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The horses started, Zoska tried to get into the sledge. 'What are you doing? cried her attendants, pulling her back. 'That's my little girl! cried Zoska, holding on. 'What if she is yours? said the Soltys, 'there's one road for you and another for her.
'She's always been like that, said the other, who had known her a long time, 'yet she's not bad at rough work. A few versts from the village, where the chimneys peeped out from beyond the snowy hills, they came upon the little cortege. The attendants, noticing something unusual in the look of it, stopped and talked to the Soltys.
'But she is worth it! said the Soltys. 'Still, money sits in the chest and doesn't eat. 'Neither will it give milk. 'I should have to rent the field. 'That will be cheaper than buying fodder. A long silence ensued, then Slimak said: 'Well, neighbour, say your last word. 'I tell you, thirty-five paper roubles and a silver rouble. Gryb will be angry, but I'll do this for you.
How comfortable he made himself! Maciek tried to lean back in the same fashion, but the scandalized wall pushed him forward, reminding him that he was not the Soltys. So although his back ached, he bent still lower and hid his feet in their torn boots under the bench. Why should he be comfortable? It was enough if the master and the Soltys were. He ate his soup and listened with both ears.
The Wojt is a pig...you are more to me than the Wojt or even the Government Inspector, for you are cleverer than they are...devil take me! They fell on each other's shoulders and Grochowski wept. 'Josef, brother,...don't call me Soltys but brother...for we are brothers! 'Wojciek...Soltys...say how much you want for the cow.
He looked contentedly from behind his steaming bowl at the table; the smoking lamp seemed to him the most brilliant illumination, and the wooden chairs the height of comfort. The sight of the Soltys, who was lolling back, filled him with reverence.
'Their religion is better than the Jews', the Soltys said, after reflecting; 'but what is not Catholic is nothing. They have churches with benches and an organ; but their priests are married and go about in overcoats, and where the blessed Host ought to be on the altar they have a crucifix, like ours in the porch. 'That's not as good as our religion.
'But are not you going to sit down? 'I always eat last with the children. Maciek, you may take your bowl. Maciek, grinning, took his portion and sat down on a bench opposite the alcove, so that he could see the Soltys and listen to human intercourse, for which he was longing.
'Very proper, Slimak agreed, wishing to impress her with his theological knowledge, but she turned to the stove and took off a pot of hot barley soup. Offering it to him with an air of indifference: 'Don't talk so much, she said. 'Put something hot inside you and go to the manor-house. But just try and bargain as you did with the Soltys and I shall have something to say to you.
Their functions in the townships or villages are of a different kind; in small villages there may be only one of these functionaries, the Soltys. He is the representative of the Government, collects rates and taxes and requisitions horses for the army. The Wojt is head of the village, and magistrate. 'What an odd way of riding? who can it be? not the squire, nor his coachman.
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