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Updated: June 27, 2025
And during that one moment, Michal rushed upon him, hurled him back with all her might, Pirka assisting her, and their united efforts succeeded in pitching the big strong man headlong out of the kitchen. Then they quickly slammed to the heavy oaken door. Michal gave herself up for lost. She would rather have sprung down the well than have stopped till the murderers had battered in the door.
Michal already began to believe that her dove would hatch a brood of gnomes. She began to be tormented with a desire to know exactly how she stood, and what was going on about her. Pirka was a queer creature, certainly; but she was the only woman in the house, and women always hold together, especially in such a house as this. She was not afraid of speaking out before Pirka.
Of course no one need take this literally, but it is certain that men with such blunted nerves as headsmen are not so liable to contagion as other people. "It is a memento of my poor mother," said Michal, pressing the silken sachet to her lips. "Don't do that," said Pirka, in a warning voice. "As often as one kisses such mementos the dead person turns round in his grave."
Then Pirka took her bundle on her back and went off with Michal and Valentine to show them the way to Bártfa, while Simplex stayed behind with the kopanitschar's wife, so that in case the headsman's assistants should stop there for a drink on their way back from Eperies, he might give them an earful of lies. And that is really what he did do.
Everyone in the house had something to do in town. Barbara Pirka brought her her dinner; but the hag had no sooner taken it in than she had to take it out again. Michal would not touch a morsel. Late in the afternoon the men came home. Michal again heard a horrible howling and yelping, brawling voices and heavy footsteps. It was only when they passed her door that they trod softly.
He told me he was a tanner, and I, silly fool! did not inquire what sort of hides he tanned. But I made him pay one hundred-fold for that one deceit, I warrant you." Michal stared blankly at her. She did not understand a word of what Pirka was talking about. Pirka shrugged her shoulders. "My ruby! won't we put on our clothes?" "No!" cried Michal, defiantly, and throwing herself back in the bed.
All that day Barbara Pirka did not bring Michal the clothes in which she had come, nor did Michal again put on the fine dress which had been given to her. She preferred to feign illness and lie in bed. But Henry dared not show his face to her all that day. Neither on that nor yet on the following day did he appear before her. He was waiting till Michal got up.
"He is coming now. He is quite near!" cried Pirka, looking into the pan. "I already hear the galloping of my buck-goat, I already hear his four feet on the roofs of the houses. Now he is springing over the Krivan, now he is running along the Polish Saddle. Hi! Hi! How he is galloping! Quick, my little buck, quick! quick!" Michal's common sense was quite dazed by all these insane proceedings.
On arriving opposite to the opening, she, too, sprang out of the bucket and unloosed it from the chain, whereupon the other bucket loosing its equilibrium, fell down into the water, and the chain ran rattling up to the wheel. "Well, my pretty little lady! I think we may now go on a little further," said Pirka, who carried on her back the bundle in which were all Michal's fine clothes.
Where, pray, is the pastor of Great Leta?" "He is lifting his wife out of the sledge yonder. Is the master at home?" The hangman was usually styled the master. "Where should he be? He's in his workshop of course. But your beard has grown since last I saw you." "Since Mother Pirka regaled me with cheese soup, eh? Don't you recollect? I then promised to marry you as soon as I had grown up.
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