Pan Michael: An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER LIV.

  On the following day, the vizir himself arrived before Kamenyets at thehead of a numerous army of spahis, janissaries, and the general militiafrom Asia. It was supposed at once, from the great number of hisforces, that he would storm the place; but he wished merely to examinethe walls. Engineers came with him to inspect the fortress andearthworks. Pan Myslishevski went out this time against the vizir withinfantry and a division of mounted volunteers. They began to skirmishagain; the action was favorable for the besieged, though not sobrilliant as on the first day. Finally, the vizir commanded thejanissaries to move to the walls for a trial. The thunder of cannonshook at once the town and the castle. When the janissaries were nearthe quarters of Pan Podchaski, all fired at once with a great outburst;but as Pan Podchaski answered from above with very well-directed shots,and there was danger that cavalry might flank the janissaries, theyretreated on the Jvanyets road, and returned to the main camp.

  In the evening, a certain Cheh (Bohemian) stole into the town; he hadbeen a groom with the aga of the janissaries, and being bastinadoed,had deserted. From him the Poles learned that the Turks had fortifiedthemselves in Jvanyets, and occupied broad fields on this side ofDlujek. They asked the fugitive carefully what the general opinionamong the Turks was,--did they think to capture Kamenyets or not? Heanswered that there was good courage in the army, and the omens werefavorable. A couple of days before, there had risen on a sudden fromthe earth in front of the Sultan's pavilion, as it were a pillar ofsmoke, slender below, and widening above in the form of a mighty bush.The muftis explained that that portent signified that the glory of thePadishah would reach the heavens, and that he would be the ruler tocrush Kamenyets,--an obstacle hitherto invincible. That strengthenedhearts greatly in the army. "The Turks," continued the fugitive, "fearPan Sobieski, and succor; from time past they bear in mind the peril ofmeeting the troops of the Commonwealth in the open field, though theyare willing to meet Venetians, Hungarians, or any other people. Butsince they have information that there are no troops in theCommonwealth, they think generally that they will take Kamenyets,though not without trouble. Kara Mustafa, the kaimakan, has advised tostorm the walls straightway; but the more prudent vizir prefers toinvest the town with regular works, and cover it with cannon-balls. TheSultan, after the first skirmishes, has inclined to the opinion of thevizir; therefore it is proper to look for a regular siege."

  Thus spoke the deserter. Hearing this news. Pan Pototski and thebishop, the chamberlain, Pan Volodyovski, and all the other chiefofficers were greatly concerned. They had counted on storms, and hopedwith the defensiveness of the place to repulse them with great loss tothe enemy. They knew from experience that during storms assailantssuffer great losses; that every attack which is repulsed shakes theircourage, and adds boldness to the besieged. As the knights at Zbarajgrew enamoured at last of resistance, of battles and sorties, so theinhabitants of Kamenyets might acquire love for battle, especially ifevery attack ended in defeat for the Turks and victory for the town.But a regular siege, in which the digging of approaches and mines, theplanting of guns in position, mean everything, might only weary thebesieged, weaken their courage, and make them inclined to negotiation.It was difficult also to count on sorties, for it was not proper tostrip the walls of soldiers, and the servants or townspeople, ledbeyond the walls, could hardly stand before janissaries.

  Weighing this, all the superior officers were greatly concerned, and tothem a happy result of the defence seemed less likely. In fact, it hadsmall chance of success, not only in view of the Turkish power, but inview of themselves. Pan Volodyovski was an incomparable soldier andvery famous, but he had not the majesty of greatness. Whoso bears thesun in himself is able to warm all everywhere; but whoso is a flame,even the most ardent, warms only those who are nearest. So it was withthe little knight. He did not know how to pour his spirit into others,and could not, just as he could not give his own skill with the sword.Pan Pototski, the supreme chief, was not a warrior, besides, he lackedfaith in himself, in others, in the Commonwealth. The bishop counted onnegotiations mainly; his brother had a heavy hand, but also a mind notmuch lighter. Relief was impossible, for the hetman, Pan Sobieski,though great, was then without power. Without power was the king,without power the whole Commonwealth.

  On the 16th of August came the Khan with the horde, and Doroshenko withhis Cossacks, and occupied an enormous area on the fields, beginningwith Ronen. Sufan Kazi Aga invited Pan Myslishevski that day to aninterview, and advised him to surrender the place, for if he did hewould receive such favorable conditions as had never been heard of inthe history of sieges. The bishop was curious to know what those favorswere; but he was shouted down in the council, and a refusal was sentback in answer. On August 18, the Turks began to advance, and with themthe Sultan.

  They came on like a measureless sea,--infantry, janissaries, spahis.Each pasha led the troops of his own pashalik, therefore inhabitants ofEurope, Asia, and Africa. Behind them came an enormous camp with loadedwagons drawn by mules and buffaloes. That hundred-colored swarm, invarious dresses and arms, moved without end. From dawn till night thoseleaders marched without stopping, moved from one place to another,stationed troops, circled about in the fields, pitched tents, whichoccupied such a space that from the towers and highest points ofKamenyets it was possible in no wise to see fields free from canvas. Itseemed to people that snow had fallen and filled the whole region aboutthem. The camp was laid out during salvos of musketry, for thejanissaries shielding that work did not cease to fire at the walls ofthe fortress; from the walls an unbroken cannonade answered. Echoeswere thundering from the cliffs; smoke rose and covered the blue of thesky. Toward evening Kamenyets was enclosed in such fashion that nothingsave pigeons could leave it. Firing ceased only when the first starsbegan to twinkle.

  For a number of succeeding days firing from the walls and at the wallscontinued without interruption. The result was great damage to thebesiegers; the moment a considerable group of janissaries collectedwithin range, white smoke bloomed out on the walls, balls fell amongthe janissaries, and they scattered as a flock of sparrows when someone sends fine shot at them from a musket. Meanwhile the Turks, notknowing evidently that in both castles and in the town there were gunsof long range, pitched their tents too near. This was permitted, by theadvice of Pan Michael; and only when time of rest came, and troops,escaping from heat, had crowded into those tents, did the walls roarwith continuous thunder. Then rose a panic; balls tore tents, brokepoles, struck soldiers, hurled around sharp fragments of rocks. Thejanissaries withdrew in dismay and disorder, crying with loud voices;in their retreat they overturned other tents, and carried alarm withthem everywhere. On the men disordered in this way Pan Michael fellwith cavalry, and cut them till strong bodies of horsemen came to theiraid. Ketling directed this fire mainly; besides him, the Polish mayormade the greatest havoc among the Pagans. He bent over every gun,applied the match himself, and covering his eyes with his hand, lookedat the result of the shot, and rejoiced in his heart that he wasworking so effectively.

  The Turks were digging approaches, however, making intrenchments andfixing heavy guns in them. But before they began to fire from theseguns, an envoy of the Turks came under the walls, and fastening to adart a letter from the Sultan, showed it to the besieged. Dragoons weresent out; these brought the envoy at once to the castle. The Sultan,summoning the town to surrender, exalted his own might and clemency tothe skies.

  "My army" (wrote he) "may be compared to the leaves of the forest andthe sands of the sea. Look at the heavens; and when you see thecountless stars, rouse fear in your hearts, and say one to another,'Behold, such is the power of the believers!' But because I am asovereign, gracious above other sovereigns, and a grandson of the Godof Justice, I receive my right from above. Know that I hate stubbornmen; do not oppose, then, my will; surrender your town. If you resist,you will all perish under the sword, and no voice of man will riseagainst me."

  They c
onsidered long what response to give to that letter, and rejectedthe impolitic counsel of Zagloba to cut off a dog's tail and send it inanswer. They despatched a clever man skilled in Turkish; Yuritsa washis name. He bore a letter which read as follows:--

  "We do not wish to anger the Sultan, but we do not hold it our duty toobey him, for we have not taken oath to him, but to our own lord.Kamenyets we will not surrender, for an oath binds us to defend thefortresses and churches while our lives last."

  After this answer the officers went to their places on the walls.Bishop Lantskoronski and the starosta took advantage of this, and senta new letter to the Sultan, asking of him an armistice for four weeks.When news of this went along the gates, an uproar and clatter of sabresbegan. "But I believe," repeated this man and that, "that we are hereburning at the guns, and behind our shoulders they are sending letterswithout our knowledge, though we are members of the council." At theevening kindya the officers went in a body to the starosta, with thelittle knight and Pan Makovetski at their head, both greatly afflictedat what had happened.

  "How is this?" asked Makovetski. "Are you thinking already ofsurrender, that you have sent a new envoy? Why has this happenedwithout our knowledge?"

  "In truth," added the little knight, "since we are called to a council,it is not right to send letters without our knowledge. Neither will wepermit any one to mention surrender; if any one wishes to mention it,let him withdraw from authority."

  While speaking he was terribly roused; being a soldier of rareobedience, it caused him the utmost pain to speak thus against hissuperiors. But since he had sworn to defend the castle till his deathhe thought, "It behooves me to speak thus."

  The starosta was confused and answered, "I thought this was done withgeneral consent."

  "There is no consent. We will die here!" cried a number of voices.

  "I am glad to hear that," said the starosta; "for in me faith is dearerthan life, and cowardice has never come near me, and will not. Remain,gracious gentlemen, to supper; we will come to agreement more easily."

  But they would not remain.

  "Our place is at the gates, not at the table," said the little knight.

  At this time the bishop arrived, and learning what the question was,turned at once to Pan Makovetski and Volodyovski.

  "Worthy men!" said he, "each has the same thing at heart as you, and noone has mentioned surrender. I sent to ask for an armistice of fourweeks; I wrote as follows; 'During that time we will send to our kingfor succor, and await his instructions, and further that will be whichGod gives.'"

  When the little knight heard this he was excited anew, but this timebecause rage carried him away, and scorn at such a conception ofmilitary matters. He, a soldier since childhood, could not believe hisears, could not believe that any man would propose a truce to an enemy,so as to have time himself to send for succor.

  The little knight looked at Makovetski and then at other officers; theylooked at him. "Is this a jest?" asked a number of voices. Then allwere silent.

  "I fought through the Tartar, Cossack, Moscow, and Swedish wars," saidPan Michael, at last, "and I have never heard of such reasons. TheSultan has not come hither to please us, but himself. How will heconsent to an armistice, when we write to him that at the end of thattime we expect aid?"

  "If he does not agree, there will be nothing different from what thereis now," said the bishop.

  "Whoso begs for an armistice exhibits fear and weakness, and whosolooks for succor mistrusts his own power. The Pagan dog believes thisof us from that letter, and thereby irreparable harm has been done."

  "I might be somewhere else," said the bishop; "and because I did notdesert my flock in time of need, I endure reprimand."

  The little knight was sorry at once for the worthy prelate; thereforehe took him by the knees, kissed his hands, and said,--

  "God keep me from giving any reprimand here; but since there is acouncil, I utter what experience dictates to me."

  "What is to be done, then? Let the fault be mine; but what is to bedone? How repair the evil?" asked the bishop.

  "How repair the evil?" repeated Volodyovski.

  And thinking a moment, he raised his head joyously,--

  "Well, it is possible. Gracious gentlemen, I pray you to follow me."

  He went out, and after him the officers. A quarter of an hour later allKamenyets was trembling from the thunder of cannon. Volodyovski rushedout with volunteers; and falling upon sleeping janissaries in theapproaches, ha slashed them till he scattered and drove the whole forceto the tabor.

  Then he returned to the starosta, with whom he found the bishop."Here," said he, joyously,--"here is help for you."