"I am not well yet," said Macko, kissing the abbot's hand, "but I came to bow to you, my benefactor; to thank you for your care of Bogdaniec, and to beg you for a benediction, which is most necessary for a sinful man."
"I heard you were better," said the abbot, placing his hand on Macko's head; "and that you had promised to go to the grave of our late queen."
"Not knowing which saint's protection to ask for, I made a vow to her."
"You did well!" said the abbot, enthusiastically; "she is better than all the others, if one only dare beseech her!"
In a moment his face became flushed with anger, his cheeks filled with blood, his eyes began to sparkle.
They were so used to his impetuosity, that Zych began to laugh and exclaimed: "Strike, who believes in God!"
As for the abbot, he puffed loudly, and looked at those present; then laughed suddenly, and having looked at Zbyszko, he asked: "Is that your nephew and my relation?"
Zbyszko bent and kissed his hand.
"I saw him when he was a small boy; I did not recognize him," said the abbot. "Show yourself!" And he began to look at him from head to foot, and finally said: "He is too handsome! It is a girl, not a knight!"
"To this Macko replied: "That girl used to go to dancing parties with the Germans; but those who took her, fell down and did not rise again."
"And he can stretch a crossbow without a crank!" exclaimed Jagienka.
The abbot turned toward her: "Ah! Are you here?"
She blushed so much that her neck and ears became red, and answered: "I saw him do it."
"Look out then, that he does not shoot you, because you will be obliged to nurse yourself for a long time."
At this the rybalts, the pilgrim and the seminarists broke out with great laughter, which confused Jagienka still more; the abbot took pity on her, and having raised his arm, he showed her his enormous sleeve, and said: "Hide here, my dear girl!"
Meanwhile Zych assisted Macko to the bench and ordered some wine for him. Jagienka went to get it. The abbot turned to Zbyszko and began to talk thus: "Enough of joking! I compared you to a girl, not to humiliate you, but to praise your beauty, of which many girls would be proud. But I know that you are a man! I have heard about your deeds at Wilno, about the Fryzes, and about Krakow. Zych has told me all about it, understand!"