune came mainly from lucky fires … and trading in beef during the Crimean war.’
‘So that is what my suitors are like?’ Izabela murmured.
‘It means nothing, Bela. They have money and plenty of credit, and that is the main thing,’ Tomasz assured her.
Izabela shook her head as if to dispel disagreeable thoughts: ‘So, papa, we shall not be going to Paris?’
‘Why not, my child, why not?’
‘If you are going to pay five or six thousand to those Jews …’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll ask Wokulski to get me that amount at six or seven per cent, and we will pay it off at four hundred a year. After all, we have ten thousand.’
Izabela hung her head, softly drummed on the table and pondered: ‘Aren’t you afraid, papa — of Wokulski?’ she asked, after thinking.
‘I?’ Tomasz cried, and struck himself on the chest, ‘I’m afraid of Joanna, Hortensja, even of our Prince and all of them together, but not of Wokulski. If you’d seen how he bathed my head with eau de cologne today … And with what alarm he looked at me! He is the noblest man I ever met … He cares nothing for money, cannot profit from me but cares for my friendship … God has sent-me him and at a time when … I am beginning to feel my age and perhaps … death.’
With this, Tomasz began blinking his eyes, from which a few tears oozed.
‘Papa, you are ill!’ Izabela cried, alarmed.
‘No, no — it is the heat, the vexation and above all — my grievances. Just think: did anyone call on us today? No one, because they think we have already lost everything … Joanna is afraid I may borrow money from her for tomorrow’s dinner … The same goes for the Baron and the Prince … When the Baron learns we have thirty thousand left, he will come here — for you. Just think that even if he married you with a dowry, he would not have to spend any money on me … But calm yourself; when they hear we have ten thousand a year, they will all come back again and you will reign in your drawing-room as before. My God, how vexed I am!’ said Tomasz, wiping his tearful eyes.
‘Am I to send for the doctor, papa?’
Her father considered: ‘Tomorrow, tomorrow will do … by tomorrow it may have passed of its own accord.’
At this moment a knock came at the door: ‘Who is it? Who’s there?’ asked Tomasz.
‘The Countess has come,’ said Flora’s voice from the corridor.
‘Joanna?’ Tomasz exclaimed with joyful surprise, ‘go to her, Bela … I must collect my wits somewhat … Well, just fancy! I wager she has found out about the thirty thousand … Go to her, Bela! Mikołaj!’
And he began fidgeting around the bedroom looking for various parts of his attire, while Izabela went to her aunt, who was already awaiting her in the drawing-room. Seeing Izabela, the Countess embraced her: ‘So God is good, after all,’ she exclaimed, ‘to send you so much happiness! Well, I hear Tomasz got ninety thousand for the house and your dowry is safe. I’d never have supposed …’
‘Aunt, my father expected more, but some Jew, the new purchaser, frightened off other bidders,’ said Izabela, rather offended.
‘Oh, my child — haven’t you found out about your father’s impractical ways? He may have imagined the house was worth millions, while in fact it was worth seventy thousand or so at the most. After all, houses are auctioned every day, everyone knows what they are like and what is paid for them. Anyhow, there is nothing more to be said; let your father imagine he was cheated, but you, Bela, do pray for the health of that Jew who paid ninety thousand … By the way, did you know Kazio Starski is back?’
A powerful flush appeared on Izabela’s face: ‘When? Where from?