Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (7 page)

“All out,” the landowner insisted. “I won’t have you insulting me. Which one of you has shouted down this old woman who has taken it upon herself to smear my good name? No one! So get out, all of you!”

The guests realized that the landowner was genuinely outraged and started to leave the room. The bride dropped her head on the shoulder of her father the corn chandler and wept.

“I’d like to know who repays all the good I have done by making me the butt of insults!” the groom railed. “First they get so drunk they start seeing things, then they start being offensive!”

“Give me back my rifle! It’s my rifle!”

“Not until you sober up,” the landowner retorted.

“That’s the last time I get drunk on your gnat’s piss!” the neighbor said in irritation.

“Out!”

“All right. But believe me, I won’t let you forget this.”

The neighbor wrenched his gun from the landowner’s hands and left, banging the door behind him.

“Lout!” the furious groom shouted after him, and he sank onto a bench.

Only the corn chandler kept his presence of mind. To his daughter he said:

“Whatever the situation is, it’s not proper for you to seek solace in the arms of your father. You’re married now, so do your duty. Farewell, Son-in-law.”

“Farewell,” said the landowner, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Hedviga, your opinion of me isn’t the same as theirs, is it?”

“No. And yet I feel so sad for some reason.”

It struck twelve.

“You hear that, Hedviga?”

“Pity. Pity my hopes have come to nothing,” the girl said. But, mindful of her father’s words, she stepped over to her husband and said softly:

“Come, it’s time for bed.”

Chapter XVI
A MIRACLE

Crouching in the corner behind the wardrobe Valerie witnessed through the smoky haze surrounding her the following scene:

In the light of the moon the bride removes her garland and white dress.

The landowner stands next to her, kisses her hand and says:

“I love you. I love you with all my heart.”

His bride strokes his hair and stares vaguely in the direction of the window.

“Only now do I sense how old I am,” her husband says with a sigh. “I feel I will soon die. And all this will be yours.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“I’d like to be certain that you will come to love me. I don’t even dare to kiss you now.”

“People hate you. They’ve told me incredible stories about you. But because they hate you, I feel for you.”

“How beautiful you are, my wife. How beautiful you are, my darling. Look at me. There’s no denying I’m old.”

“I, too, shall grow old,” Hedviga says tenderly.

“You will give me back a piece of my youth,” says the groom, looking into his wife’s eyes by the light of the moon. Then he embraces her.

His bride did not resist. Her arms dropped to her sides when his lips took possession of hers. And as he kissed her, her hands slowly rose and clung to her husband’s shoulders. Meanwhile the groom’s hands were stroking his bride’s shoulder. His fingers worked free his bride’s dress, and it floated off her body to the ground. At that moment, a dark figure rose from the ground and clamped its mouth onto the girl’s bare shoulder. A sigh slipped from the bride’s lips, though her eyes remained closed as her husband’s trembling lips pressed tighter and tighter to hers. As if nailed to the spot, the newlyweds stood there for a whole hour without their lips separating.

Valerie saw clearly outlined above the bride’s shoulder the silhouette of a face, whose throat moved greedily as it swallowed the love and sensual pleasure streaming through the veins of the young bride, whose mind was dissolving in the protracted kiss as if in a dream. At once Valerie saw another shadow rising up behind the dark figure and approaching it. It was the Polecat. She clearly saw his terrible visage, illuminated by the strange golden glow of his eyes. The Polecat seized the outline of the ravening shade and tried to tear it from the bride’s shoulder. Then she watched as, on tiptoes, he took the long, darkly clad body in his arms and disappeared with it through the door.

The kiss evaporated.

“Do you love me?” the groom’s voice asked.

“Yes, I do.”

With those words the newlyweds sank onto the bed and their limbs became entwined. Having heard the exchange about love, Valerie’s throat contracted with an unfamiliar sense of anxiety. She crossed the room to the door, fearful lest the love-makers suddenly register her presence. She withdrew behind the door but left it ajar, unable to stop her eyes from feasting on the strange looking crab writhing on the bed. The groaning grew in volume, and as Valerie began to think that the pair’s lovemaking was their death throes, a match flared and the light of a candle illuminated the room. The bride covered her face and wrapped her body in the pillows, while the groom bent his head over the sheet as if looking for something.

“Not a drop of blood,” he said, wiping his perspiring face. Then he seemed overcome with rage and in an altered voice, like that of someone who has just been insulted, he said:

“What does this mean?”

There was the sound of crying.

“I swear I was a virgin!”

“But, my dear, I can find not a drop of evidence.”

“Please don’t insult me,” said the girl sadly, and her hands, until now pressed to her face, fell on the pillow.

Valerie shuddered.

Was this really Hedviga? She could barely recognize the features of her young friend. What she saw by the glow of the candle was not the face of a fresh young virgin. It was that of a careworn woman, who was growing older by the minute.

“Don’t cry, I believe you,” said the groom. “Don’t cry. When you cry, your face gets all wrinkled. You don’t even look like yourself.”

Now the haze cleared from Valerie’s vision. How startled she was to see her arms pressed tight to the door. “But I’m naked,” she said, and fled.

Chapter XVII
THE PUNISHMENT

Once more the cocks were crowing.

“The stars are fading,” Valerie realized, as she found herself beyond that spectacle which for so many reasons had detained her.

“All I can do is roam the gardens,” she sighed. The gardens were cold. Here and there an apple fell, or a star. Leaves dripped dew from their nocturnal folds onto her bare shoulders.

“How magnificent it is!”

And again it was so quiet she could hear the running of the stream.

“It would be wonderful to bathe in the moonlight,” she thought.

The stream ran through the gardens. Valerie tripped towards it as to a fairy tale. All that she had seen seemed beyond belief.

“If there were only a way to break the power of the spells that hold me in their thrall.”

The closer she came to the stream, the safer she felt.

But at the stream a new terror lay in wait. At first she thought it was a siren weeping. Then she heard Orlík’s voice, cursing the horrors of living.

“I’d almost completely forgotten about him. And yet he was my protector, even when we were far apart.”

She saw the poor wretch tied and bound in the riverbed. Water was running over his face. He was desperately raising his head to get an occasional gulp of air, but his weakened state kept forcing his face back under the water.

“I’ve arrived in the nick of time,” Valerie thought. “If I don’t save him, he won’t survive this terrible ordeal for long.”

The girl saw that she was naked, though her concern for her putative brother was stronger than her modesty.

She approached the stream, dipped her bare feet in its clear, cold water and bent over the boy.

“I’ve come to liberate you,” she said tenderly, trying to free him from his bonds.

“I’ve been so worried about you,” the boy sighed.

“Dearest Orlík, the ropes are so knotted up I don’t know if I have the strength to untie them.”

“Pick up two sharp stones and use them as knives.”

“You’re right, it’s easier now.”

“How grateful I am to Fate for sending a nymph to save me,” said Orlík.

“Close your eyes, dear,” said Valerie.

She struggled a little longer before managing to cut through the ropes.

“Sincere thanks,” the boy said.

“I should be the one thanking you. Were it not for your phial, I don’t know whether we would have ever met again.”

“I was afraid you would forget it.”

Blushing, Valerie said:

“I wish I had its magic at hand right now. I would like to become invisible so I could talk with you.”

“I’m not really looking.”

“Do you have a handkerchief?”

“Yes, but it’s soaked.”

“If you wouldn’t mind suffering a bit longer for me, I would certainly appreciate it.”

“I don’t avoid suffering.”

“Lend me your handkerchief then.”

“Here it is.”

“And now stand in front of me.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“I hope it’s not too cold,” said Valerie, binding Orlík’s eyes.

“Are you more at ease now?”

“Yes.”

“I’m like a blind man.”

“Well then, give me your hand. I’ll lead you.”

Valerie was happy. Her heart was pounding loudly. She cast a worried look at the fading sky.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Our house has a little used guest room. No one goes in there when we don’t have guests. You’ve experienced enough hardship out here in the open.”

She wanted to tell Orlík that she thought him her brother, but no opportunity presented itself and she lacked the courage. She asked him:

“Am I permitted to know what went on in the tower between you and your ...
uncle?
”

Orlík gave a shudder.

“Don’t even remind me of the monster.”

“I heard the alarm sound and was beside myself with worry over you.”

“We fought furiously. When he saw I’d gotten the better of him, he wanted to toss me from the tower. As I fell, I managed to grab the clapper of the bell and that alone saved me. But I still failed to escape the water torture.”

“I cannot accept the idea that he intended to leave you to die.”

“Never before has his cruelty to me gone as far as this. He said expressly that he would come to free me after I’d served my punishment. I don’t understand why he didn’t come.”

Valerie and Orlík were now approaching her grandmother’s house.

“Shh,” she said. “I don’t want them to see us together.”

A cock crowed. But its voice quivered with despair. On the solemn high note, which should have embraced the dawning day, it broke. No response came.

“Have you heard what has beset the town?” Valerie asked.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Fowl pest has broken out all over the region.”

“Fowl pest?” he asked, bursting into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“If there is an outbreak of fowl pest, then I’ll finally be rid of my tyrant.”

“How so?” asked Valerie.

“If my
uncle
can’t get enough chicken blood, he’ll drop dead like carrion.”

“You’re being cruel.”

“With reason. You still don’t know him. Yet none of us is in such danger from him as you. If fowl pest has broken out, you can soon consider yourself safe.”

“Despite all the atrocities he has committed, he’s still a human being.”

“His brutality is inhuman.”

“Will he really have to die?” the girl asked.

“He’s been ripe for dying for over a quarter of a century.”

“No one likes dying.”

“I had a foreboding he would gain power over you very quickly.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“That you’d fall in love with him.”

“I’m surprised you think so.”

“It’s high time he disappeared from the face of the earth.”

Valerie dropped into thought. An inexpressible melancholy took hold of her. But she did not rebut Orlík’s words since she was afraid it might anger him.

“We’re here. I’ll take you to the guest room.”

The girl suddenly snatched the blindfold from Orlík’s eyes and directed his gaze to the stairs. There on the landing was the missionary, hanging by the neck.

Chapter XVIII
THE RUIN

Two figures moved in the direction of the cellar, dragging a load. Valerie was dressed now. Her eyes narrowed in terror as, with all the strength at her command, she helped Orlík bear the hanged man’s body away.

“We can’t bury him down below just like that.”

“There’s an actual tomb there. You’ll see,” the boy replied.

“How will we get from the cellar into the vault?”

“It’s very easy.”

Orlík laid the body in a corner of the cellar and started tapping at the wall.

“The way through is here somewhere,” he said, trying to lever out a brick. As soon as it yielded, it was child’s play to shift part of the wall and gain access to the vault.

“You’re worn out, I’ll take him myself.”

“I think I’m going to faint.”

“Come down with me,” said Orlík, once he had managed to drag the body down below.

“I believe we’re quite near the vaulted room I was lured into yesterday evening.”

“Yes, but we’re on the other side of the vault.”

“I’m afraid,” said the girl.

“It is rather scary. Light the candle.”

“That’s the candle he stole into my room with. My hands are shaking and I can’t get it to light.”

Orlík picked up the candlestick. Shortly, the little flame revealed to the frightened girl a gruesome vision: coffins ranged along the wall of the vault. Many coffins. She closed her eyes.

“Be brave.”

“Where are we?”

“Still close to your home.”

“It’s a cemetery.”

“A very old cemetery. More a burial ground, if we were to choose our words.”

“Who’s buried here?”

“You’ll see in a moment.”

Effortlessly, Orlík opened one of the coffins. Valerie found herself gazing on hundreds and thousands of tiny white bones.

“Spare me the horror,” she sobbed.

“I hope you’re no longer in any doubt as to what this is.”