"For half a century Poland has been an example of a constant, unflagging, and unrelenting cruelty of tyrants." "However, she has also been an example of such a limitless sacrifice of her people and such a stubborn constancy as had not been known since the days of the persecution of the early Christians." "It seems that the kings have Herod's premonition about the appearance of a new light on the Earth and their own approaching downfall while the people still more strongly believe in rebirth and resurrection." "LAVA" "It always seems to me" "That someone sees my tears and hears my sighs," "And circles around me still as if a shadow." "How often during the day I hear" "The rustle of some flying nymph's feet;" "I look up and I see flowers tremble and move their heads" "As if someone touched them." "Oft when I sat in my chamber," "Reading a book alone, the book fell from my hands," "I looked up and there opposite the mirror there was" "A light figure, her airy dress rustled in silence." "Oft did I ponder in the night, when my thoughts fly high" "I sighed and something signalled its presence with a sigh." "My heart beat and I felt the beat of another heart," "Sometimes even a word, distant and unclear," "As if the wings of some night fly touched my ear!" "I fell asleep in a light haze, above and away" "There is a shine, however, it takes no distinct shape;" "I can sense the brightness of the eyes and the smile of the face!" "Where are you, mysterious daughter of loneliness?" "It is dark everywhere, it is quiet everywhere." "Let us listen attentively, let us watch closely," "Let us hurry to the secret rite," "With a muted song, let us step slowly." "We are not singing carols," "We are singing the song of mourning..." "When it is dark everywhere, when it is quiet everywhere." "Let us hurry to the secret rite." "Don't wring your hands, young damsel," "Don't cry, save your eyes." "Your eyes will look into other eyes," "Your hand will shake another hand." "Don't wring your hands, young damsel," "Don't cry, save your eyes." "The one you cry for will look at you no more," "He will never shake your hand." "Who suffers of the dreamers' disease" "Brought his suffering upon himself." "He wanted to find for free" "What he had only in his soul." "You who recall days past," "You who dream of the future," "Go from this world to the grave," "Come from the sages to the shamans!" "We are surrounded by darkness of mysteries," "Song and faith are our leaders," "Come to us you who despair," "Who remembers and who wishes." "Who in his younger years" "Does not act with his strong arm," "But with his heart and his thoughts," "He is lost to the world." "Who like an animal seeks the desert," "Flies in the night like an owl," "Like a demon knocks on coffins," "He is lost to the world." "Who once in his younger years" "Sung a mournful song, he will sing it always." "Who when young visits graves," "He will not return from them to the world." "Let children and fathers" "Go to church with their pleas and bread;" "The young ones may stay here," "Halfway there under the clear sky." "Who is there?" "Who is it knocking?" "Who am I?" "It is still early." "I cannot tell." "I have come from far, I don't know, from hell" "Or from paradise." "And I am going to this country." "The heaven and tortures of my youth!" "They twisted my wings And forced them upwards" "So that I could not fly any lower." "A lover of delusions he saw only in his dreams," "Hating the boring turn of mundane affairs," "Detesting creatures of less fancy provenience," "I sought, oh!" "I sought the divine lover" "Who had not yet appeared in this world..." "I have still on my mind the vision of this farewell." "I recall it was autumn, a chilly evening;" "I was to leave on the next day..." "I am wandering in the garden!" "I sought in thoughts and prayers the armour" "I could wear on my heart which is originally soft," "So that I could withstand the last bullet of her sight!" "I roamed among the bushes where my eyes would lead me it was most beautiful night!" "I can still recall" "It had rained some hours earlier" "The earth was covered with dew drops," "The valley wore mists as if a sea of snow." "From this side a thick cloud pushed more clouds," "From that side the pale moon shone through," "The stars drowned in the blue sky after their nightly voyage." "I look up... and see the morning star right above me..." "I have known it well since, we greet every day!" "I look downwards at the bushes." "By the bower" "I saw her suddenly!" "Her dress was white among dark trees," "She stood immobile like a column on a grave;" "And then she started to run like a light puff of warm wind." "She cast her eyes to the ground..." "She did not look at me!" "Her cheeks are very pale." "I turn to her, look from the side," "I notice a tear in her eye;" "Tomorrow, says I, tomorrow I am leaving!" "Farewell!" " she answers quietly, I can hardly hear her," "Forget!" "...I will forget?" "Oh!" "How easy it is to command like that!" "Order, my dear, your shadows to melt" "And forget to follow you wherever you go!" "..." "It is easy to give commands!" "Forget!" "Although there is sadness in your confession." "The girl that you mourn is allegedly still alive?" "Do not believe it, although the scoffers" "May repeat it a thousand times:" "Listen to what your heart tells you:" "Maryla lives no more!" "Even though hidden in the mist, the stars move towards one another" "The mist disappears and the stars come together for eternity." "The chains that bind you here will disappear with the Earth," "And there up above you will recognize each other," "And God will forgive you your excessive passion." "When the Sun lights up the world," "When the night wears her dark robes;" "I am looking for her, I am chasing her," "She is always near me, never with me!" "The clock strikes ten" "And the cock crows for the first time," "Time flies, life passes and the first light has gone out," "It is two hours more I am so cold!" "Cold wind blows through the chinks it is so cold here!" "...Where am I?" "In the house of a friend." "My Son!" "Son!" "This voice like the flash of lightning" "Pulls my mind from the dark shadows?" "Yes, I know where I am, whose house this is." "Yes, you are my second father, this is my fatherland!" "I recognize this dear house!" "How everything changes!" "The children are grown now and your hair turned grey!" "Gustaw!" "You are Gustaw!" "Gustaw!" "Oh, my God!" "My disciple!" "My son!" "Father, I can still hug you!" "Because later..." "Soon..." "I will depart for a distant land" "Oh!" "You will have to take this journey too" "We shall hug then but for eternity." "How can it be?" "I have recently visited the house of my late mother," "I could hardly recognize it!" "There is so little left!" "Wherever you look - ruins, void, and destruction!" "The fence stolen, stones taken from the floor," "Moss grows in the yard, with Wormwood and thistle." "The silence reminded me of a graveyard at midnight!" "The place looked so different once when I returned there." "Cry!" "Alas, the pain of memory torments us but" "Changes nothing around us!" "I went to the garden as well" "The same season, autumn, the cool of the evening," "The same skies shaded by clouds," "The same pale moon and dew drops like pearls," "And the mist that seemed like lightly falling snow;" "And the stars drowned in the blue sky after their nightly voyage." "And the same morning star right above me" "That I saw then, that I see daily;" "In these same places I was tortured by the same feeling," "Everything was as it used to - only she was not there!" "I come up to the bower, some rustling at the entrance," "Is it her?" "..." "No!" "It is the wind pushing yellow leaves." "Oh bower!" "You were the cradle and the grave of my love," "It was there that I got to know her and there I said goodbye!" "Oh!" "What did I feel there!" "Maybe she had sat there," "The previous evening she had breathed the same air!" "I am listening, I am looking around, but to no avail." "I saw only a small spider above me," "Hanging from a small leaf on a frail thread," "He and I equally feebly connected to the world!" "I leaned against a tree, suddenly I noticed at the bench" "Bouquets, grass, a leaf in the grass," "This very leaf, a half of my little leaf" "Which reminds me of our last farewell!" "An old friend of mine, we greeted cordially" "I talked to him for a long time and asked many questions When does she wake up?" "Does she play in the morning?" "Which songs does she usually play on her piano?" "To which source does she go for a walk?" "In which room does she like to stay best?" "Does she blush modestly when she remembers me?" "Does she not recall me against her own wishes')..." "Woman!" "You fickle, wayward creature!" "Angels are envious of your looks." "But your soul is worse than..." "My God!" "You have been blinded by gold!" "And the empty gay bubble of honours!" "Oh!" "May everything you touch change into gold," "Wherever you turn your heart and lips," "Kiss, touch cold gold!" "I sigh!" "Why do I sigh?" "I sighed for her." "No!" "I cannot forget her even when I am dead." "But I see her, she stands here!" "She cries for me..." "what an honest tear!" "Listen and mark this" "According to the divine command" "Who once visited paradise alive" "After death will not get there immediately." "The souls in purgatory!" "Wherever you are," "We celebrate Forefathers' Eve!" "Come to this holy temple," "We have aims, we have prayers," "There is food and drink as well." "It is dark everywhere, it is quiet everywhere," "What is going to happen?" "What do you need, soul," "To get to heaven?" "We do not need anything." "We are unhappy because of" "Too much happiness we experienced on Earth." "We need no masses." "We ask not for sweets, milk nor cookies," "Give us two seeds of mustard," "This meagre service, Will be enough for us Listen and mark this," "According to the divine command;" "Who never experienced bitterness on the Earth," "Will not get to the sweetness of heaven." "Let us listen and mark this, According to the divine command;" "Who never experienced bitterness on the Earth," "Will not get to the sweetness of heaven." "Little angel, little soul!" "Here you are what you both asked for." "Here is a seed, here is a seed." "Now go away with the Lord." "Who will not listen to our request," "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." "Can you see the Lord's Cross?" "You do not need any food or drink" "Then leave us in peace!" "Begone!" "Begone!" "It is dark everywhere, it is quiet everywhere," "What is going to happen?" "Ravens, owls, eagles!" "Oh, you cursed gluttons!" "Let me come up to the chapel," "Let me at least come near..." "Tell us what you need," "Who of you is hungry?" "Who of you is thirsty?" "...Children!" "Don't you know me, children?" "Look at me closely," "Remember me!" "I am your late master, children!" "What does your soul need to avoid the torments?" "Do you ask for heaven's mercy?" "To heaven?" "it's a pointless blasphemy..." "No!" "I don't want to go to heaven any more;" "I only want my soul to leave My body as soon as possible." "I would very much rather go to hell" "To suffer all its torments," "I want to be in hell rather then to roam the earth" "With other evil spirits for ever." "Oh, how he suffers from thirst!" " If only he could get some water!" " You knew no mercy, master!" " If we only gave him" " Owls, eagle owls, ravens," " Two mere grains of wheat!" " Let us know no mercy as well!" "Let us tear the food into pieces," "And when there is no food left," " Let us tear the flesh into pieces," " Yes," " Revealing his bare bones!" " I must suffer for centuries," "It is a just verdict divine!" "Because no man can help someone" "Who was not human even once." "If there is nothing that can help you," "Begone, poor thing." "Who will not listen to our request," "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." "Can you see the Lord's Cross?" "You do not take any food or drink" "Then leave us in peace!" "Begone!" "Begone!" "It is dark everywhere, it is quiet everywhere," "What is going to happen?" "Tell us what you need," "Who of you is hungry?" "Who of you is thirsty?" "Nothing makes me sad, nothing causes pain," "I can do whatever miracles I desire." "I spin dresses made of rainbows," "I turn transparent tears of the morning" "Into butterflies and turtledoves." "And I don't know where this boredom comes from:" "Every rustle makes me look for someone, Oh," "and I am always alone!" "It makes me feel sad that so ceaselessly" "The wind blows me hither and thither." "I do not know whether I belong to this... or the other world." "Where I come near, the wind blows me away," "It carries me up, down, at an angle;" "And this way among the fleeting waves" "I fly the eternal way" "I cannot fly up to heaven," "I cannot touch the ground." "What do you need, little soul," "In order to get to heaven?" "I need nothing, I need nothing!" "May the youths come to me," "May they hold my hands," "May they drag me down to the earth," "Let me play with them for a while." "Let us listen and mark this," "According to the divine command;" "Who never touched the earth," "Will never get to heaven." "Fly away with the Lord," "Who will not listen to our request," "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." "Can you see the Lord's Cross?" "You didn't take any food or drink?" "Then leave us in peace!" "Begone!" "Begone!" "It is dark everywhere, it is quiet everywhere," "What is going to happen?" "What do you need, young ghost?" "Do you ask for the glory of heaven?" "Do you ask to partake in the sacred feast?" "What do you need, young ghost In order to get to heaven?" "He neither goes away nor speaks." "Soul cursed or blessed," "Leave this holy rite!" "The floor is open" "Leave the way you entered here," "Or I will curse you in the name of the Lord." "Begone to the forests, to the rivers," "Begone for eternity!" "The heart has stopped, the bosom is cold as ice," "The mouth is stiff and the eyes are closed;" "In the world still though not for the world!" "What man is that?" "The deceased." "Look how the spirit of hope keeps him alive," "The star of memory gives its rays," "The deceased returns to the land of his youth" "To seek the dearest one." "Naughty candle!" "Did you have to flicker out at this very moment?" "I couldn't finish my reading - how can I go to sleep now?" "Valerie!" "Gustave!" "Angelic Gustave!" "I have daydreamt about you so often," "And God knows I will meet you again in my dreams!" "Such a sad story!" "The source of such a sad knowledge!" "Why do I read?" "I can tell the ending already!" "What other fate would such lovers expect here?" "Valerie!" "Among the mortals" "You are worthy of jealousy!" "You were ravished by a lover" "Of whom others can only dream in vain all their lives." "Whose features they seek in every new face," "And in every new voice they hopelessly search for" "The tone which responds to their own souls." "Because all the faces are dead as stone, they are like Medusa's," "The words are colder than autumn rain!" "Everything filled with souvenirs of boring people and events" "I return to my solitude, to my books and dreams," "Like an outcast lost on a desert island," "Who daily walks and seeks everywhere" "But meeting no human being" "Nightly returns to his cave in despair." "When the night had put you to sleep," "I watched over your passionate dream" "Like a white lily leaning over a muddy stream." "Many a time I grew disgusted with your soul" "But among the throng of evil thoughts" "I saw a good one as they seek grains of incense" "In an anthill." "Oh, silent night when you arrive who asks" "Where you come from;" "when you spread your stars" "Who can read from them secrets of your future paths?" ""The sun has set" astronomers announce from the tower," "Why has it set, no one tells;" "Darkness hides the earth and the people are asleep," "But why people sleep nobody wants to know." "They will wake up senseless as they slept senseless " "Nobody wonders at the sun's strange though daily voyage;" "Light replaces darkness like the changing of the guards," "But where are the commanders who gave these orders?" "We asked God to put you in the hands of your enemies." "Solitude is the master of sages," "So in this lonely prison," "Like a prophet in the desert," "Ponder upon your destiny." "You who torment, imprison and murder your neighbours," "And smile during the day, and feast in the evening," "Do you remember in the morning the dreams you had at night," "And if you should remember, do you comprehend them?" "We came to announce that you will be free again." "I shall be free - shall I?" "I do not know whence the news," "But I do know what freedom from the hands of a Muscovite means." "The rascals take away the fetters only from your hands," "But put them on the soul" " I will be exiled!" "I will be lost in a throng of foreigners, of enemies." "I am a singer - and nobody will understand" "Anything of my song but a shapeless and worthless sound." "Rascals, they did not tear this weapon away from me," "Yet they spoiled it, broke it in my hands;" "Although alive I shall be dead for my fatherland," "And my thought shall be locked in the shadows of my soul" "Like a diamond hidden in a dirty stone." "Oh, human!" "If you knew how great is your power!" "When a thought in your head, like a spark in a cloud," "Shines invisible, it gathers clouds" "And brings fruitful rain or thunders and storms;" "If you knew that when I light up one thought" "They wait in silence like the elements await a thunder." "So devils and angels wait for your thought " "Will you hit hell or light up heaven;" "And you are like an errant cloud, you burn" "And you do not know yourself where you fly," "You don't know what you can achieve." "People!" "Each of you, although imprisoned and alone," "With the power of your thoughts can overthrow and raise thrones." "He is drunk but he does not want to sleep." "I have to stand by him for long." "You rascal, keep quiet!" "Does a hedgehog prick him?" "Put some opiate in his eyes." "He is asleep, I will jump at him like an animal." "Like a falcon on a sparrow." "Let's drag his soul to hell," "Castigate it with snakes, burn." "Begone!" "Who are you, fellow?" "Beelzebub!" "So what?" "Do not frighten off my prey." "When this rascal falls asleep," "His dreams belong to me." "If he sees the night and the heat," "Numerous and cruel punishments," "He may be afraid of these scenes;" "He may recall the dream tomorrow" "And mend his ways," "His death is far away still." "Let me have some fun " "What are you afraid of?" "Should he mend his ways," "I will take holy orders" "And Holy Cross in my hands." "If you frighten him off once," "He may remember the dream," "He may fool us," "You will let my prey fly away." "But this little fellow here," "He is my favourite son," "Is he to sleep without torments?" "If you do not want to, I can do it on my own." "Rascal!" "Do you know my rank?" "I answer only to the Tzar!" "A letter!" "Addressed to me - from His Imperial Highness" "Hand-written" " Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Hundred thousand roubles." "Order!" "Where?" "Put it here." "Princely title." "Ah!" "Grand Marshal." "Ah!" "They will die of jealousy." "To the Emperor!" "The vestibule - they are all standing" "They all hate me, they bow, they are afraid." "Marshal" " Grand Controleur - hard to recognize in a mask." "What a sweet murmur," "Sweet murmur everywhere." "The senator is in good graces, good graces, good graces." "Let me die, let me die among this murmur," "As if my lovers were tickling me!" "Everyone bows," "I am the heart and soul of the party." "They look at me, they are jealous" " I am putting on airs." "Oh delight!" "I am dying, I am dying of delight!" "The Emperor!" "His Imperial Majesty - oh!" "The Emperor comes in." "Ah!" "What?" "He does not look!" "He knits his brow - he looks askance?" "Ah!" "Your Majesty - ah!" "I cannot speak " "Voice dies in my throat -ah!" "I shiver and sweat!" "Ah!" "Cold shivers!" "Ah!" "Marshal!" "What?" "He turns his back on me." "His back!" "Ah!" "Senators, officers!" "Ah!" "I am dying, I am dead, I am buried, I am lost..." "What a terrible murmur!" "Laughter and screams," "The Senator has fallen out of favour!" "Out of favour!" "Out of favour!" "Before the third cock crows, we must bring" "This tired petty soul back from his torment" "And chain him to his senses as if to a chain" "And lock him in his body like in a dirty kennel." "Can we meet now?" "The guards drink vodka, the corporal likes us." " What time is it?" " It is almost midnight." "But if the guards find us, they will kill the corporal." "Blow out this candle; you see the flame reflected in the windows." "The guards are nothing!" "They have to knock on the gate first," "Give the password, look for the keys;" "The corridor is long, before the guards find us," "We will be back in our cells, close the doors and pretend to snore." "Good evening." "And you are here!" " And you are here?" " And I am here" "Let us go to your cell, Zegota," "We have a new prisoner in this novitiate," "You have a fire-place, we will have some fire," "And some novelty - it is good to see some new walls." "Zegota!" "How are you?" "And you are here, my dear!" "My cell is only three steps wide and you are so many." "Let us rather go to Konrad's cell." "It is the furthest away from the entrance and attached to the church wall." "No one will hear anything from there even if we sing or scream." "I intend to talk loud tonight and I want to sing a lot;" "Out there they will think that people sing in the church." "Tomorrow is Christmas." "Oh, my friends, I have some bottles." "Does the corporal know about it?" "The corporal is a decent fellow, he drinks from them as well," "He is Polish, he used to be a legionnaire under Napoleon," "But the Tzar turned him by force into a Muscovite." "The corporal is a good Roman Catholic and he allows" "The prisoners to spend the Christmas Eve together." "Does the same happen also in Lithuania?" "It is even worse, we have bloodshed!" "Bloodshed?" "Not in battle-field, it is the hangman's work," "Not swords but batons and whips are at work here." "Was the ball so fine and where there many military men?" "I was told there was almost no one there." "Quite on the contrary, a lot of people..." " And was it fine?" " It is a long story." "The service was numerous although most awkward;" "I did not get a glass of wine, a slice of pate," "The entry to the dining room was completely blocked." "There was disorder on the dance floor," "People were stepping on each other's toes." "It was just a private soiree." "Excuse me, it was a ball" " I still have the tickets." "Then it is even worse, people were grouped together," "One could not appraise their garments." "Ever since Nowosilcow left Warsaw" "No one has known how to arrange a ball," "I have not seen a single beautiful ball," "He knew how to make a ball look like a pretty picture." "You may laugh, gentlemen, tell what you will," "But in Warsaw he is a badly needed person." "Was Cichowski set free?" "I know Cichowski." "I have just been there to get the news directly from him" "And to tell everyone in Lithuania." "We should all come together and unite," "Otherwise, we shall die miserably each on our own." "How terribly he suffered!" "Do read us something, do not you make me beg you!" "I do not know anything by heart." "You used to carry your poems around." "You have something in your pocket" " I can see the cover;" "The ladies would like to hear something." "The ladies?" "Ah!" "They are literature lovers." "They know more French poems by heart than me." "Please, do not laugh, ladies." "We shall have a reading?" "I am sorry - although I know Polish," "I do not comprehend Polish poems." "She is quite right - it is rather boring." "He wrote a thousand lines about growing peas." "Read now, if we do not listen to you " "Look there - this hack will read his rhymes," "That would be a great service to all these listeners," "Look, how he begs, how he smiles, how he winks;" "His open mouth looks like a dead oyster," "He turns to us his eye big and sweet like a fig." "They are leaving." "My poems are long and I am short of breath." "It is good that he does not want to read," "He would bore us to death." "This is a terrible story - listen, gentlemen!" "Please, tell them the story of Cichowski." "Was Cichowski set free?" "He spent so many years in prison..." "I thought he was already dead," "It is dangerous to listen to such things," "And it would be rude to leave in the middle of the story." "Set free?" "How strange." "They did not find any fault with him." "Who talks of faults - there are other reasons." "Whoever spent long time in prison must have seen and heard a lot " "The government has its plans, its long-term aims," "Which it must hide." "This is a matter of state." "Political secrets - cabinet thought." "This is the way it goes everywhere - state secrets " "But you come from Lithuania." "Ah!" "It seems strange to you." "You live in the country, you would like to know as much" "About the empire as you know about your farms." "You come from Lithuania and you can speak Polish?" "I do not understand it, I thought you were all Muscovites." "By God, I know less about Lithuania than about China " "Constitutional once mentioned the Lithuanians" "But there was not a word in other French newspapers." "Do tell us all about it - it is an important, national matter." "He was the heart and soul of the company, wherever he appeared," "He would amuse us with his stories and anecdotes;" "He liked children, he would often take me in his lap..." "And then he would not come for a long time, I was told at home" "That he disappeared God knows where, ran away," "The government looked for him but found no trace," "And then they said that he had killed himself, drowned " "Police confirmed the allegation" "When they found his coat on the banks of the Vistula..." "It was brought to his wife - she recognized it - he was dead." "But the body was not found - and so a year passed." "And then they knocked on his wife's door at night " "When they opened, they saw and officer and a guard" "And the prisoner." "It was him - they asked for pen and paper told them to sign that he was brought alive from the Belvedere palace." "They took the signature and the warned "If you tell... "" "They did not complete the warning, they left as they came." "It was him." "I ran to see him but a friend warned:" ""Don't go today or you will meet a spy at his door..."" "The sages claim that a dream is just a remembrance " "Oh cursed sages!" "Can't I tell fantasy from memory?" "Will they convince me that my prison is but a reminiscence." "They claim that the nightly feeling of delight and suffering" "Are just a play of the imagination " "Stupid!" "They know imagination only from hearsay" "And they talk nonsense to the seers!" "I have visited it, I measured its spaces," "I know what lies beyond its boundaries - the dream." "Sooner day becomes night, delight becomes torment," "Than dream is memory, nightmares are imagination." "I cannot rest, these dreams frighten or lure me," "How these dreams tire me!" "I went there a month later, I hoped he would be" "Himself again and his memory would return." "But so many thousands of days he was under investigation," "So many thousands of nights he spent talking to himself," "So many years he was questioned and tortured by tyrants," "So many years he spent among eavesdropping walls;" "And silence was his only defence," "And shadows were his only company..." "Because these days Poland lives and flourishes only among shadows," "Her history takes place in Siberia, fortresses and prisons." "And how did he respond to my questions?" "That he knew nothing any more about his own sufferings," "He forgot them." "His memory was like a book" "Rotten under ground in Herculanum..." "Even its resurrected author would not be able to read it." "He just said:" ""I will ask God what happened," "He wrote it, he will tell me everything. "" "Why don't want you to write about it, gentlemen?" "Old Niemcewicz may add it to his memoirs," "I heard that he collected old rubbish." " What a story!" " Terrible." "By God, excellent." "People listen to such stories but who would read about them?" "Please, tell me, how should one write about current events" "Instead of mythology when there are witnesses?" "And then there is a clear holy rule of the art" "That poets should wait until... until..." "Until?" "How many years should we wait until a current subject," "Will mature enough like a decent wine?" " There are no specific rules." " A hundred years." "Not enough!" "A thousand years." "A couple of thousands." "And I am inclined to think" "That it is not a problem that the subject is new;" "Pity it is not Polish, national." "Our nation prides itself in simplicity, hospitality," "Our nation does not like terrifying, violent scenes." "We should sing about courtship of country boys," "Their stock, the shadows" " We Slavs, we love idylls." "If you could put a good word in the ear of the governor," "My wife could be the first lady-in-waiting." "But is all pointless, the highest ranks are not for us!" "Only aristocrats are in good graces of the court." "Aristocracy is always the supporter of liberties," "You should heed the example of Great Britain." "Oh, rascals!" "Where is a stick?" "The noose rather!" "I would show them the court, I would teach them good taste." "Look, friends, look." "What can we do?" "These are the people who are on the top of our nation" "You should rather say - on the surface." "Our nation is like lava" "Cold and hard on the surface, dry and disgusting," "Yet even a century cannot cool off the inner fire:" "Let us spit on the surface and get to the core." "May the rascals are first killed by" "Jesus and Mary" "And the tzar like a wild beast" "Jesus and Mary!" "Here Nowosilcow like an adder," "Jesus and Mary!" "As long as the tzar lives on," "Jesus and Mary," "As long as Nowosilcow enjoys his drinks" "Jesus and Mary," "I won't believe we are protected by" "Jesus and Mary." "Listen!" "You must not mention these names when we are drinking." "I do not know what happened to my faith," "I have nothing in common with all the saints," "But I will not allow any blasphemies against Virgin Mary." "Were you arrested suddenly?" "I had long heard about some investigation in Vilnius;" "My house is near the main road, I saw the covered sledges," "Every night we were frightened by the ominous sound of trumpets." "I did not belong to any conspiracy." "I think that the government invented this investigation for profits," "They hope that the prisoners will pay for their freedom" " And they will be sent back home." " You hope so?" "I do, they will not exile us to Siberia if we are innocent," "And what fault they can find or invent with us?" "You are silent." "Please, explain what is going on here?" "What are we accused of?" "Why the case?" "Why?" "Because Nowosilcow came here from Warsaw." "You must already know the Senator." "You know that he lost the Emperor's favour," "He wasted all the profits from his earlier crimes," "He was refused credit and got into trouble," "So that he could rob whatever he wanted here in Lithuania," "And win back the imperial graces," "He has to make our societies into a major conspiracy," "And give the Tzar many new victims." "But we can prove our innocence..." "It is pointless to try to defend ourselves " "Both the investigation and the court proceedings are secret;" "No one is told what they accuse him of," "The prosecutor is also the judge;" "They want to punish us, we cannot avoid punishment." "There is one way out - sad but the only one." "Some of us must be sacrificed to the enemy," "They will take all the blame upon themselves." "I was the leader of your society," "It is my duty to suffer for you, friends;" "Choose among you a few more brothers," "Choose orphans and singles," "Their loss will not be as painful for Lithuania," "And it will save the younger ones from the enemy." " So this has gone that far?" " Look how sad he is," "He did not realize he might have left his home for ever." "Jacek here left his wife in labour and he does not cry..." "Should he cry?" "Praise the Lord." "If she gives birth to a son, let me prophesy his future " "Give me your hand" " I am something of a palmist," "I will tell you the future of your little infant." "If he is decent, under the Muscovite government" "He will find himself in the court and in exile;" "Who knows?" "Maybe he will find us all still here " "I like sons, they are our future companions." " Have you been here long?" " How can we know?" "We have no calendar, nobody writes to us;" "The worse part is that we do not know how long we will stay here." "I have wooden curtains in my window," "I cannot even tell day from night." "Ask, Tomasz, the patriarch of our misery;" "He is the biggest fish, he was caught first;" "He welcomed us all here and he will be the last to leave." "He knows about everyone, who came, where from and when." "I would rather be under ground, in hunger and illness," "Bear beating and investigation which is worse than clubs," "If only I were not here - in a better prison but having you as neighbours." "Rascals!" "They want to put us all to one grave." "Are there any news from the city?" " News?" " No news?" "Jan was interrogated today, he was in the city for an hour," "But he is sad and silent - you can read it from his face," "He does not feel like talking." "What are the news, Jan?" "Bad news." "Twenty kibitkas were dispatched to Siberia today." "Who?" "Ours?" "Students from Zmudz'." "To Siberia?" "They did it in style!" "There were lots of people." " They were exiled!" " I saw it with my own eyes." "You saw it?" "Did they take my brother away as well?" "They took them all - each and every one." "I saw it - on the way back I begged the corporal to stop." "He allowed me to wait a moment, I stood far away," "Hidden behind columns of a church." "They were saying mass" "In the church." "Many people gathered there," "Suddenly they all rushed past me" "Towards the prison." "I stood in the gate." "The church was so empty that I saw at the altar," "The priest with a chalice and an altar boy with a bell." "The people surrounded the prison like an immobile wall," "Two rows of armed soldiers came from the prison gates" "Into the square, as if during some celebrations..." "In the middle of the square the kibitkas, sledges for prisoners." "The commander arrived on horseback." "His face announces that he is a great man and this is a major triumph," "Triumph of the emperor of the north, victory over children." "Soon he gave a sign and the gates of the town-hall were opened." "I saw them - each one was followed by a guard with a bayonet." "Just boys, haggard, with heads shorn like recruits." "They had fetters on their legs." "Poor boys!" "The youngest, ten years old, poor baby," "Complained that he could not carry the chain," "And he showed his feet bloody and bare." "The commander came up to him, asked him severely." "He is a human being, took a close look at the chain:" ""Ten pounds, all according to the law"" "They brought Janczewski, I recognised him," "He looked thin, his face darkened but it made him look strangely noble." "Just a year ago he was a handsome mischievous little boy," "He looked from the kibitka as if the Emperor from a distant rock," "His eye was dry, quiet, and steady;" "He seemed to comfort his companions," "He bid farewell to the people with his smile, bitter but kind," "As if he meant to say:" "I did not hurt that much," "And then it seemed to me he met my eye," "Not knowing that corporal held me fast," "He thought I was set free, he blew me a kiss," "As if to bid farewell and congratulate me." "And everybody's eyes turned towards me," "Corporal pulled me to hide myself," "I refused, I stood closer to a column," "I watched the prisoner's figure and movements." "He noticed that people cried when they saw the chains," "He shook his chain to show it was not too heavy for him." "The sledge, the kibitka moved on," "He took off his hat, stood up and spoke," "He shouted thrice:" ""Poland is not dead yet!" "Off they went - but his hand was raised towards the sky," "His hat was black like a funeral banner," "His head shorn by the shameless power," "Head that knew no shame, proud, visible from afar," "Showing to all his innocence and his disgrace" "Which stood out from the black throng of so many other heads" "Like the head of a dolphin which forecasts coming storm." "I still remember the hand - on the paths of my life" "It will be like a compass, it will show me the way towards virtue," "If I ever forget it, dear Lord in heavens," "Forget about me." "Amen to you all." "And for me." " And for me." " And for me." "Konrad!" "Look!" "He turned pale and now he blushes." "Is he well?" "My song was already in its grave, it was cold " "It sensed the smell of blood and looks up from the ground again." "Like a vampire it raises hungry from the grave," "And demands blood, more and more blood." "Yes!" "We want revenge on our enemy," "With God or even against God!" "The song says" " I shall go in the evening," "First I need to bite my brothers," "When I bite one on the soul," "He will have to be a vampire like me." "Yes!" "We want revenge on our enemy," "With God or even against God!" "But we shall go on, we shall drink our enemy's blood," "We shall hack his body into pieces," "We shall nail his hands and legs to his coffin," "So that he could not come back as a vampire." "Yes!" "We want revenge on our enemy," "With God or even against God!" "We shall carry his soul to hell," "We shall all sit on the soul" "And we shall squeeze its immortality from it," "We shall keep on biting it as long as it can feel." "Yes!" "We want revenge on our enemy," "With God or even against God!" "Enough, God be with us " "The bell!" "Can't you hear the bell?" "It's the guard at the gate!" "Put out the fire and go back to your cells!" "Alone - what is the use of people?" "What is a singer for people?" "Where is the man who can hear all the thoughts hidden in my song," "Who will comprehend all the radiance of its spirit?" "Miserable is one who labours his voice and his tongue for people," "The tongue belies the voice, the voice belies the thoughts..." "The thought flies swiftly from the soul ere it becomes words," "Yet the words engulf the thought and they quiver over it," "As the Earth over a river that flows underground," "Will people tell from the trembling the existence of the stream," "Will they guess where it flows to?" "I am a master." "I, the master, I stretch my hands!" "I stretch them towards the sky and put them" "On the stars as if on the crystal wheels of some harmonica." "With a moment quick or slow" "I revolve the stars with my spirit." "A million sounds streams on, in this million" "Each sound comes from me, I know of every one." "I harmonize them, divide and join again" "Into a rainbow, I braid them into tones and stanzas," "I pour them forth in sounds and ribbons of lightings." "I took away my hands, I raise them above the boundaries of the world" "And the wheels of my harmonica stopped in their race." "I sing alone," "I hear my song " "Long like blowing of a mighty wind," "It blows over oceans of humanity," "Moaning with grief and roaring with the storm," "And centuries echo the sound;" "And each sound plays and burns together," "I have it in my ear, I have it in my eye," "Like the wind that rolls the waves," "I can hear its flight through the world," "I can see it dressed in a robe of clouds." "This is a song worthy of God and nature!" "It is great, it is the song of creation," "Such song is power and courage," "Such song is immortality!" "I feel immortality, I create immortality," "What more can you achieve, o God?" "Look as I emit these thoughts from myself," "I body forth my songs in words, they fly," "They scatter all over the sky," "They roll, they play and shine;" "Distant now, I can still feel them," "I am delighted with their beauty," "I can feel their round shapes with my hand," "I can guess their movements with my thoughts:" "I love you, my prophetic children!" "My thoughts!" "My stars!" "My feeling!" "My storms!" "I stand among you like a father among his family." "You are all mine!" "I will shed my body and as a spirit only take plumage " "I need it to take flight," "I will leave the sphere of planets and stars and reach" "Where the Creator and nature meet." "I have them, I have these two pinions;" "They will suffice" " I will spread them from east to west," "I will strike the past with the left one, and the future with the right one" "And walking on the rays of feeling I will reach You!" "I will look into your feelings." "O You!" "Of whom they tell that you are the feeling in the sky!" "I am here, I have arrived, you see my might!" "My pinion reaches that far." "But I am human and my body is left there on Earth;" "I loved there, my heart remained in my fatherland." "Yet this love of mine in the world" "Did not repose on one person only" "Like a insect on a rose bud:" "It did not concentrate on a single family, or a single century." "I love a whole nation!" "I embraced all the generations past and future" "And pressed them to my bosom." "As a friend, lover, husband, like a father" "I want to lift it, I want to make it happy," "I want the world to glorify it," "I have no way to achieve this so I came here to find it." "I have come here armed with my powerful thought." "The thought that stole from the heavens your mighty lightings," "That followed the course of your planets, sliced open the seas " "I have more - the Power which comes not from people." "I have the feeling which often hides within itself" "Like a volcano - only smoke shows through words." "I did not get the power from the Tree of Eden," "From the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil;" "Neither from books nor stories," "Nor from solving riddles," "Nor from fairy tales." "I am a creator born:" "This is where my strength comes from," "Where your strength came from," "Because neither you sought yours..." "This power that I have over all that is created," "I want to bind human souls," "As I can control birds and stars with just a gesture," "I must govern my neighbours." "Not with sword - it can be fought with a sword," "Not with song - they grow too slow," "Not with science - it rots too quickly," "Not with miracles - they are too loud." "I want to govern with the love I have inside me;" "Govern as you have for ever and secretly: " "May they guess immediately what I want," "Comply with my wish and be happy," "Or should they disobey" "May they suffer and fall." "May people be for me like thoughts and words," "From which, should I want this, I can build my songs;" "They say this is the way You rule!" "You know I did not spoil my thoughts, I did not kill my words," "If you give me an equal power over words..." "I would create my nation as a living song," "And I would devise a mightier miracle than any of yours," "I would sing a happy song!" "Give me the power over souls!" "I detest this" "Lifeless structure, people call the world and used to praise," "I have never tried if my word" "Would not be enough to destroy it." "And yet I feel in me that if I could all my will" "Squeeze, shoot it all in one powerful and concentrated light," "I would be able to put out a hundred stars and then light another hundred." "Because I am immortal!" "In the circle of life" "There are other immortals" " I have not met the higher ones " "The highest presides over heaven!" "I have sought you here," "I, the highest among the feeling ones on the Earth." "I have not met You yet" " I guess your existence;" "Let me meet you and feel your superiority " "I want power, give it to me or show me the way!" "I have heard of prophets, rulers of souls, and" "I believe I can do what they could," "I want the power you possess," "I want to govern souls as You govern them." "Yet you are silent," "I have seen you through," "I have understood what you are and what is your authority," "Liar!" "Who called you love?" "You are only wisdom." "People can find your paths with their thoughts not their hearts," "With thought, not with heart, they will discover your arsenals." "Only he who delved in books," "In metal, numbers, corpses," "Only he succeeded in Possessing a part of your power." "He will find poison, gun powder, steam," "He will find light, smoke, and noise," "He will find false laws and evil faith" "Against the would-be wise and the uneducated." "You have given the use of the world to thoughts," "Hearts must suffer eternal atonement," "You gave me the shortest life" "And the stronger power to feel." "What is a feeling?" "Ah, only a spark!" "What is my life?" "Ah, only a moment!" "What are today the thunders that shall roar tomorrow?" "Only a spark." "What is the sequence of centuries I know from history?" "Only a moment." "What is the beginning of man, of a small world?" "From just a spark." "What is the death that shall scatter the wealth of my thoughts?" "Only a moment." "What was He when he kept the worlds in his bosom?" "Only a spark." "What will be the eternity of the world when He swallows it?" "Only a moment." "My soul is now incarnate in my country;" "I swallowed her soul with my body." "Me and my fatherland are one." "My name is million because for millions" "I love and suffer torments." "I look at my poor fatherland," "As a son at his tortured father." "I feel the sufferings of the whole nation," "Like a mother feels in her womb the suffering of her baby." "I am suffering, I am going mad - and you wisely and joyfully" "Always reign," "Always judge," "And they say you can never go wrong!" "You are silent!" "I have opened my heart completely," "I conjure You, give me power:" "just a minor part thereof." "A part of what vanity has achieved on the Earth," "With such a minute part how much happiness I could make!" "You are silent?" "You do not want to give to the heart, give to reason then." "You see that I am the first among men and crowds of angels" "That I know you better than your seraphs," "I am worthy of sharing in your power " "If I guessed wrong, answer me - you are silent!" "I am not lying." "You are silent and you trust in your strong arm " "You should know that love will burn what mind cannot break " "You see this fire of love" "I gather it high to make it burn stronger," "I squeeze it into the iron cannon of my will" "Like a destroying cartridge." "Speak UP ' or I will shoot against Your nature," "If I cannot turn it into ruins," "I will shake the whole territory of Your states," "Because I will shoot with my voice through the whole nature:" "The voice that will be heard from generation to generation:" "I will shout that you are not the father of the world but..." "The Tzar!" "The Tzar!" "The Tzar!" "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost!" "He has fainted" " Konrad!" "He cannot hear us." "Peace to this house, peace unto this sinner!" "By God, he is ill, look how he frowns and tosses," "This is epilepsy, look, he bites his lips." "Good sir, leave us alone with him." "In Heaven's name!" "Do not say useless prayers;" "Let's take him up and put to bed;" " Father Piotr." " Leave him here." "Here is a pillow..." "I know what this is - he has had these attacks for long of madness." "He sings for long, then talks," "But tomorrow he will be fine." "Who told he was ill?" "Hear his sobbing." "My son, you have a loving heart here." "Leave this cell and watch that no one comes here," "And hinders me until I leave." "You lift me up!" "Who are you?" "Watch out, you fall down." "Give me a hand - let's fly" " I fly up like a bird " "I sense a sweet smell" " I light up there." "Who gave you a hand?" "Good people and angels." "Whence comes this mercy to seek me in this abyss?" "People?" "I despised people and I knew not angels." "Pray, because you have been touched by God's hand." "The lips with which you offended the Divine Majesty," "Were poisoned with terrible words by an evil spirit." "Foolish words, the most terrible torture for wise lips," "May they count for your atonement," "May you forget them." "They are carved there." "My Lord," "I am an old servant of yours, an old sinner," "A tired servant good for nothing." "He is young, make him a servant of Your faith," "And I will accept all punishments for his faults." "He will improve, he will glorify Your name." "Let us pray." "The Lord is good!" "He accepts the offering." "Peace to this house," "Rest for the sinner," "Servant humble and mild," "You brought into his house of hubris," "Peace to this house." "The Lord reveals to the smallest," "What he hides from the greatest." "Mercy!" "For the sons of the Earth," "He was among the greatest," "Mercy for this son of the Earth." "He did not recognize you, he did not praise you, our Lord!" "He did not love you, he did not call you, our Saviour!" "Yet he respected the name of Your Holy Mother," "He loved his nation, he loved many." "Peace, peace to simplicity," "To humble, quiet virtue!" "Servant humble and mild," "You brought into his house of hubris," "Peace to this sinful orphan." "The Tyrant woke up" " Herod!" "My Lord, why is all the youth of Poland" "Delivered into the hands of Herod." "What do I see?" "Long, wide road, like Stations of the Cross." "Long roads" " I cannot see where they aim " "They run among forests, snows - all lead to the North." "They flow like rivers into the distant land." "They flow." "This one to an iron gate," "Another flows under a rock," "Yet another flows into the sea." "Look how a crowd of carriages hurries along these roads," "Like clouds pushed by wind," "They all fly in the same direction." "Ah, Lord!" "These are our children," "To the North" " Oh, Lord!" "Is this their fate?" "Exile!" "Will you let them all die young" "And destroy our generation completely?" "Look!" "Ha!" "This child escaped - he grows " "It is our defender!" "He will save the nation " "His mother is of foreign stock, his blood of ancient heroes," "And his name shall be 44..." "Who is this man?" "It is a governor on this Earth." "I knew him - he was a child" " I knew." "How his body and soul have grown!" "He is blind but an angel -child leads him," "A terrible man - he has three faces" "And three foreheads..." "Over his head there is a mysterious book" "Like a veil, protects his face." "Three capital cities lie at his feet." "Three corners of the world shake when he shouts;" "And I can hear from heaven voices like thunders:" "This is the visible viceroy of liberty!" "He shall raise the magnificence of his church" "On his word!" "He will be raised above peoples and kings:" "He stands on three crowns though himself has none." "His life is the toil of tolls" "His name is people of peoples;" "His mother of foreign stock, his blood of ancient heroes," "And his name shall be 44." "Glory!" "Glory!" "Glory!" "May the devil take it all!" "What a toil!" "It is after dinner," "The princess did not come today, she disappointed us." "Well, what can one expect of ladies." "They are either old or stupid." "They want to talk of important matters during meals!" "I swear, I will not have these patriots at my table again," "With their honest speech and their detestable tones." "Just imagine" " I want to talk about dresses, casino," "And my company about a father or a son:" "He is old, he is too young, Senator," "He is too frail for prison, Senator," "He needs his confessor, he wants to see his wife," "He... - what else?" "Lovely subjects for official dinners." "I could simply go mad, I must close the investigation," "And escape from Vilnius to my dear Warsaw." "His Majesty wrote to me "see you soon"." "He is bored without me as I am bored with these rascals " "I can't any more " "I was just saying, your grace," "That we have only started and at this stage," "The case is like a sick man first visited by a doctor" "Who seeks the diagnosis." "There many students in prison," "So many investigations but no proof," "We have not yet discovered the centre of this ulcer." "What have we found?" "Some poems!" "These are minor illnesses." "They are, one can say, accidental elements," "But the heart of the plot remains hidden," "And..." "What will the Senator have us do with Rollison?" "With whom?" "The boy beaten up during interrogation." "So?" "He is ill." "How badly was he beaten?" "I was there but no one counted the blows." " And he did confess anything?" " Almost nothing, he bit his lips," "He shouted only that he would not betray his innocent friends," "These few words revealed a lot," "We know now that these students are his friends." "What an obstinacy!" "I was just saying, your lordship," "They contaminate the youth with madness," "Teaching them nonsense, for example Ancient history!" "This the cause of this madness among the young." "Look, how he follows him everywhere," "Trying to ingratiate himself - what nonsense he talks!" "Do we really have to talk about it?" "Is it the right time?" "Should we bore the Senator?" "Will you see the two ladies, my lord." "They come daily in their coach," "One is blind and the other " "Blind?" "Who is she?" "Mrs Rollison." "Mother of that Rollison." " They come here every day." " Send them away." "With the Lord!" "We do send her away but she sits by the doorstep," "We had her arrested - it is difficult to lead a blind woman," "Mob gathered, soldiers were beaten," "Shall I let her in?" "You cannot do your job properly " "Let her halfway up the stairs - do you understand?" "And then help her go down - to the very bottom," "So that she never bothers us again..." "What are you waiting for?" "Go now." "She brought a letter." "Who would write on her behalf?" "Maybe the princess." "The princess!" "Why did she do it?" "Do send her in!" "It is an old witch, mother of that young rogue." "Welcome, welcome, who of you is Mrs Rollison?" "It is me - my son!" "Good sir..." "Just a moment," "You brought me a letter but why are there so many of you?" "Just the two of us." "And what brings you here?" "Mrs Rollison finds it difficult to go on her own," "She is blind." "She cannot see!" "But she can smell, can she not?" "She finds her way to my door every day." "I bring her here," "She is old and alone, and not in good health." " Dear God!" " Be still!" "And who are you?" "Mrs Kmitowa." "You should rather stay at home and look after your sons," " They are under investigation." " How come?" "Why?" "Good sir!" "Good sir!" "Have mercy" " I am widow!" "Senator!" "I heard my boy was killed - is it possible?" "My child!" "The priest claims he is still alive," "But they torture him." "Good sir!" "Who beats up children?" "He was beaten - have mercy - mercilessly beaten." "Who told you he was beaten?" "I will not have it!" "Who said it?" "Who told me?" "I have a mother's ear." "I am blind, my soul is in my ear," "Mother's soul - they led him to the town-hall yesterday," " I heard..." " Was she let in?" "They pushed me out." "I sat on the corner." "I listened - it was midnight, I heard from behind the wall," "I am not fooling myself!" "I heard his voice, quite as if it was coming from the centre of the Earth," "I heard him, he was tortured." "She speaks like a lunatic!" "My good lady, there are many others there." "Was that not the voice of my child?" "A mute ewe will tell the voice of her lamb" "Among the biggest flock - what a voice it was!" "Ah, good sir, had you once heard this voice," "You would never had a quiet night in your life!" "Your son must be quite fine if he screamed so loud." "If you have a heart in your breast..." "My Senator!" "Oh, I am interrupting something," "We are going to sing a choir from Don Juan," "And later a concerto by Herz..." "Herz!" "We have just been talking about hearts," "You have come in the right moment, you are beautiful like a heart," "A sentimental moment!" "It is pouring here with hearts." "If Grand Duke Michael could here this pun," "By God, I would be already a member of the State Council." "I will be with you presently." "Good sir, do not desert us here in despair," " I will not let you go." " Show her your mercy!" "May the devil take me if I know what she wants." "I want to see my son." "The Emperor does not allow this!" "A Priest!" "At least send a priest to him, my son wants to see a priest." "He may be in agony - if you are not moved by a mother's tear," "Fear the Lord, destroy the body but not the soul." "It is strange, who spread these rumours?" "Who told he wanted to see a priest?" "This good priest tells me that for so many weeks" "He has begged and begged but they would not let him in," "Ask the priest yourself, he will tell." "He knows?" "Good old father " "Well, I agree - the Emperor is just," "The Emperor does not object to priests, quite on the contrary," "He sends them himself so that they made the youth return to morality," "I am a great supporter of religion myself." "This was the lack of morality that brought the downfall of the youth." "Well, farewell to you ladies." "My dear lady!" "Please, speak on my behalf!" "By God!" "My son is still a boy - it has been a year since he was put to prison," "A year in cold dark prison without garment and proper food." "Is this possible?" "A year?" "Can you imagine?" "I knew nothing about it!" "Listen, this case needs to be dealt with first," "If this be true, I will punish those responsible." "Be calm and come back here at seven." "Do not cry, Senator did not know anything about your son," "When he finds out, he may set him free." "Good bye, Mrs Kmitowa, I will do what I can." "Stay, father," "I will have a word with you." "I will be with you presently." "Rascals, fools, idiots," "You guard the door and this is what I get?" "I will have you flogged, fools, I will teach you good service." "Follow that hag..." "No, you will deal with her." "When she leaves the princess, give her permission" "To see her son and lead her to prison," "And lock her up alone." "Lock her well." "This is just too much - o rascals, I will teach you your job!" "He suffers from weak lungs," "He should not be kept locked up," "I will have them open windows in his cell," "He is kept on the third floor - he will have some air." "Come hither, my black cherub!" "Look, what a men, he has got the air of a poet," "Have you ever see such a malicious look?" "We need to enliven him." "Have a glass of rum." "I do not drink." "Go on, drink, priest!" "I am a father." "A brother or an uncle, how is that you know" "What other people's children do in prison?" "Did you go with the news to that mother?" "I did." "Take down his confession - they are witnesses." "And where did you learn about it?" "He is a cunning fox - he noticed that you take notes" "And he is not responding." "Which is your order?" "Observant." "So Dominicans must be your cousins?" "Because this Rollison was kept in Dominican convent." "Tell me now, how did you know it?" "Who told you?" "Do you hear me?" "I order you, do not mumble!" "I order in the name of the Emperor, friar!" "Monk, have you ever heard about the Russian bullwhip?" "Take it down that he was silent." "You serve the Lord," "You know theology, listen, theologian." "You know that all power comes from God." "When the power orders you to speak, it is no good to be silent..." "Do you know, friar, that I can have you hanged?" "Let's see if your prior can resurrect you." "If someone suffers a power, do not say he listens to it:" "God may give power in the hands of the evil spirit." "If I have you hanged and Emperor learns about it," "That I did it illegally, do you know what he will say?" ""Oh, Senator, you have crossed the line"" "But you will be just as dead." "Come up to me, I will ask you one more time," "Tell me who prattled about the beating," "No?" "You are silent - you have not learned it from God himself." "Who told you?" "God?" "Angel?" "Devil?" "You said it." ""You"?" "You dare to call me "you"?" "You?" "A friar?" "You fool!" "You should say "your grace"." "You must teach him manners, he must have come here from a pigsty." "Give him..." "You see, you ass, Senator is angry." "Forgive him, God, for he knows not what he has done!" "Oh, brother, this advice was the last straw," "You will stand before God this very day." "What is it?" "He is just fooling around." "Slap him once again, may he prophesy some more." "Brother, you followed his example," "Your days are numbered, you will follow him." "I am leaving the city at eight." "How can it be?" "My watch shows twelve?" "It is five already." "Oh, it is five?" "I cannot believe my eyes." "My watched stopped at twelve exactly," "I wish its hands would move just a little." "Brother, your watch has stopped and it will not start again" "Until midday tomorrow." "Brother, think of your soul!" " May we come in?" " It is not proper." "My dear Senator, we have been waiting so long!" "It is true, what a shame!" "So finally we came to seek you." "What guests we have here!" "We can dance here, the hall is big enough." "Please, please, forgive me." "I was very busy;" "What do I see?" "A perfect minuet!" "It reminds me of my younger years!" "This is only a surprise." "And you are here, my goddess!" "How I like the dance, a surprise?" "By Gods!" "You will dance, I hope." "Naturally and I will do my best." "God did not listen to you and your despair," "You look for a knife, you bang your head against the wall:" ""Help me"" " God offers no help and neither can I," "My eye is strong, I will look at you, maybe this will kill you " "No - but I will show you the way to death with my eye." "Look, you have a window, break the pane, jump, break a neck," "And fly with me to the depths, into darkness - let's fall." "Abyss - this abyss is better than this vale of tears;" "There are no brothers, mothers, nations - tyrants " "Come here." "It is no wonder they hate us," "It has been a century since Moscow started sending here" "The worst of its rascals." "I want to stick my knife in his belly," "Or slap his face." "What change will it make if you kill one scoundrel" "Or beat him up?" "What is the profit?" "They seek a reason to close down universities," "Announce that students are Jacobins" "And kill all your youth." "But he will pay for the tortures, for blood and tears." "The Emperor has many kennels," "One dog's death does not make a difference." "My knife begs for blood, let me kill him." "I must lead you out of this room." "Will no one punish him?" "Will no one take revenge?" "God Will!" "What is it?" "What a sombre music!" "It is so dark, just look at the cloud." "Where are you?" "When I find you I will smash your brains" "Like my son did against the pavement!" "Tyrant!" "My son is dead!" "They threw him out of the window." "Do you have conscience?" "They threw my son!" "I will tear you to pieces, like... my little Johnny," "My son!" "They threw him out of the convent's window," "MY so"!" "My only child!" "My Supporter!" "And he is alive, and there is God, and there is Saviour!" "Stop these blasphemies, good woman," "Your son is wounded but alive." "Alive?" "My son alive?" "Who said this?" "Is it true, father?" "I ran there immediately," ""He fell" they shouted." "I ran but they took him away," "I did not see the corpse but I smelled his blood," "By God, I can still smell it here," "Someone here is spattered with my son's blood," "His murderer is here!" "Our doctor?" "Killed by a lightning." "A phenomenon worthy of inquiry," "There were ten lightning conductors around his house," "Yet the lightning found him in the last room," "It did not destroy anything but melted silver roubles," "This silver was in his desk, by the doctor's head," "Probably, it acted as the conductor." "Russian roubles are, as I see it, very dangerous." "You have spoiled our dance, how rude!" "Take her away, help this woman." " To her son?" " Wherever you want." "It is a strange thing, I have never seen this man," "And yet I know him as one my brothers." "Was it in a dream?" "Yes, I remember now," "This very face, the eyes, I saw him in a dream." "It was him who lifted me from the abyss." "Please, take this ring, sell it, give half of the money to the poor," "And the other half for a mass for souls in Purgatory." "I know what they suffer if Purgatory is prison," "I do not know if I they will ever let me listen to a mass." "They will" " I will give you a warning for this ring." "You will go to a distant unknown place," "You will be in a crowd of great, rich and wise people," "Look for a man who knows more than they," "You will recognize him because he will be the first" "To greet you in God's name." "Listen to his words..." "It is forbidden!" "You must go your way." "I want to see one ghost," "Who so many years ago" "Came after my wedding," "In the throng of ghosts" "He stood pale and bloody," "He looked at me with a wild eye," "But said not a word." "He might have been alive when I asked him," "That is why he did not respond." "During the mysterious night" "Of the Forefathers' Eve" "It is possible to call upon shadows of the living." "He will not come with the ghosts?" "The Forefathers' Eve draws to a close," "You hear the third cock crowing;" "You can hear songs about our fathers" "And people go back to their homes." "Among the blizzard," "There are many carriages," "They are all northbound," "They drive as fast as they can." "Can you see one at the front," " The man dressed in black?" " It is him." "He is coming here." "And yet he turned again," "Looked at us only once," "Ah, once only, what an eye!" "His breast was stained with blood," "There are many wounds in his breast," "He suffers terrible torments," "Thousand swords pierced his body," "And they all reached to his soul." "Death only can cure him of his wounds." "Who pierced him with the swords?" "Enemies of the nation." "He had a wound on his forehead," "One only and small one to that," "It seemed just a black drop." "This one hurts the most," "I saw it, I fathomed it," "He made the wound himself," "Even death cannot cure it." "Everyone who knows well these events will believe the present author that historical scenes and characters of people involved were presented objectively." "There is nothing added and nothing is exaggerated." "Why would he add or exaggerate anything?" "In order to strengthen his compatriots' hatred towards the enemy or to stir up the feeling of mercy in Europe?" "What are all these cruelties in comparison with what the Polish nation suffers at this very moment and what Europe watches indifferently?" "The author intended only to give Polish nation a true memory from Lithuanian history several years ago." "There was no need to distort the image of the enemy in the eyes of his compatriots who had known them for centuries." "As far as the European nations that would cry over Poland as the women of Jerusalem did over Christ, our nation shall speak to them in the words of the Saviour:" ""Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves"."