CHAPTER XXVI.
Kovno, and the whole region on the left bank of the Vilia, with all theroads, were occupied by the enemy (the Russians); therefore Kmita, notbeing able to go to Podlyasye by the high-road leading from Kovno toGrodno and thence to Byalystok, went by side-roads from Kyedanistraight down the course of the Nyevyaja to the Nyemen, which hecrossed near Vilkovo, and found himself in the province of Trotsk.
All that part of the road, which was not over great, he passed inquiet, for that region lay as it were under the hand of Radzivill.
Towns, and here and there even villages, were occupied by castlesquadrons of the hetman, or by small detachments of Swedish cavalrywhich the hetman pushed forward thus far of purpose against the legionsof Zolotarenko, which stood there beyond the Vilia, so that occasionsfor collisions and war might be more easily found.
Zolotarenko would have been glad too to have an "uproar" with theSwedes, according to the words of the hetman; but those whose ally hewas did not wish war with them, or in every case wished to put it offas long as possible. Zolotarenko therefore received the strictestorders not to cross the river, and in case that Radzivill himself,together with the Swedes, moved on him, to retreat with all haste.
For these reasons the country on the right side of the Vilia was quiet;but since from one side Cossack pickets, from the other those of theSwedes and Radzivill were looking at one another, one musket-shot mightat any, moment let loose a terrible war.
In prevision of this, people took timely refuge in safe places.Therefore the whole country was quiet, but empty. Pan Andrei sawdeserted towns, everywhere the windows of houses held up by sticks, andwhole villages depopulated. The fields were also empty, for there wasno crop that year. Common people secreted themselves in fathomlessforests, to which they drove all their cattle; but the nobles fled toneighboring Electoral Prussia, at that time altogether safe from war.For this reason there was an uncommon movement over the roads andtrails of the wilderness, and the number of fugitives was still moreincreased by those who from the left bank of the Vilia were able toescape the oppression of Zolotarenko.
The number of these was enormous, and especially of peasants; for thenobles who had not been able hitherto to flee from the left bank wentinto captivity or yielded their lives on their thresholds.
Pan Andrei, therefore, met every moment whole crowds of peasants withtheir wives and children, and driving before them flocks of sheep withhorses and cattle. That part of the province of Trotsk touching uponElectoral Prussia was wealthy and productive; therefore the well-to-dopeople had something to save and guard. The approaching winter did notalarm fugitives, who preferred to await better days amid mosses of theforest, in snow covered huts, than to await death in their nativevillages at the hands of the enemy.
Kmita often approached the fleeing crowds, or fires gleaming at nightin dense forest places. Wherever he met people from the left bank ofthe Vilia, from near Kovno, or from still remoter neighborhoods, heheard terrible tales of the cruelties of Zolotarenko and his allies,who exterminated people without regard to age or sex; they burnedvillages, cut down even trees in the gardens, leaving only land andwater. Never had Tartar raids left such desolation behind.
Not death alone was inflicted on the inhabitants, but before death theywere put to the most ingenious tortures. Many of those people fled withbewildered minds. These filled the forest depths at night with awfulshrieks; others were ever in a species of continual fear andexpectation of attack, though they had crossed the Nyemen and Vilia,though forests and morasses separated them from Zolotarenko's bands.Many of these stretched their hands to Kmita and his horsemen of Orsha,imploring rescue and pity, as if the enemy were standing there overthem.
Carriages belonging to nobles were moving toward Prussia; in them oldmen, women, and children; behind them, dragged on wagons with servants,effects, supplies of provisions, and other things. All these fleeingpeople were panic-stricken, terrified and grieved because they weregoing into exile.
Pan Andrei comforted these unfortunates at times by telling them thatthe Swedes would soon pass over and drive that enemy far away. Then thefugitives stretched their hands to heaven and said,--
"God give health, God give fortune to the prince voevoda! When theSwedes come we will return to our homes, to our burned dwellings."
And they blessed the prince everywhere. From mouth to mouth news wasgiven that at any moment he might cross the Vilia at the head of hisown and Swedish troops. Besides, they praised the "modesty" of theSwedes, their discipline, and good treatment of the inhabitants.Radzivill was called the Gideon of Lithuania, a Samson, a savior. Thesepeople from districts steaming with fresh blood and fire were lookingfor him as for deliverance.
And Kmita, hearing those blessings, those wishes, those almost prayers,was strengthened in his faith concerning Radzivill, and repeated in hissoul,--
"I serve such a lord! I will shut my eyes and follow blindly hisfortune. At times he is terrible and beyond knowing; but he has agreater mind than others, he knows better what is needed, and in himalone is salvation."
It became lighter and calmer in his breast at this thought; he advancedtherefore with greater solace in his heart, dividing his soul betweensorrow for Kyedani and thoughts on the unhappy condition of thecountry.
His sorrow increased continually. He did not throw the red ribbonbehind him, he did not put out the fire with water; for he felt, first,that it was useless, and then he did not wish to do so.
"Oh that she were present, that she could hear the wailing and groansof people, she would not beg God to turn me away, she would not tell methat I err, like those heretics who have left the true faith. But nevermind! Earlier or later she will be convinced, she will see that her ownjudgment was at fault. And then what God will give will be. Maybe weshall meet again in life."
And yearning increased in the young cavalier; but the conviction thathe was marching by the right, not by the wrong road, gave him a peacelong since unknown. The conflict of thought, the gnawing, the doubtsleft him by degrees, and he rode forward; he sank in the shorelessforest almost with gladness. From the time that he had come to Lyubich,after his famous raids on Hovanski, he had not felt so vivacious.
Kharlamp was right in this, that there is no cure like the road forcares and troubles. Pan Andrei had iron health; his daring and love ofadventures were coming back every hour. He saw these adventures beforehim, smiled at them, and urged on his convoy unceasingly, barelystopping for short night-rests.
Olenka stood ever before the eyes of his spirit, tearful, trembling inhis arms like a bird, and he said to himself, "I shall return."
At times the form of the hetman passed before him, gloomy, immense,terrible. But it may be just because he was moving away more and more,that that form became almost dear to him. Hitherto he had bent beforeRadzivill; now he began to love him. Hitherto Radzivill had borne himalong as a mighty whirlpool of water seizes and attracts everythingthat comes within its circle; now Kmita felt that he wished with hiswhole soul to go with him.
And in the distance that gigantic voevoda increased continually in theeyes of the young knight, and assumed almost superhuman proportions.More than once, at his night halt, when Pan Andrei had closed his eyesin sleep, he saw the hetman sitting on a throne loftier than the topsof the pine-trees. There was a crown on his head; his face was thesame, gloomy, enormous; in his hand a sword and a sceptre, at his feetthe whole Commonwealth. And in his soul Kmita did homage to greatness.
On the third day of the journey they left the Nyemen far behind, andentered a country of still greater forests. They met whole crowds offugitives on the roads; but nobles unable to bear arms were goingalmost without exception to Prussia before the bands of the enemy, who,not held in curb there, as on the banks of the Vilia, by the regimentsof Sweden and Radzivill, pushed at times far into the heart of thecountry, even to the boundary of Electoral Prussia. Their main objectwas plunder.
Frequently these were detachments as
if from the army of Zolotarenko,but really recognizing no authority,--simply robber companies, socalled "parties" commanded at times even by local bandits. Avoidingengagements in the field with troops and even with townspeople, theyattacked small villages, single houses, and travellers.
The nobles on their own account attacked these parties with theirhousehold servants, and ornamented with them the pine-trees along theroads; still it was easy in the forest to stumble upon their frequentbands, and therefore Pan Andrei was forced to exercise uncommon care.
But somewhat beyond Pilvishki on the Sheshupa, Kmita found thepopulation living quietly in their homes. The townspeople told him,however, that not longer than a couple of days before, a strong band ofZolotarenko's men, numbering as many as five hundred, had made anattack, and would, according to their custom, have cut down all thepeople, and let the place rise in smoke, were it not for unexpected aidwhich fell as it were from heaven.
"We had already committed ourselves to God," said the master of the innin which Pan Andrei had taken lodgings, "when the saints of the Lordsent some squadrons. We thought at first that a new enemy had come, butthey were ours. They sprang at once on Zolotarenko's ruffians, and inan hour they laid them out like a pavement, all the more easily as wehelped them."
"What kind of a squadron was it?" asked Kmita.
"God give them health! They did not say who they were, and we did notdare to ask. They fed their horses, took what hay and bread there was,and rode away."
"But whence did they come, and whither did they go?"
"They came from Kozlova Ruda, and they went to the south. We, whobefore that wished to flee to the woods, thought the matter over andstayed here, for the under-starosta said that after such a lesson theenemy would not look in on us again soon."
The news of the battle interested Kmita greatly, therefore he askedfurther: "And do you not know who commanded that squadron?"
"We do not know; but we saw the colonel, for he talked with us on thesquare, he is young, and sharp as a needle. He does not look like thewarrior that he is."
"Volodyovski!" cried Kmita.
"Whether he is Volodyovski, or not, may his hands be holy, may God makehim hetman!"
Pan Andrei fell into deep thought. Evidently he was going by the sameroad over which a few days before Volodyovski had marched with theLauda men. In fact, that was natural, for both were going to Podlyasye.But it occurred to Pan Andrei that if he hastened he might easily meetthe little knight and be captured; in that case, all the letters ofRadzivill would fall with him into possession of the confederates. Suchan event might destroy his mission, and bring God knows what harm tothe cause of Radzivill. For this reason Pan Andrei determined to stay acouple of days in Pilvishki, so that the squadron of Lauda might havetime to advance as far as possible.
The men, as well as the horses, travelling almost with one sweep fromKyedani (for only short halts had been given on the road hitherto),needed rest; therefore Kmita ordered the soldiers to remove the packsfrom the horses and settle themselves comfortably in the inn.
Next day he was convinced that he had acted not only cleverly butwisely, for scarcely had he dressed in the morning, when his host stoodbefore him.
"I bring news to your grace," said he.
"It is good?"
"Neither good nor bad, but that we have guests. An enormous courtarrived here to-day, and stopped at the starosta's house. There is aregiment of infantry, and what crowds of cavalry and carriages withservants!--The people thought that the king himself had come."
"What king?"
The innkeeper began to turn his cap in his hand. "It is true that wehave two kings now, but neither one came,--only the prince marshal."
Kmita sprang to his feet. "What prince marshal? Prince Boguslav?"
"Yes, your grace; the cousin of the prince voevoda of Vilna."
Pan Andrei clapped his hands from astonishment. "And so we have met."
The innkeeper, understanding that his guest was an acquaintance ofPrince Boguslav, made a lower bow than the day before, and went out ofthe room; but Kmita began to dress in haste, and an hour later wasbefore the house of the starosta.
The whole place was swarming with soldiers. The infantry were stackingtheir muskets on the square; the cavalry had dismounted and occupiedthe houses at the side. The soldiers and attendants in the most variedcostumes had halted before the houses, or were walking along thestreets. From the mouths of the officers were to be heard French andGerman. Nowhere a Polish soldier, nowhere a Polish uniform; themusketeers and dragoons were dressed in strange fashion, different,indeed, from the foreign squadrons which Pan Andrei had seen inKyedani, for they were not in German but in French style. The soldiers,handsome men and so showy that each one in the ranks might be taken foran officer, delighted the eyes of Pan Andrei. The officers looked onhim also with curiosity, for he had arrayed himself richly in velvetand brocade, and six men, dressed in new uniforms, followed him as asuite.
Attendants, all dressed in French fashion, were hurrying about infront of the starosta's house; there were pages in caps and feathers,armor-bearers in velvet kaftans, and equerries in Swedish, high,wide-legged boots.
Evidently the prince did not intend to tarry long in Pilvishki, and hadstopped only for refreshment, for the carriages were not taken to theshed; and the equerries, in waiting, were feeding horses out of tinsieves which they held in their hands.
Kmita announced to an officer on guard before the house who he was andwhat was his mission; the officer went to inform the prince. After awhile he returned hastily, to say that the prince was anxious to see aman sent from the hetman; and showing Kmita the way, he entered thehouse with him.
After they had passed the antechamber, they found in the dining-hall anumber of attendants, with legs stretched out, slumbering sweetly inarm-chairs; it was evident that they must have started early in themorning from the last halting-place: The officer stopped before thedoor of the next room, and bowing to Pan Andrei, said,--
"The prince is there."
Pan Andrei entered and stopped at the threshold. The prince was sittingbefore a mirror fixed in the corner of the room, and was looking sointently at his own face, apparently just touched with rouge and white,that he did not turn attention to the incomer. Two chamber servants,kneeling before him, were fastening buckles at the ankles on his hightravelling-boots, while he was arranging slowly with his fingers theluxuriant, evenly cut forelock of his bright gold-colored wig, or itmight be of his own abundant hair.
He was still a young man, of thirty-five years, but seemed not morethan five and twenty. Kmita knew the prince, but looked on him alwayswith curiosity: first, because of the great knightly fame whichsurrounded him, and which was won mainly through duels foughtwith various foreign magnates; second, by reason of his peculiarfigure,--whoso saw his form once was forced to remember it ever after.The prince was tall and powerfully built, but on his broad shouldersstood a head as diminutive as if taken from another body. His face,also, was uncommonly small, almost childlike; but in it, too, there wasno proportion, for he had a great Roman nose and enormous eyes ofunspeakable beauty and brightness, with a real eagle boldness ofglance. In presence of those eyes and the nose, the rest of his face,surrounded, moreover, with plentiful tresses of hair, disappearedalmost completely; his mouth was almost that of a child; above it was aslight mustache barely covering his upper lip. The delicacy of hiscomplexion, heightened by rouge and white paint, made him almostlike a young lady; and at the same time the insolence, pride, andself-confidence depicted in that face permitted no one to forget thathe was that _chercheur de noises_ (seeker of quarrels), as he wasnicknamed at the French court,--a man out of whose mouth a sharp wordcame with ease, but whose sword came from its scabbard with stillgreater ease.
In Germany, in Holland, in France, they related marvels of his militarydeeds, of his disputes, quarrels, adventures, and duels. He was the manwho in Holland rushed into the thickest whirl of battle, among theincomparable regiments of Spanis
h infantry, and with his own princelyhand captured a flag and a cannon; he, at the head of the regiments ofthe Prince of Orange, captured batteries declared by old leaders to bebeyond capture; he, on the Rhine, at the head of French musketeers,shattered the heavy squadrons of Germany, trained in the Thirty Years'War; he wounded, in a duel in France, the most celebrated fencer amongFrench knights. Prince de Fremouille; another famous fighter, Baron VonGoetz, begged of him life, on his knees; he wounded Baron Grot, forwhich he had to hear bitter reproaches from his cousin Yanush, becausehe was lowering his dignity as prince by fighting with men beneath himin rank; finally, in presence of the whole French court, at a ball inthe Louvre, he slapped Marquis de Rieux on the face, because he hadspoken to him "unbecomingly." The duels that he had fought incognito insmaller towns, in taverns and inns, did not enter into reckoning.
He was a mixture of effeminacy and unbounded daring. During rare andshort visits to his native land he amused himself by quarrels with theSapyehas, and with hunting; but on those occasions the hunters had tofind for him she-bears with their young, as being dangerous andenraged; against these he went armed only with a spear.
But it was tedious for him in his own country, to which he came, as wassaid, unwillingly, most frequently in time of war; he distinguishedhimself by great victories at Berestechko, Mogilyoff, and Smolensk. Warwas his element, though he had a mind quick and subtle, equally fittedfor intrigues and diplomatic exploits. In these he knew how to bepatient and enduring, far more enduring than in the "loves," of which awhole series completed the history of his life. The prince, at thecourts where he had resided, was the terror of husbands who hadbeautiful wives. For that reason, doubtless, he was not yet married,though his high birth and almost inexhaustible fortune made him one ofthe most desirable matches in Europe. The King and Queen of France,Marya Ludvika of Poland, the Prince of Orange, and his uncle, theElector of Brandenburg, tried to make matches for him; but so far hepreferred his freedom.
"I do not want a dower," said he, cynically; "and of the otherpleasures I have no lack as I am."
In this fashion he reached the thirty-fifth year of his age.
Kmita, standing on the threshold, examined with curiosity Boguslav'sface, which the mirror reflected, while he was arranging withseriousness the hair of his forelock; at last, when Pan Andrei coughedonce and a second time, he said, without turning his head,--
"But who is present? Is it a messenger from the prince voevoda?"
"Not a messenger, but from the prince voevoda," replied Pan Andrei.
Then the prince turned his head, and seeing a brilliant young man,recognized that he had not to do with an ordinary servant.
"Pardon, Cavalier," said he, affably, "for I see that I was mistaken inthe office of the person. But your face is known to me, though I am notable to recall your name. You are an attendant of the prince hetman?"
"My name is Kmita," answered Pan Andrei, "and I am not an attendant; Iam a colonel from the time that I brought my own squadron to the princehetman."
"Kmita!" cried the prince, "that same Kmita, famous in the last war,who harried Hovanski, and later on managed not worse on his ownaccount? I have heard much about you."
Having said this, the prince began to look more carefully and with acertain pleasure at Pan Andrei, for from what he had heard he thoughthim a man of his own cut.
"Sit down," said he, "I am glad to know you more intimately. And whatis to be heard in Kyedani?"
"Here is a letter from the prince hetman," answered Kmita.
The servants, having finished buckling the prince's boots, went out.The prince broke the seal and began to read. After a while there was anexpression of weariness and dissatisfaction on his face. He threw theletter under the mirror and said,--
"Nothing new! The prince voevoda advises me to go to Prussia, to Tyltsaor to Taurogi, which, as you see, I am just doing. _Ma foi_, I do notunderstand my cousin. He reports to me that the elector is inBrandenburg, and that he cannot make his way to Prussia through theSwedes, and he writes at the same time that the hairs are standing onhis head because I do not communicate with him, either for health orprescription; and how can I? If the elector cannot make his way throughthe Swedes, how can my messenger do so? I am in Podlyasye, for I havenothing else to do. I tell you, my cavalier, that I am as much bored asthe devil doing penance. I have speared all the bears near Tykotsin;the fair heads of that region have the odor of sheepskin, which mynostrils cannot endure. But-- Do you understand French or German?"
"I understand German," answered Kmita.
"Praise be to God for that! I will speak German, for my lips fly offfrom your language."
When he had said this the prince put out his lower lip and touched itwith his fingers, as if wishing to be sure that it had not gone off:then he looked at the mirror and continued,--
"Report has come to me that in the neighborhood of Lukovo oneSkshetuski, a noble, has a wife of wonderful beauty. It is far fromhere; but I sent men to carry her off and bring her. Now, if you willbelieve it, Pan Kmita, they did not find her at home."
"That was good luck," said Pan Andrei, "for she is the wife of anhonorable cavalier, a celebrated man, who made his way out of Zbarajthrough the whole power of Hmelnitski."
"The husband was besieged in Zbaraj, and I would have besieged the wifein Tykotsin. Do you think she would have held out as stubbornly as herhusband?"
"Your highness, for such a siege a counsel of war is not needed, let itpass without my opinion," answered Pan Andrei, brusquely.
"True, loss of time!" said the prince. "Let us return to business. Haveyou any letters yet?"
"What I had to your highness I have delivered; besides those I have oneto the King of Sweden. Is it known to your highness where I must seekhim?"
"I know nothing. What can I know? He is not in Tykotsin; I can assureyou of that, for if he had once seen that place he would have resignedhis dominion over the whole Commonwealth. Warsaw is now in Swedishhands, but you will not find the king there. He must be before Cracow,or in Cracow itself, if he has not gone to Royal Prussia by this time.To my thinking Karl Gustav must keep the Prussian towns in mind, for hecannot leave them in his rear. Who would have expected, when the wholeCommonwealth abandons its king, when all the nobles join the Swedes,when the provinces yield one after the other, that just then towns,German and Protestant, would not hear of the Swedes but prepare forresistance? They wish to save the Commonwealth and adhere to YanKazimir. In beginning our work we thought that it would be otherwise:that before all they would help us and the Swedes to cut that loafwhich you call your Commonwealth; but now they won't move! The luck isthat the elector has his eye on them. He has offered them forcesalready against the Swedes; but the Dantzig people do not trust him,and say that they have forces enough of their own."
"We knew that already in Kyedani," said Kmita.
"If they have not forces enough, in every case they have a good sniff,"continued the prince, laughing; "for the elector cares as much, Ithink, about the Commonwealth as I do, or as the prince voevoda ofVilna does."
"Your highness, permit me to deny that," said Kmita, abruptly. "Theprince cares that much about the Commonwealth that he is ready at everymoment to give his last breath and spill his last blood for it."
Prince Boguslav began to laugh.
"You are young, Cavalier, young! But enough! My uncle the elector wantsto grab Royal Prussia, and for that reason only, he offers his aid. Ifhe has the towns once in hand, if he has his garrisons in them, he willbe ready to agree with the Swedes next day, nay, even with the Turks orwith devils. Let the Swedes add a bit of Great Poland, he will be readyto help them with all his power to take the rest. The only trouble isin this, that the Swedes are sharpening their teeth against Prussia,and hence the distrust between them and the elector."
"I hear with astonishment the words of your highness," said Kmita.
"The devils were taking me in Podlyasye," answered the prince,--"I hadto stay there so long in idleness. But what
was I to do? An agreementwas made between me and the prince voevoda, that until affairs werecleared up in Prussia, I was not to take the Swedish side publicly. Andthat was right, for thus a gate remains open. I sent even secretcouriers to Yan Kazimir, announcing that I was ready to summon thegeneral militia in Podlyasye if a manifesto were sent me. The king, asking, might have let himself be tricked; but the queen it is clear doesnot trust me, and must have advised against it. If it were not for thatwoman, I should be to-day at the head of all the nobles of Podlyasye;and what is more, those confederates who are now ravaging the propertyof Prince Yanush would have no choice but to come under my orders. Ishould have declared myself a partisan of Yan Kazimir, but, in fact,having power in my hand, would treat with the Swedes. But that womanknows how grass grows, and guesses the most secret thought. She is thereal king, not queen! She has more wit in one finger than Yan Kazimirin his whole body."
"The prince voevoda--" began Kmita.
"The prince voevoda," interrupted Boguslav, with impatience, "iseternally late with his counsel; he writes to me in every letter, 'Dothis and do that,' while I have in fact done it long before. Besides,the prince voevoda loses his head. For listen what he asks of me."
Here the prince took up the letter and began to read aloud,--
"Be cautious yourself on the road; and those rascals, the confederates,who have mutinied against me and are ravaging Podlyasye, for God's sakethink how to disperse them, lest they go to the king. They arepreparing to visit Zabludovo, and beer in that place is strong; whenthey get drunk, let them be cut off,--each host may finish his guest.Nothing better is needed; for when the heads are removed, the rest willscatter--"
Boguslav threw the letter with vexation on the table.
"Listen, Pan Kmita," said he, "you see I have to go to Prussia and atthe same time arrange a slaughter in Zabludovo. I must feign myself apartisan of Yan Kazimir and a patriot, and at the same time cut offthose people who are unwilling to betray the king and the country. Isthat sense? Does one hang to the other? _Ma foi_, the prince is losinghis head. I have met now, while coming to Pilvishki, a whole insurgentsquadron travelling along through Podlyasye. I should have gallopedover their stomachs with gladness, even to gain some amusement; butbefore I am an open partisan of the Swedes, while my uncle the electorholds formally with the Prussian towns, and with Yan Kazimir too, Icannot permit myself such pleasure, God knows I cannot. What could I domore than to be polite to those insurgents, as they are polite to me,suspecting me of an understanding with the hetman, but not having blackon white?"
Here the prince lay back comfortably in the armchair, stretched out hislegs, and putting his hands behind his head carelessly, began torepeat,--
"Ah, there is nonsense in this Commonwealth, nonsense! In the worldthere is nothing like it!"
Then he was silent for a moment; evidently some idea came to his head,for he struck his wig and inquired,--
"But will you not be in Podlyasye?"
"Yes," said Kmita, "I must be there, for I have a letter withinstructions to Harasimovich, the under-starosta in Zabludovo."
"In God's name!" exclaimed the prince, "Harasimovich is here with me.He is going with the hetman's effects to Prussia, for we were afraidthat they might fall into the hands of the confederates. Wait, I willhave him summoned."
Here the prince summoned a servant and ordered him to call theunder-starosta.
"This has happened well," said the prince, "You will save yourself ajourney,--though it may be too bad that you will not visit Podlyasye,for among the heads of the confederacy there is a namesake of yourswhom you might secure."
"I have no time for that," said Kmita, "since I am in a hurry to go tothe king and Pan Lyubomirski."
"Ah, you have a letter to the marshal of the kingdom? Well, I candivine the reason of it. Once the marshal thought of marrying his sonto Yanush's daughter. Did not the hetman wish this time to renewnegotiations delicately?"
"That is just the mission."
"Both are quite children. H'm! that's a delicate mission, for it doesnot become the hetman to speak first. Besides--"
Here the prince frowned.
"Nothing will come of it. The daughter of the hetman is not forHeraclius, I tell you that! The prince hetman must understand that hisfortune is to remain in possession of the Radzivills."
Kmita looked with astonishment on the prince, who was walking withquicker and quicker pace through the room.
All at once he stopped before Pan Andrei, and said, "Give me the wordof a cavalier that you will answer truly my question."
"Gracious prince," said Kmita, "only those lie who are afraid, and Ifear no man."
"Did the prince voevoda give orders to keep secret from me thenegotiations with Lyubomirski?"
"Had I such a command, I should not have mentioned Lyubomirski."
"It might have slipped you. Give me your word."
"I give it," said Kmita, frowning.
"You have taken a weight from my heart, for I thought that the voevodawas playing a double game with me."
"I do not understand, your highness."
"I would not marry, in France, Rohan, not counting half threescoreother princesses whom they were giving me. Do you know why?"
"I do not."
"There is an agreement between me and the prince voevoda that hisdaughter and his fortune are growing up for me. As a faithful servantof the Radzivills, you may know everything."
"Thank you for the confidence. But your highness is mistaken. I am nota servant of the Radzivills."
Boguslav opened his eyes widely. "What are you?"
"I am a colonel of the hetman, not of the castle; and besides I am thehetman's relative."
"A relative?"
"I am related to the Kishkis, and the hetman is born of a Kishki."
Prince Boguslav looked for a while at Kmita, on whose face a lightflush appeared. All at once he stretched forth his hands and said,--
"I beg your pardon, cousin, and I am glad of the relationship."
The last words were uttered with a certain inattentive though showypoliteness, in which there was something directly painful to PanAndrei. His face flushed still more, and he was opening his mouth tosay something hasty, when the door opened and Harasimovich appeared onthe threshold.
"There is a letter for you," said Boguslav.
Harasimovich bowed to the prince, and then to Pan Andrei, who gave himthe letter.
"Read it!" said Prince Boguslav.
Harasimovich began to read,--
"Pan Harasimovich! Now is the time to show the good will of a faithfulservant to his lord. As whatever money you are able to collect, you inZabludovo and Pan Pjinski in Orel--"
"The confederates have slain Pan Pjinski in Orel, for which reason PanHarasimovich has taken to his heels," interrupted the prince.
The under-starosta bowed and read further,--
"--and Pan Pjinski in Orel, even the public revenue, even the excise,rent--"
"The confederates have already taken them," interrupted Boguslav again.
"--send me at once," continued Harasimovich. "If you can mortgage somevillages to neighbors or townspeople, obtaining as much money on themas possible, do so, and whatever means there may be of obtaining money,do your best in the matter, and send the money to me. Send horses andwhatever effects there are in Orel. There is a great candlestick too,and other things,--pictures, ornaments, and especially the cannons onthe porch at my cousins; for robbers may be feared--"
"Again counsel too late, for these cannons are going with me," said theprince.
"If they are heavy with the stocks, then take them without the stocksand cover them, so it may not be known that you are bringing them. Andtake these things to Prussia with all speed, avoiding with utmost carethose traitors who have caused mutiny in my army and are ravaging myestates--"
"As to ravaging, they are ravaging! They are pounding them into dough,"interrupted the prince anew.
"--ravaging my estates, and are preparin
g to move against Zabludovo ontheir way perhaps to the king. With them it is difficult to fight, forthey are many; but if they are admitted, and given plenty to drink, andkilled in the night while asleep (every host can do that), or poisonedin strong beer, or (which is not difficult in that place) a wild crowdlet in to plunder them--"
"Well, that is nothing new!" said Prince Boguslav. "You may journeywith me, Pan Harasimovich."
"There is still a supplement," said the under-starosta. And he read on,
"The wines, if you cannot bring them away (for with us such can be hadnowhere), sell them quickly--"
Here Harasimovich stopped and seized himself by the head,--
"For God's sake! those wines are coming half a day's road behind us,and surely have fallen into the hands of that insurgent squadron whichwas hovering around us. There will be a loss of some thousands of goldpieces. Let your highness give witness with me that you commanded me towait till the barrels were packed in the wagons."
Harasimovich's terror would have been still greater had he known PanZagloba, and had he known that he was in that very squadron. MeanwhilePrince Boguslav smiled and said,--
"Oh, let the wines be to their health! Read on!"
"--if a merchant cannot be found--"
Prince Boguslav now held his sides from laughter. "He has been found,"said he, "but you must sell to him on credit."
"--but if a merchant cannot be found," read Harasimovich, in acomplaining voice, "bury it in the ground secretly, so that more thantwo should not know where it is; but leave a keg in Orel and one inZabludovo, and those of the best and sweetest, so that the officers maytake a liking to it; and put in plenty of poison, so that the officersat least may be killed, then the squadron will break up. For God'ssake, serve me faithfully in this, and secretly, for the mercy of God.Burn what I write, and whoso finds out anything send him to me. Eitherthe confederates will find and drink the wine, or it may be given as apresent to make them friendly."
The under-starosta finished reading, and looked at Prince Boguslav, asif waiting for instructions; and the prince said,--
"I see that my cousin pays much attention to the confederates; it isonly a pity that, as usual, he is too late. If he had come upon thisplan two weeks ago, or even one week, it might have been tried. But nowgo with God, Pan Harasimovich; I do not need you."
Harasimovich bowed and went out.
Prince Boguslav stood before the mirror, and began to examine his ownfigure carefully; he moved his head slightly from right to left, thenstepped back from the mirror, then approached it, then shook his curls,then looked askance, not paying any attention to Kmita, who sat in theshade with his back turned to the window.
But if he had cast even one look at Pan Andrei's face he would haveseen that in the young envoy something wonderful was taking place; forKmita's face was pale, on his forehead stood thick drops of sweat, andhis hands shook convulsively. After a while he rose from the chair, butsat down again immediately, like a man struggling with himself andsuppressing an outburst of anger or despair. Finally his featuressettled and became fixed; evidently he had with his whole strongforce of will and energy enjoined calm on himself and gained completeself-control.
"Your highness," said he, "from the confidence which the prince hetmanbestows on me you see that he does not wish to make a secret ofanything. I belong soul and substance to his work; with him and yourhighness my fortune may increase; therefore, whither you both go,thither go I also. I am ready for everything. But though I serve inthose affairs and am occupied in them, still I do not of courseunderstand everything perfectly, nor can I penetrate all the secrets ofthem with my weak wit."
"What do you wish then, Sir Cavalier, or rather, fair cousin?"
"I ask instruction, your highness; it would be a shame indeed were Iunable to learn at the side of such statesmen. I know not whether yourhighness will be pleased to answer me without reserve--"
"That will depend on your question and on my humor," answered Boguslav,not ceasing to look at the mirror.
Kmita's eyes glittered for a moment, but he continued calmly,--
"This is my question: The prince voevoda of Vilna shields all his actswith the good and salvation of the Commonwealth, so that in fact theCommonwealth is never absent from his lips; be pleased to tell mesincerely, are these mere pretexts, or has the hetman in truth nothingbut the good of the Commonwealth in view?"
Boguslav cast a quick glance on Pan Andrei. "If I should say that theyare pretexts, would you give further service?"
Kmita shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "Of course! As I have said, myfortune will increase with the fortune of your highness and that of thehetman. If that increase comes, the rest is all one to me."
"You will be a man! Remember that I foretell this. But why has mycousin not spoken openly with you?"
"Maybe because he is squeamish, or just because it did not happen to bethe topic."
"You have quick wit, Cousin Cavalier, for it is the real truth that heis squeamish and shows his true skin unwillingly. As God is dear to me,true! Such is his nature. So, even in talking with me, the moment heforgets himself he begins to adorn his speech with love for thecountry. When I laugh at him to his eyes, he comes to his senses. True!true!"
"Then it is merely a pretext?" asked Kmita.
The prince turned the chair around and sat astride of it, as on ahorse, and resting his arms on the back of it was silent awhile, as ifin thought; then he said,--
"Hear me, Pan Kmita. If we Radzivills lived in Spain, France, orSweden, where the son inherits after the father, and where the right ofthe king comes from God himself, then, leaving aside civil war,extinction of the royal stock, or some uncommon event, we should servethe king and the country firmly, being content with the highest officeswhich belong to us by family and fortune. But here, in the land wherethe king has not divine right at his back, but the nobles createhim, where everything is in free suffrage, we ask ourselves withreason,--Why should a Vaza rule, and not a Radzivill? There is noobjection so far as the Vazas are concerned, for they take their originfrom hereditary kings; but who will assure us, who will guarantee thatafter the Vazas the nobles will not have the whim of seating on thethrone of the kingdom and on the throne of the Grand Principality evenPan Harasimovich, or some Pan Myeleshko, or some Pan Pyeglasyevich fromPsivolki? Tfu! can I guess whom they may fancy? And must we,Radzivills, and princes of the German Empire, come to kiss the hand ofKing Pyeglasyevich? Tfu! to all the horned devils, Cavalier, it is timeto finish with this! Look meanwhile at Germany,--how many provincialprinces there, who in importance and fortune are fitted to beunder-starostas for us. Still they have their principalities, theyrule, wear crowns on their heads, and take precedence of us, though itwould be fitter for them to bear the trains of our mantles. It is timeto put an end to this, and accomplish that which was already planned bymy father."
Here the prince grew vivacious, rose from the chair, and began to walkthrough the room.
"This will not take place without difficulty and obstacles," continuedhe, "for the Radzivills of Olyta and Nyesvyej are not willing to aidus. I know that Prince Michael wrote to my cousin that he would betterthink of a hair-shirt than of a royal mantle. Let him think of ahair-shirt himself, let him do penance, let him sit on ashes, let theJesuits lash his skin with disciplines; if he is content with being aroyal carver, let him carve capons virtuously all his virtuous life,till his virtuous death! We shall get on without him and not drop ourhands, for just now is the time. The devils are taking theCommonwealth; for now it is so weak, has gone to such dogs, that itcannot drive them away. Every one is crawling in over its boundaries,as into an unfenced garden. What has happened here with the Swedes hashappened nowhere on earth to this day. We, Sir Cavalier, may sing intruth 'Te Deum laudamus.' In its way the event is unheard of,unparalleled. Just think: an invader attacks a country, an invaderfamous for rapacity; and not only does he not find resistance,but every living man deserts his old king and hurries to a newone,--magnates, nobles,
the army, castles, towns, all,--without honor,without fame, without feeling, without shame! History gives not anothersuch example. Tfu! tfu! trash inhabit this country,--men withoutconscience or ambition. And is such a country not to perish? They arelooking for our favor! Ye will have favor! In Great Poland already theSwedes are thumb-screwing nobles; and so will it be everywhere,--itcannot be otherwise."
Kmita grew paler and paler, but with the remnant of his strength heheld in curb an outburst of fury; the prince, absorbed in his ownspeech, delighted with his own words, with his own wisdom, paid noattention to his listener, and continued,--
"There is a custom in this land that when a man is dying his relativesat the last moment pull the pillow from under his head, so that he maynot suffer longer. I and the prince voevoda of Vilna have determined torender this special service to the Commonwealth. But because manyplunderers are watching for the inheritance and we cannot get it all,we wish that a part, and that no small one, should come to us. Asrelatives, we have that right. If with this comparison I have notspoken on a level with your understanding, and have not been able tohit the point, I will tell you in other words: Suppose the Commonwealtha red cloth at which are pulling the Swedes, Hmelnitski, theHyperboreans,[23] the Tartars, the elector, and whosoever lives around.But I and the prince voevoda of Vilna have agreed that enough of thatcloth must remain in our hands to make a robe for us; therefore we donot prevent the dragging, but we drag ourselves. Let Hmelnitskistay in the Ukraine; let the Swedes and the elector settle aboutPrussia and Great Poland; let Rakotsy, or whoever is nearer, takeLittle Poland,--Lithuania must be for Prince Yanush, and, together withhis daughter, for me."
Kmita rose quickly. "I give thanks, your highness; that is all I wantedto know."
"You are going out. Sir Cavalier?"
"I am."
The prince looked carefully at Kmita, and at that moment first notedhis pallor and excitement.
"What is the matter, Pan Kmita?" asked he. "You look like a ghost."
"Weariness has knocked me off my feet, and my head is dizzy. Farewell,your highness; I will come before starting, to bow to you again."
"Make haste, then, for I start after midday myself."
"I shall return in an hour at furthest."
When he had said this, Kmita bent his head and went out. In the otherroom the servants rose at sight of him, but he passed like a drunkenman, seeing no one. At the threshold of the room he caught his headwith both hands, and began to repeat, almost with a groan,--
"Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews! Jesus, Mary, Joseph!"
With tottering steps he passed through the guard, composed of six menwith halberds. Outside the gate were his own men, the sergeant Sorokaat the head of them.
"After me!" called Kmita. And he moved through the town toward the inn.
Soroka, an old soldier of Kmita's, knowing him perfectly, noticed atonce that something uncommon had happened to the colonel.
"Let your soul be on guard," said he quietly to the men; "woe to him onwhom his anger falls now!"
The soldiers hastened their steps in silence, but Kmita did not go at awalk; he almost ran, waving his hand and repeating words well-nighincoherent.
To the ears of Soroka came only broken phrases,--
"Poisoners, faith-breakers, traitors! Crime and treason,--the two arethe same--"
Then he began to mention his old comrades. The names Kokosinski,Kulvyets, Ranitski, Rekuts, and others fell from his lips one afteranother; a number of times he mentioned Volodyovski. Soroka heard thiswith wonder, and grew more and more alarmed; but in his mind hethought,--
"Some one's blood will flow; it cannot be otherwise."
Meanwhile they had come to the inn. Kmita shut himself in his room atonce, and for about an hour he gave no sign of life. The soldiersmeanwhile had tied on the packs and saddled the horses without order.
"That is no harm," said Soroka; "it is necessary to be ready foreverything."
"We too are ready!" answered the old fighters, moving their mustaches.
In fact, it came out soon that Soroka knew his colonel well; for Kmitaappeared suddenly in the front room, without a cap, in his trousers andshirt only.
"Saddle the horses!" cried he.
"They are saddled."
"Fasten on the packs!"
"They are fastened."
"A ducat a man!" cried the young colonel, who in spite of all his feverand excitement saw that those soldiers had guessed his thought quickly.
"We give thanks, Commander!" cried all in chorus.
"Two men will take the pack-horses and go out of the place immediatelytoward Dembova. Go slowly through the town; outside the town put thehorses on a gallop, and stop not till the forest is reached."
"According to command!"
"Four others load their pistols. For me saddle two horses, and letanother be ready."
"I knew there would be something!" muttered Soroka.
"Now, Sergeant, after me!" cried Kmita.
And undressed as he was, in trousers only, and open shirt, he went outof the front room. Soroka followed him, opening his eyes widely withwonder; they went in this fashion to the well in the yard of the inn.Here Kmita stopped, and pointing to the bucket hanging from the sweep,said,--
"Pour water on my head!"
Soroka knew from experience how dangerous it was to ask twice about anorder; he seized the rope, let the bucket down into the water, drew upquickly, and taking the bucket in his hands, threw the water on PanAndrei, who, puffing and blowing like a whale, rubbed his wet hair withhis hands, and cried,--
"More!"
Soroka repeated the act, and threw water with all his force, just as ifhe were putting out a fire.
"Enough!" said Kmita, at length. "Follow me, help me to dress."
Both went to the inn. At the gate they met the two men going out withtwo pack-horses.
"Slowly through the town; outside the town on a gallop!" commandedKmita; and he wont in.
Half an hour later he appeared dressed completely, as if for the road,with high boots and an elkskin coat, girded with a leather belt intowhich was thrust a pistol.
The soldiers noticed, too, that from under his kaftan gleamed the edgeof chain mail, as if he were going to battle. He had his sabre alsogirt high, so as to seize the hilt more easily. His face was calmenough, but stern and threatening. Casting a glance at the soldiers tosee if they were ready and armed properly, he mounted his horse, andthrowing a ducat at the innkeeper, rode out of the place.
Soroka rode at his side; three others behind, leading a horse. Soonthey found themselves on the square filled by Boguslav's troops. Therewas movement among them already; evidently the command had come toprepare for the road. The horsemen were tightening the girths of thesaddle and bridling the horses; the infantry were taking their muskets,stacked before the houses; others were attaching horses to wagons.
Kmita started as it were from meditation.
"Hear me, old man," said he to Soroka; "from the starosta's house doesthe road go on,--it will not be necessary to come back through thesquare?"
"But where are we going, Colonel?"
"To Dembova."
"Then we must go from the square past the house. The square will bebehind us."
"It is well," said Kmita.
"Oh, if only those men were alive now! Few are fitted for work likethis,--few!"
Meanwhile they passed the square, and began to turn toward thestarosta's house, which lay about one furlong and a half farther on,near the roadside.
"Stop!" cried Kmita, suddenly.
The soldiers halted, and he turned to them. "Are you ready for death?"asked he, abruptly.
"Ready!" answered in chorus these dare-devils of Orsha.
"We crawled up to Hovanski's throat, and he did not devour us,--do youremember?"
"We remember!"
"There is need to dare great things to-day. If success comes, ourgracious king will make lords of you,--I guarantee that! If failure,you will go to
the stake!"
"Why not success?" asked Soroka, whose eyes began to gleam like thoseof an old wolf.
"There will be success!" said three others,--Biloues, Zavratynski, andLubyenyets.
"We must carry off the prince marshal!" said Kmita. Then he was silent,wishing to see the impression which the mad thought would make on thesoldiers. But they were silent too, and looked on him as on a rainbow;only, their mustaches quivered, and their faces became terrible andmurderous.
"The stake is near, the reward far away," added Kmita.
"There are few of us," muttered Zavratynski.
"It is worse than against Hovanski," said Lubyenyets.
"The troops are all in the market-square, and at the house are only thesentries and about twenty attendants," said Kmita, "who are off theirguard, and have not even swords at their sides."
"You risk your head; why should we not risk ours?" said Soroka.
"Hear me," continued Kmita. "If we do not take him by cunning, we shallnot take him at all. Listen! I will go into the room, and after a timecome out with the prince. If the prince will sit on my horse, I willsit on the other, and we will ride on. When we have ridden about ahundred or a hundred and fifty yards, then seize him from both sides bythe shoulders, and gallop the horses with all breath."
"According to order!" answered Soroka.
"If I do not come out," continued Kmita, "and you hear a shot in theroom, then open on the guards with pistols, and give me the horse as Irush from the door."
"That will be done," answered Soroka.
"Forward!" commanded Kmita.
They moved on, and a quarter of an hour later halted at the gate of thestarosta's house. At the gate were six guards with halberds; at thedoor of the anteroom four men were standing. Around a carriage in thefront yard were occupied equerries and outriders, whom an attendant ofconsequence was overseeing,--a foreigner, as might be known from hisdress and wig.
Farther on, near the carriage-house, horses were being attached to twoother carriages, to which gigantic Turkish grooms were carrying packs.Over these watched a man dressed in black, with a face like that of adoctor or an astrologer.
Kmita announced himself as he had previously, through the officer ofthe day, who returned soon and asked him to the prince.
"How are you, Cavalier?" asked the prince, joyfully. "You left me sosuddenly that I thought scruples had risen in you from my words, and Idid not expect to see you again."
"Of course I could not go without making my obeisance."
"Well, I thought: the prince voevoda has known whom to send on aconfidential mission. I make use of you also, for I give you letters toa number of important persons, and to the King of Sweden himself. Butwhy armed as if for battle?"
"I am going among confederates; I have heard right here in this place,and your highness has confirmed the report, that a confederate squadronpassed. Even here in Pilvishki they brought a terrible panic onZolotarenko's men, for a famed soldier is leading that squadron."
"Who is he?"
"Pan Volodyovski; and with him are Mirski, Oskyerko, and the twoSkshetuskis,--one that man of Zbaraj, whose wife your highness wantedto besiege in Tykotsin. All rebelled against the prince voevoda; and itis a pity, for they were good soldiers. What is to be done? There arestill fools in the Commonwealth who are unwilling to pull the red clothwith Cossacks and Swedes."
"There is never a lack of fools in the world, and especially in thiscountry," said the prince. "Here are the letters; and besides, when yousee his Swedish grace, say as if in confidence that in heart I am asmuch his adherent as my cousin, but for the time I must dissemble."
"Who is not forced to that?" answered Kmita. "Every man dissembles,especially if he thinks to do something great."
"That is surely the case. Acquit yourself well, Sir Cavalier, I will bethankful to you, and will not let the hetman surpass me in rewarding."
"If the favor of your highness is such, I ask reward in advance."
"You have it! Surely my cousin has not furnished you over abundantlyfor the road. There is a serpent in his money-box."
"May God guard me from asking money! I did not ask it of the hetman,and I will not take it from your highness. I am at my own expense, andI will remain so."
Prince Boguslav looked at the young knight with wonder. "I see that intruth the Kmitas are not of those who look at men's hands. What is yourwish then, Sir Cavalier?"
"The matter is as follows: without thinking carefully in Kyedani, Itook a horse of high blood, so as to show myself before the Swedes. Ido not exaggerate when I say there is not a better in the stables ofKyedani. Now I am sorry for him, and I am afraid to injure him on theroad, in the stables of inns, or for want of rest. And as accidents arenot hard to meet, he may fall into enemies' hands, even those of thatVolodyovski, who personally is terribly hostile to me. I have thought,therefore, to beg your highness to take him to keep and use until I askfor him at a more convenient time."
"Better sell him to me."
"Impossible,--it would be like selling a friend. At a small estimatethat horse has taken me a hundred times out of the greatest danger; forhe has this virtue too, that in battle he bites the enemy savagely."
"Is he such a good horse?" asked Prince Boguslav, with lively interest.
"Is he good? If I were sure your highness would not be offended, Iwould bet a hundred gold florins without looking, that your highnesshas not such a one in your stables."
"Maybe I would bet, if it were not that to-day is not the time for atrial. I will keep him willingly, though; if possible, I would buy. Butwhere is this wonder kept?"
"My men are holding him just here in front of the gate. As to his beinga wonder, he is a wonder; for it is no exaggeration to say that theSultan might covet such a horse. He is not of this country, but fromAnatolia; and in Anatolia, as I think, only one such was found."
"Then let us look at him."
"I serve your highness."
Before the gate Kmita's men were holding two horses completelyequipped: one was indeed of high breed, black as a raven, with a staron his forehead, and a white fetlock to a leg like a lance; he neighedslightly at sight of his master.
"I guess that to be the one," said Boguslav. "I do not know whether heis such a wonder as you say, but in truth he is a fine horse."
"Try him!" cried Kmita; "or no, I will mount him myself!"
The soldiers gave Kmita the horse; he mounted, and began to ride aroundnear the gate. Under the skilled rider the horse seemed doublybeautiful. His prominent eyes gained brightness as he moved at a trot;he seemed to blow forth inner fire through his nostrils, while the windunfolded his mane. Pan Kmita described a circle, changed his gait; atlast he rode straight on the prince, so that the nostrils of the horsewere not a yard from his face, and cried,--
"Halt!"
The horse stopped with his four feet resisting, and stood as if fixedto the ground.
"What do you say?" asked Kmita.
"The eyes and legs of a deer, the gait of a wolf, the nostrils of anelk, and the breast of a woman!" said Boguslav. "Here is all that isneeded. Does he understand German command?"
"Yes; for my horse-trainer Zend, who was a Courlander, taught him."
"And the beast is swift?"
"The wind cannot come up with him; a Tartar cannot escape him."
"Your trainer must have been a good one, for I see that the horse ishighly taught."
"Is he taught? Your highness will not believe. He goes so in the rankthat when the line is moving at a trot, you may let the reins drop andhe will not push one half of his nose beyond the line. If your highnesswill be pleased to try, and if in two furlongs he will push beyond theothers half a head, then I will give him as a gift."
"That would be the greatest wonder, not to advance with dropped reins."
"It is wonderful and convenient, for both hands of the rider are free.More than once have I had a sabre in one hand and a pistol in theother, and the horse went alone."
"
But if the rank turns?"
"Then he will turn too without breaking the line."
"Impossible!" exclaimed the prince; "no horse will do that. I have seenin France horses of the king's musketeers, greatly trained, of purposenot to spoil the court ceremonies, but still it was necessary to guidethem with reins."
"The wit of man is in this horse. Let your highness try him yourself."
"Give him here!" said the prince, after a moment's thought.
Kmita held the horse till Boguslav mounted. He sprang lightly into thesaddle, and began to pat the steed on his shining neck.
"A wonderful thing," said he; "the best horses shed their hair in theautumn, but this one is as if he had come out of water. In whatdirection shall we go?"
"Let us move in a line, and if your highness permits, toward theforest. The road is even and broad, but in the direction of the townsome wagon might come in the way."
"Let us ride toward the forest."
"Just two furlongs. Let your highness drop the reins and start on agallop. Two men on each side, and I will ride a little behind."
"Take your places!" said the prince.
The line was formed; they turned the horses' heads from the town. Theprince was in the middle.
"Forward!" said he. "On a gallop from the start,--march!"
The line shot on, and after a certain time was moving like a whirlwind.A cloud of dust hid them from the eyes of the attendants and equerries,who, collecting in a crowd at the gate, looked with curiosity at theracing. The trained horses going at the highest speed, snorting fromeffort, had run already a furlong or more; and the prince's steed,though not held by the reins, did not push forward an inch. They rananother furlong. Kmita turned, and seeing behind only a cloud of dust,through which the starosta's house could barely be seen, and the peoplestanding before it not at all, cried with a terrible voice,--
"Take him!"
At this moment Biloues and the gigantic Zavratynski seized both arms ofthe prince, and squeezed them till the bones cracked in their joints,and holding him in their iron fists, put spurs to their own horses.
The prince's horse in the middle held the line, neither pushing aheadnor holding back an inch. Astonishment, fright, the whirlwind beatingin his face, deprived Prince Boguslav of speech for the first moment.He struggled once and a second time,--without result, however, for painfrom his twisted arms pierced him through.
"What is this, ruffians? Know ye not who I am?" cried he at last.
Thereupon Kmita pushed him with the barrel of the pistol between theshoulders. "Resistance is useless; it will only bring a bullet in yourbody!" cried he.
"Traitor!" said the prince.
"But who are you?" asked Kmita.
And they galloped on farther.
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