The Doll - Bolesaw Prus [385]
He wiped away some tears with his sleeves. ‘What does this mean?’ asked Wokulski, surprised.
‘Nothing, sir. I know who it was I married, but I was easy in mind, because the woman was good, quiet, hard-working and as attached to me as a dog. Well, what of that? As long as I was easy in my mind, until I saw her former gentleman friend, or whatever he was …’
‘Where?’
‘In Zasław, sir,’ Węgiełek continued. ‘One Sunday, Maria and I went to the castle; I wanted to show her that stream where the blacksmith perished, and that stone you told me to put the inscription on. I noticed the carriage of Baron Dalski, who married the granddaughter of the late Duchess. She was a good woman, may God rest her soul!’
‘Do you know the Baron?’ asked Wokulski.
‘I should say so,’ Węgiełek replied. ‘The Baron is now landlord of the Duchess’s estate, until something is done there. And he’s already had me paint rooms and repair windows. I know him! A real gent, and generous too …’
‘So what happened?’
‘So, like I was tellin’ you, sir, Maria and me were in the castle, looking at the stream, when all at once the Duchess’s granddaughter comes out of the ruins, with that son-of-a-bitch Starski.’
Wokulski threw himself into a chair. ‘Who?’ he whispered.
‘That there Mr Starski, the Duchess’s grandson, who fawned on her while she was alive, but now wants to challenge her will, for he says his grandma went mad before she died … That’s what sort of a person he is.’
He paused, then went on: ‘He had the Baroness by the hand, they looked at our stone, and talked and giggled. Then Starski looked around. He saw my wife, and smiled at her a little, and she went as pale as a handkerchief. “What is it, Maria?” say I. But she: “Nothing.” Meanwhile, the Baroness and that scoundrel ran down the castle hill and went into the woods. “What is it?” say I to Maria again, “only tell me the truth, for I noticed you recognised that scoundrel.” And she sat down on the ground, and burst into tears: “May God punish him,” she says, “it was he who first ruined me.”’
Wokulski closed his eyes.
Węgiełek went on in an angry voice: ‘When I heard that, sir, I thought I’d run after him and kick him to death on the spot, even in front of the Baroness. Such anger came over me … Then I asked myself: “Why did you marry her, you fool? You knew very well what sort of woman she was.” And at that moment my heart sank, so I was afraid to leave the spot, and couldn’t look at my wife at all.’
‘She says: “Are you angry?” and I say: “I suppose this is where you used to meet him?” — “God be my witness that I only saw him that once.” “You took a good look at one another!” say I, “would to God I’d been blinded before I saw you: would to God I’d died before I met you. …” And she asks me, weeping, “Why are you angry?” Then I told her, for the first and last time, “You’re an animal, that’s what …” Because I couldn’t control myself any longer.’
‘Then I see the Baron himself rush up, coughing till he went livid in the face, and he asks: “Did you see my wife, Węgiełek?” Something flashed through my mind then, so I said: “I saw her, Your Excellency, she went into the thicket with Mr Starski. He’s run short of money for buying girls, so now he’s chasing after married ladies …” Well, and the way he looked at me then, even though he’s a Baron!’
Węgiełek wiped his eyes surreptitiously: ‘Yes, that’s how my life is, sir. I was easy in my mind until I caught sight of that scoundrel; but now, no matter who I see, it seems to me that he’s my brother-in-law. And it turns me against my wife, although I don’t talk about it … It turns me against her, as if something had happened between her and me … I can’t even kiss her like I used to, and if it weren’t for the marriage vow, I can tell you, sir, that I’d have left home and gone off to the other end of the world. But it all comes from being attached to her. For if I didn’t love her, it wouldn’t matter. She’s a careful housekeeper, cooks