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proceeded； with only such interruptions as were occasioned by the
lighting and careful smoking of the latter。
〃I was returning home after my prolonged stay in Petersburg；
intending to linger on my way and test with mine own ears certain
among the many dialects of Eastern Europeanent which there is a
symmetrical little cluster of philological knotty points it is my
modest intention one day to unravel。 However； that is neither here
nor there。 On the road to Hungary I bethought myself opportunely
of proving the once pressingly offered hospitality of the Baron
Kossowski。
〃You may have met the man； Major Travers； he was a tremendous
sportsman； if you like。 I first came across him at McNeil's place
in remote Ireland。 Now； being in Bukowina； within measurable
distance of his Carpathian abode； and curious to see a Polish lord
at home； I remembered his invitation。 It was already of long
standing； but it had been warm； born in fact of a sudden fit of
enthusiasm for me〃here a half…mocking smile quivered an instant
under the speaker's black mustache〃which； as it was
characteristic； I may as well tell you about。
〃It was on the day of； or； rather； to be accurate； on the day after
my arrival； toward the small hours of the morning； in the smoking
room at Rathdrum。 Our host was peacefully snoring over his empty
pipe and his seventh glass of whisky； also empty。 The rest of the
men had slunk off to bed。 The baron； who all unknown to himself
had been a subject of most interesting observation to me the whole
evening； being now practically alone with me； condescended to turn
an eye； as wide awake as a fox's； albeit slightly bloodshot； upon
the contemptible white…faced person who had preferred spending the
raw hours over his papers； within the radius of a glorious fire's
warmth； to creeping slyly over treacherous quagmires in the pursuit
of timid bog creatures （snipe shooting had been the order of the
day）the baron； I say； became aware of my existence and entered
into conversation with me。
〃He would no doubt have been much surprised could he have known
that he was already mapped out； craniologically and
physiognomically； catalogued with care and neatly laid by in his
proper ethnological box； in my private type museum； that； as I sat
and examined him from my different coigns of vantage in library； in
dining and smoking room that evening； not a look of his； not a
gesture went forth but had significance for me。
〃You； I had thought； with your broad shoulders and deep chest； your
massive head that should have gone with a tall stature； not with
those short sturdy limbs； with your thick red hair； that should
have been black for that matter； as should your wide…set yellow
eyesyou would be a real puzzle to one who did not recognize in
you equal mixtures of the fair； stalwart and muscular Slav with the
bilious…sanguine； thick…set； wiry Turanian。 Your pedigree would no
doubt bear me out： there is as much of the Magyar as of the Pole in
your anatomy。 Athlete； and yet a tangle of nerves； a ferocious
brute at bottom； I dare say； for your broad forehead inclines to
flatness； under your bristling beard your jaw must protrude； and
the base of your skull is ominously thick。 And； with all that；
capable of ideal transports： when that girl played and sang to…
night I saw the swelling of your eyelid veins； and how that small；
tenacious； claw…like hand of yours twitched！ You would be a fine
leader of menbut God help the wretches in your power！
〃So had I mused upon him。 Yet I confess that when we came in
closer contact with each other； even I was not proof against the
singular courtesy of his manner and his unaccountable personal
charm。
〃Our conversation soon grew interesting； to me as a matter of
course； and evidently to him also。 A few general words led to
interchange of remarks upon the country we were both visitors in
and so to national characteristicsPole and Irishman have not a
few in common； both in their nature and history。 An observation
which he made； not without a certain flash in his light eyes and a
transient uncovering of the teeth； on the Irish type of female
beauty suddenly suggested to me a stanza of an ancient Polish
ballad； very full of milk…and…blood imagery； of alternating
ferocity and voluptuousness。 This I quoted to the astounded
foreigner in the vernacular； and this it was that metamorphosed his
mere perfection of civility into sudden warmth； and； in fact；
procured me the invitation in question。
〃When I left Rathdrum the baron's last words to me were that if I
ever thought of visiting his country otherwise than in books； he
held me bound to make Yany； his Galician seat； my headquarters of
study。
〃From Czernowicz； therefore； where I stopped some time； I wrote；
received in due time a few lines of prettily worded reply； and
ultimately entered my sled in the nearest town to； yet at a most
forbidding distance from； Yany； and started on my journey thither。
〃The undertaking meant many long hours of undulation and skidding
over the November snow； to the somniferous bell jangle of my dirty
little horses； the only impression of interest being a weird gypsy
concert I came in for at a miserable drinking…booth half buried in
the snow where we halted for the refreshment of man and beast。
Here； I remember； I discovered a very definite connection between
the characteristic run of the tsimbol； the peculiar bite of the
Zigeuner's bow on his fiddle…string； and some distinctive points of
Turanian tongues。 In other countries； in Spain； for instance； your
gypsy speaks differently on his instrument。 But； oddly enough；
when I later attempted to put this observation on paper I could
find no word to express it。〃
A few of our company evinced signs of sleepiness； but most of us
who knew Marshfield； and that he could； unless he had something
novel to say； be as silent and retiring as he now evinced signs of
being copious； awaited further developments with patience。 He has
his own deliberate way of speaking； which he evidently enjoys
greatly； though it be occasionally trying to his listeners。
〃On the afternoon of my second day's drive； the snow； which till
then had fallen fine and continuous； ceased； and my Jehu； suddenly
interrupting himself in the midst of some exciting wolf story quite
in keeping with the time of year and the wild surroundings； pointed
to a distant spot against the gray sky to the northwest； between
two wood…covered folds of groundthe first eastern spurs of the
great Carpathian chain。
〃'There stands Yany；' said he。 I looked at my far…off goal with
interest。 As we drew nearer； the sinking sun； just dipping behind
the hills； tinged the now distinct frontage with a cold copper…like
gleam； but it was only for a minute； the next the building became
nothing more to the eye than a black irregular silhouette against
the crimson sky。
〃Before we entered the long； st