On a fine autumn day, crowds of people moved along Ojazdowska Boulevard in Warsaw. The city's residents came out to enjoy the warmth, the sun, and the fresh air. After all, in a short time they would have to hide in their apartment cages, between the walls, and wait a whole six months until the paving stones emerged from the dirty snow, and the first spring bulbs appeared on the city's poor trees.
Antek and Mania walked silently, holding the man's strong hand. Antek had trouble thinking, an hour ago he had been wandering along the avenue selling flowers. Then he met this strange man and talked to him. Then he left the man and sold flowers again. Then he bought himself cigarettes, got into a fight with Vysek, and ran away. Then... "What will happen to us now?" - he asked himself
The patron or buyer of Antek and Mania was Count Zarutsky. The father, Count Stepan Zarutsky, had a brother, but he had severed all relations with him since their last conversation. No one knew what the conversation was about; it was rumored to have ended very stormily. Count Stepan Zarutsky immediately moved to Zarutsky with his wife and two children and was never seen again.
We have called the palace in Zaruch several times a "tomb." So, let's go into this "tomb" with Mania and Antek and look at it carefully. The corridor, as already mentioned, was dark and long; on both sides of it were doors leading to different rooms. Three rooms on each side: a library, a gymnasium, a dining room, two smaller rooms and the count's office.
- Mr. Antek, please get up, I brought breakfast. Antek opened his eyes. Did they bring him breakfast? Milk? Oh! He had drained a glass of vodka to strengthen his bones. Oh, how well he slept; it was really a real sleep. And then they brought him breakfast and this old man even called him "Mr. Antek", and not just "Antek". Suddenly he became a master. Oh, if it were like this, as it is, but differently. There is something to talk about, it would be quite boring here. What is this here, some agricultural institution or prison, or the devil knows what, in any case something boring and that's it.
In one of the houses near the train station, Mr. Wojciech was the doorman. Mr. Wojciech had come to Warsaw from the countryside nine years ago with his three children; now he had six. The eldest wandered the streets with Antek and was even considered one of his friends for a while. Then the two boys had a fight over apples they had stolen from cargo ships, and their relationship was severed. The suitcase was now weighing heavily on Antek, and he remembered Wojciech and decided to leave his luggage with him.
ווֹיצֶך מַזוּר עבד בתור שומר לילה ברחוב צַ'רְנְיֶקוֹבְסְקִי. נסים ונפלאות סופרו על כוחו הרב ועל הרפתקאותיו במסעות שערך לכל חלקי תבל. הסיפורים והאגדות על חייו גדלו והשתנו בקלות יתירה, וסייע לכך וויצ'ך עצמו, שלא הוסיף דבר ולא הכחיש דבר מעולם.
Wojciech Mazur worked as a night watchman on Czerniakowska Street. Miracles and wonders were told about his great strength and about the adventures he had experienced on journeys to every corner of the world. The stories and legends about his life grew and changed with ease, helped along by Wojciech himself, who never added anything and never denied anything.
In one of the houses near the train station, Mr. Wojciech filled the role of the doorman. Mr. Wojciech arrived in Warsaw from the village nine years ago with his three children; today he already has six. The eldest wandered the streets with Antek and was even considered one of his friends for a time. Afterwards, the two boys fell out because of apples they had stolen from cargo ships, and the relationship between them was broken off. The suitcase was now heavy for Antek, and he remembered Wojciech and decided to leave his baggage with him.
"Mr. Antek, please get up, I brought you breakfast." Antek opened his eyes. They brought him breakfast? Milk? Hey! He could have downed a shot of vodka to strengthen his bones. Ah, how well he had slept; that had been real sleep. And now someone brought him breakfast, and the old man even called him "Mr. Antek," not just "Antek." Suddenly he had become a mister. Ah, if only it were like this, just like this — but different. No doubt about it, this place was going to be seriously boring
We had called the palace in Zaruts several times "the tomb." Let us now, together with Mania and Antek, enter this "tomb" and observe it closely. The corridor, as previously mentioned, was dark and long; on both sides were doors leading to various rooms. Three rooms on each side: a library, a gymnasium, a dining room, two smaller rooms, and the Count's office.
The patron—or buyer—of Antek and Mania was Count Zarutsky. The elder Count, Stefan Zarutsky, had a brother, but he severed all ties with him following their last conversation. No one knew the content of that conversation; according to rumor, it ended in a very stormy manner. Shortly afterwards, Count Stefan Zarutsky moved to Zarutsk with his wife and their two children—and no one saw him again.
Antek and Mania walked silently, holding the man's strong hand. Antek struggled with his thoughts. An hour ago, he was still wandering along the avenue, selling flowers. Then he met this strange man, listened to him. Then he left the man and sold flowers again. Then he bought cigarettes, got into a fight with Witzek, ran away. Then... "What will happen to us now?" - he asked himself.
On a pleasant autumn day, a crowd of people strolled along Warsaw's Ujazdowskie Avenue. The city's residents came out to enjoy the warmth, the sunshine, and the fresh air. After all, it wouldn't be long before they'd have to retreat to their apartment cages, hidden between walls, waiting for a full six months until the city's cobblestones would emerge from the filthy snow, and the first buds of spring would appear on the city's pitiful trees.