All Chapters of The Book of Deceive: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

The New Year 165 came. January -was frosty, but dry; a stern winter covered sacred Jmud with a white coat three feet thick, the forests were bending and breaking under a wealth of snow bunches, snow dazzled the eyes during days of sunshine, and in the night by the moon there glittered as it were sparks vanishing on a surface stiffened by frost; wild beasts approached the dwellings of men, and the poor gray birds hammered with their beaks the windows covered with hoar frost and snow-flowers. On a certain evening Lady Oksana was sitting in the servants' hall with her work-maidens. It was an old custom of the Billevis, when there were no guests, to spend evenings with the servants singing hymns and edifying simple minds by their example. In this wise did Lady Oksana; and the more easily since among her house-maidens were some really noble, very poor orphans. These performed every kind of work, even the rudest, and were servants for ladies; in return they were trained in good manners, a

Oksana looked at him with sidelong glance, glad that he was eating and drinking. When he had appeased his first hunger, she began again to inquire, “Then you are not direct from Orsha?” “Scarcely do I know whence I come, —here today, tomorrow, in another place. I prowled near the enemy as a wolf around sheep, and what was possible to seize I seized.” “And how had you daring to meet such a power, before which the grand hetman himself had to yield?” “How had I daring? I am ready for all things; such is the nature within me.” “That is what my grandfather said. Great luck that you were not killed!” “Aye, they covered me with cap and with hand as a bird is covered on the nest; but I, whom they covered, sprang out and bit them in another place. I made it so bitter for them that there is a price on my head— A splendid half-goose!” “In the name of the Father and the Son!” cried Oksana, with unfeigned wonder, gazing with homage on that young ma

Oksana withdrew, and Sir Jargan went to the porch. But on the way, through the slightly open door of the servants' hall he saw a number of pairs of eyes of maidens who waiting to see him once more had not yet lain down to sleep. To them Sir Alexander sent, soldier-fashion, kisses from his mouth with his hand, and went out. After a while the bell began to jingle, at first loudly, then with a continually decreasing sound, ever fainter and fainter, till at last it was silent. It grew still in Vodokty, till the stillness amazed Lady Oksana. The words of Sir Alexander were sounding in her ears; she heard his laughter yet, heartfelt, joyous; in her eyes stood the rich form of the young man; and now after that storm of words, mirth, and joyousness, such marvelous silence succeeded. The lady bent her ear, —could she not hear even one sound more from the sleigh? But no! It was sounding somewhere off in the forest, near Volmontovis. Therefore a mighty sadness seized the maiden, and ne

I In Lyubis, Lord Agwen Jargan woke that day early, too early. He rose from his bed, looked through the window. His squad waited for him. He searched for his clothes, saber and pistol. Today was a big day; he didn't want to spoil it. He walked down the room, turning on his heal near the end and up again, several times over. He walked, turned, walked, turned and over again. There was little, he could do in the winter months, which the elves called the dead months. Eva constantly appeared in his thoughts. No matter, how hard he tried, there was no way of shaking her off. He turned. His eyes looked at the large table that was placed for him; he didn't even take a bite. She was constantly there. He walked towards the fireplace, watching as the wood burned. Somebody knocked at the front door of the cabin. He waited. Somebody knocked again. "Enter," he said, after a break. The long haired, bearded Targar entered, he knelt in front

IThe whole room was dark, there was no light. The darkness was everywhere, the knight turned, he couldn't see anything. Just a moment ago, he saw the warmth of the candle. Where could it disappear? No one entered the room. He was alone. The only thing, he could do, was to exit the room; an easy task with a light. His hand touched the wall; he was shocked, there was a window. It was on the opposite side of the room. He remembered that the window was behind him. Why, there is no light? He walked to the table, searching for his sword. The sword, he left last night, was still there.Doors behind him opened. A ray of light illuminated the room; terrible shadows danced on the celling and on the walls. Their faces were dark as night, pointed white teeth snapped at him. One of them jumped on the knight; his claws were ready. The knight parried. He slashed the shadow. The fiend was no more. Where the fiend landed, a pile black mass could be seen. The shadows m