The Doll - Bolesaw Prus [403]
‘Ah …’ she sighed, and quickly went into the next room.
‘It strikes me,’ thought Wokulski, as he went downstairs, ‘that at this moment I’ve settled two matters. Who knows but that Szuman wasn’t right?’
From Mrs Wąsowska’s he drove to Rzecki’s apartment. The old clerk was very haggard and could barely rise from his armchair. Wokulski was deeply touched by the sight of him. ‘Are you angry, old fellow, because I haven’t been to see you for so long?’ he asked, shaking him by the hand.
Rzecki shook his head sadly. ‘As if I didn’t know what was happening to you,’ he replied. ‘There’s misery in the world … Misery … Worse and worse …’
Wokulski sat down, thoughtfully. Rzecki went on: ‘You know, Staś, I have a notion it’s time for me to join Katz and my other comrades in the infantry, who are angry with me for defaulting. I know that whatever you decide to do with yourself will be wise and good, but … Wouldn’t it be practical to marry Mrs Stawska? After all, she is your sacrifice, as it were.’
Wokulski clutched his head. ‘Good God!’ he exclaimed, ‘when am I to pay off these women? One flatters herself I am her victim, another is my victim, a third would like to be my victim, and there are dozens of others, each of whom would accept me and my fortune as her victim … An amusing country, this, to be sure, where the women play first violin, and there are no matters of interest, apart from happy or unhappy love!’
‘Well, well,’ Rzecki replied. ‘I am not forcing you. Except, d’you see, Szuman told me you urgently need romance in your life.’
‘Ugh! No! I need a change of scene, and have already prescribed that medicine for myself.’
‘Are you leaving?’
‘The day after tomorrow at the latest I go to Moscow, and then … Where God wills.’
‘Have you anything in mind?’ asked Rzecki, mysteriously.
Wokulski pondered. ‘I don’t know yet: I’m as uncertain as though I were on a swing ten storeys high. Sometimes it seems to me I’ll do something for this world …’
‘As for that …’
‘But sometimes such despair overcomes me, that I’d like the earth to swallow me up and everything I have ever touched.’
‘That’s foolish … Foolish,’ Rzecki interposed.
‘I know it is. Yet I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t make a stir at some future time — or close all my accounts with the world.’
They sat on until late that evening. Some days later, the news spread that Wokulski had left suddenly, and for good.
All his property, from the furniture to his carriage and horses, was acquired lock, stock and barrel by Szlangbaum, at a quite low cost.
XXXVII
The Journal of the Old Clerk
FOR SEVERAL months the rumour has been circulating that on 26 June last year Prince Louis Napoleon, the son of the emperor, perished in Africa. And, what is more, that he died fighting a savage nation, about whom we know neither where they live nor what they are named. For no nation can possibly be called Zulu.
So everyone is saying. Even the Empress Eugénie was supposed to have gone over there and brought her son’s body back to England. I do not know if such is the real state of affairs, for I have not read a newspaper since June and do not care to talk politics.
Politics is stupid! There were no telegrams and leading articles in days gone by, and yet the world moved forwards and every reasonable man could orientate himself in the political situation. But today there are telegrams, leading articles, and the latest news, but it all serves to confuse heads.
But they do worse than cause confusion, they deprive people of their hearts. And if it were not for Kenig or honest Sulicki, then a man would cease to believe in divine justice. Such things they write in the newspapers today!
As for Prince Louis Napoleon, then he may well have died, but he might also have hidden himself from the agents of Gambetta. I pay no attention to rumours.
Still no sign of Klein, and Lisiecki has moved to Astrakhan on the Volga. On departing, he told me that soon only Jews would remain here, and the rest would turn Jewish.
Lisiecki always was a hothead.
My health isn’t what it was.