judge. But with his murder you have acknowledged your guilt and added a new grievance. The community can no longer endure your presence on its lands. Move away from us. Leave at once! Three days from today, our people will come to raze your house and destroy all traces of your ever having been among us.”
“Let them come!” spluttered the boyar angrily. “We’ll see who will destroy whose traces. I spit upon your court! I’d like to see anyone come near my house! Come my guards, let’s leave this churlish gathering!”
The boyar marched away, surrounded by his mercenaries. For a long time an oppressive silence reigned over the town-mote. The youths removed the bloody body of Metko The Soldier.
“Estimable gathering,” said Zakhar at last, “is it your will to mete out the sort of punishment to the boyar Tuhar Wolf as our forefathers commanded us to give to such people?”
“Yes, yes!” shouted the populace.
“Whom do you nominate to carry out the orders of our court?”
Ten youths were selected among whom Maxim Berkut was included. It was hard for Maxim to accept this nomination. No matter how hateful he considered the boyar, still he was the father of the one who had bewitched his heart and come to occupy his every waking thought, of whom he dreamed constantly and for whom he would have given his very life. And now she too was doomed, innocently, through her father’s guilt! Despite this, Maxim did not refuse the nomination. Hard as it might be for him to carry out the order of the people’s court, deep within his heart he was overjoyed at the prospect the opportunity would give him of seeing her once more and to try at least to smooth over with his personal good will the harshness of the folk-court’s jurisdiction.
In the meantime the business of the session proceeded.
78
