The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 2 (of 2)

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER VII.

  This war of extermination was just beginning when Kmita, with the threeKyemliches, reached Glogov, after a journey which was difficult in viewof Pan Andrei's shaken health. They arrived in the night. The town wascrowded with troops, lords, nobles, servants of the king and ofmagnates. The inns were so occupied that old Kyemlich with the greatesttrouble found lodgings for his colonel outside the town at the house ofa rope-maker.

  Pan Andrei spent the whole first day in bed in pain and fever from theburn. At times he thought that he should be seriously and grievouslyill; but his iron constitution gained the victory. The following nightbrought him ease, and at daybreak he dressed and went to the parishchurch to thank God for his miraculous escape.

  The gray and snowy winter morning had barely dissipated the darkness.The town was still sleeping, but through the church door lights couldbe seen on the altar, and the sounds of the organ came forth.

  Kmita went to the centre of the church. The priest was celebrating Massbefore the altar; there were few worshippers so far. At benches somepersons were kneeling with their faces hidden in their hands; butbesides those Pan Andrei saw, when his eyes had grown used to thedarkness, a certain figure lying in the form of a cross in front of thepews on a carpet. Behind him were kneeling two youths with ruddy andalmost angelic childish faces.

  This man was motionless, and only from his breast moving continuallywith deep sighs could it be known that he was not sleeping, but prayingearnestly and with his whole soul. Kmita himself became absorbed in athanksgiving prayer; but when he had finished his eyes turnedinvoluntarily to the man lying as a cross, and could not leave him;something fastened them to him. Sighs deep as groans, audible in thesilence of the church, shook that figure continually. The yellow raysof the candles burning before the altar, together with the light ofday, whitening in the windows, brought it out of the gloom, and made itmore and more visible.

  Pan Andrei conjectured at once from the dress that he must be somenoted person, besides all present, not excepting the priest celebratingMass, looked on him with honor and respect. The unknown was dressedentirely in black velvet bound with sable, but on his shoulders he had,turned down, a white lace collar, from under which peeped the goldenlinks of a chain; a black hat with feathers of like color lay at hisside; one of the pages kneeling beyond the carpet held gloves and asword enamelled in blue. Kmita could not see the face of the unknown,for it was hidden by the folds of the carpet, and besides, the locks ofan unusually thick wig scattered around his head concealed itcompletely.

  Pan Andrei pressed up to the front pew to see the face of the unknownwhen he rose. Mass was then drawing to an end. The priest was singing_Pater noster_. The people who wished to be at the following Mass werecoming in through the main entrance. The church was filled graduallywith figures with heads shaven at the sides, dressed in cloaks withlong sleeves, in military burkas, in fur cloaks, and in brocade coats.It became somewhat crowded. Kmita then pushed with his elbow a noblestanding at his side, and whispered,--

  "Pardon, your grace, that I trouble you during service, but mycuriosity is most powerful. Who is that?" He indicated with his eyesthe man lying in the form of a cross.

  "Have you come from a distance, that you know not?" asked the noble.

  "Certainly I come from a distance, and therefore I ask in hope that ifI find some polite man he will not begrudge an answer."

  "That is the king."

  "As God lives!" cried Kmita.

  But at that moment the king rose, for the priest had begun to read theGospel.

  Pan Andrei saw an emaciated face, yellow and transparent, like churchwax. The eyes of the king were moist, and his lids red. You would havesaid that all the fate of the country was reflected in that noble face,so much was there in it of pain, suffering, care. Sleepless nightsdivided between prayer and grief, terrible deceptions, wandering,desertion, the humiliated majesty of that son, grandson, andgreat-grandson of powerful kings, the gall which his own subjects hadgiven him to drink so bountifully, the ingratitude of that country forwhich he was ready to devote his blood and life,--all this could beread in that face as in a book, and still it expressed not onlyresignation, obtained through faith and prayer, not only the majesty ofa king and an anointed of God, but such great, inexhaustible kindnessthat evidently it would be enough for the greatest renegade, the mostguilty man, only to stretch out his hands to that father, and thatfather would receive him, forgive him, and forget his offences.

  It seemed to Kmita at sight of him that some one had squeezed his heartwith an iron hand. Compassion rose in the ardent soul of the younghero. Compunction, sorrow, and homage straitened the breath in histhroat, a feeling of immeasurable guilt cut his knees under him so thathe began to tremble through his whole body, and at once a new feelingrose in his breast. In one moment he had conceived such a love for thatsuffering king that to him there was nothing dearer on earth than thatfather and lord, for whom he was ready to sacrifice blood and life,bear torture and everything else in the world. He wished to throwhimself at those feet, to embrace those knees, and implore forgivenessfor his crimes. The noble, the insolent disturber, had died in him inone moment, and the royalist was born, devoted with his whole soul tohis king.

  "That is our lord, our unhappy king," repeated he to himself, as if hewished with his lips to give witness to what his eyes saw and what hisheart felt.

  After the Gospel, Yan Kazimir knelt again, stretched out his arms,raised his eyes to heaven, and was sunk in prayer. The priest went outat last, there was a movement in the church, the king remainedkneeling.

  Then that noble whom Kmita had addressed pushed Pan Andrei in the side.

  "But who are you?" asked he.

  Kmita did not understand the question at once, and did not answer itdirectly, so greatly were his heart and mind occupied by the person ofthe king.

  "And who are you?" repeated that personage.

  "A noble like yourself," answered Pan Andrei, waking as if from adream.

  "What is your name?"

  "What is my name? Babinich; I am from Lithuania, from near Vityebsk."

  "And I am Pan Lugovski, of the king's household. Have you just comefrom Lithuania, from Vityebsk?"

  "No; I come from Chenstohova."

  Pan Lugovski was dumb for a moment from wonder.

  "But if that is true, then come and tell us the news. The king isalmost dead from anxiety because he has had no certain tidings thesethree days. How is it? You are perhaps from the squadron of Zbrojek,Kalinski, or Kuklinovski, from near Chenstohova."

  "Not from near Chenstohova, but directly from the cloister itself."

  "Are you not jesting? What is going on there, what is to be heard? DoesYasna Gora defend itself yet?"

  "It does, and will defend itself. The Swedes are about to retreat."

  "For God's sake! The king will cover you with gold. From the verycloister do you say that you have come? How did the Swedes let youpass?"

  "I did not ask their permission; but pardon me, I cannot give a moreextended account in the church."

  "Right, right!" said Pan Lugovski. "God is merciful! You have fallenfrom heaven to us! It is not proper in the church,--right! Wait amoment. The king will rise directly; he will go to breakfast beforehigh Mass. To-day is Sunday. Come stand with me at the door, and whenthe king is going out I will present you. Come, come, there is no timeto spare."

  He pushed ahead, and Kmita followed. They had barely taken their placesat the door when the two pages appeared, and after them came YanKazimir slowly.

  "Gracious King!" cried Pan Lugovski, "there are tidings fromChenstohova."

  The wax-like face of Yan Kazimir became animated in an instant.

  "What tidings? Where is the man?" inquired he.

  "This noble; he says that he has come from the very cloister."

  "Is the cloister captured?" cried the king.

  That moment Pan Andrei fell his whole length at the feet of the king.Yan
Kazimir inclined and began to raise him by the arms.

  "Oh, ceremony another time, another time!" cried he. "Rise, in God'sname, rise! Speak quickly! Is the cloister taken?"

  Kmita sprang up with tears in his eyes, and cried with animation,--

  "It is not, and will not be taken, Gracious Lord. The Swedes arebeaten. The great gun is blown up. There is fear among them, hunger,misery. They are thinking of retreat."

  "Praise, praise to Thee, Queen of the Angels and of us!" said the king.Then he turned to the church door, removed his hat, and withoutentering knelt on the snow at the door. He supported his head on astone pillar, and sank into silence. After a while sobbing began toshake him. Emotion seized all, and Pan Andrei wept loudly. The king,after he had prayed and shed tears, rose quieted, with a face muchclearer. He inquired his name of Kmita, and when the latter had toldhis assumed one, said,--

  "Let Pan Lugovski conduct you at once to our quarters. We shall nottake our morning food without hearing of the defence."

  A quarter of an hour later Kmita was standing in the king's chamberbefore a distinguished assembly. The king was only waiting for thequeen, to sit down to breakfast. Marya Ludvika appeared soon. YanKazimir barely saw her when he exclaimed,--

  "Chenstohova has held out! The Swedes will retreat! Here is PanBabinich, who has just come, and he brings the news."

  The black eyes of the queen rested inquiringly on the youthful face ofthe hero, and seeing its sincerity, they grew bright with joy; and he,when he had made a profound obeisance, looked also at her boldly, astruth and honesty know how to look.

  "The power of God!" said the queen. "You have taken a terrible weightfrom our hearts, and God grant this is the beginning of a change offortune. Do you come straight from near Chenstohova?"

  "Not from near Chenstohova, he says, but from the cloister itself,--oneof the defenders!" exclaimed the king. "A golden guest! God grant suchto come daily; but let him begin. Tell, brother, tell how you defendedyourselves, and how the hand of God guarded you."

  "It is sure, Gracious King and Queen, that nothing saved us but theguardianship of God and the miracles of the Most Holy Lady, which I sawevery day with my eyes."

  Here Kmita was preparing for his narrative, when new dignitariesappeared. First came the nuncio of the Pope; then the primate,Leshchynski; after him Vydjga, a golden-mouthed preacher, who was thequeen's chancellor, later bishop of Varmia, and finally primate. Withhim came the chancellor of the kingdom, Pan Korytsinski, and theFrenchman De Noyers, a relative of the queen, and other dignitaries whohad not deserted the king in misfortune, but chose to share with himthe bitter bread of exile rather than break plighted faith.

  The king was eager to hear; therefore he ceased eating, every moment,and repeated, "Listen, gentlemen, listen; a guest from Chenstohova!Good news; hear it! From Yasna Gora itself!"

  Then the dignitaries looked with curiosity on Kmita, who was standingas it were before a court; but he, bold by nature and accustomed tointercourse with great people, was not a whit alarmed at sight of somany celebrated persons; and when all had taken their places, he beganto describe the whole siege.

  Truth was evident in his words; for he spoke with clearness andstrength, like a soldier who had seen everything, touched everything,passed through everything. He praised to the skies Pan Zamoyski and PanCharnyetski; spoke of Kordetski, the prior, as of a holy prophet;exalted other fathers; missed no one save himself; but he ascribed thewhole success of the defence, without deviation, to the Most Holy Lady,to Her favor and miracles.

  The king and the dignitaries listened to him in amazement. Thearchbishop raised his tearful eyes to heaven. Father Vydjga interpretedeverything hurriedly to the nuncio; other great personages caught theirheads; some prayed, or beat their breasts.

  At last, when Kmita came to the recent storms,--when he began to relatehow Miller had brought heavy guns from Cracow, and among them oneagainst which not only the walls of Chenstohova, but no walls in theworld could stand,--such silence began as though some one were sowingpoppy seeds, and all eyes rested on Pan Andrei's lips.

  But he stopped suddenly, and began to breathe quickly; a clear flushcame out on his face; he frowned, raised his head, and spoke boldly:"Now I must speak of myself, though I should prefer to be silent. Andif I say aught which seems praise, God is my witness that I do so notfor rewards, for I do not need them, since the greatest reward for meis to shed my blood for majesty."

  "Speak boldly, I believe you," said the king. "But that great gun?"

  "That great gun--I, stealing out in the night from the fortress, blewinto fragments with powder."

  "O loving God!" cried the king.

  But after this cry was silence, such astonishment had seized eachperson. All looked as at a rainbow at the young hero, who stood withflashing eyes, with a flush on his face, and with head proudly erect.And so much was there in him at that moment of a certain terriblenessand wild courage that the thought came to each one unwittingly, such aman might dare such a deed. After silence of a moment the primatesaid,--

  "This man looks like that!"

  "How did you do it?" asked the king.

  Kmita explained how he did it.

  "I cannot believe my ears," said Pan Korytsinski, the chancellor.

  "Worthy gentlemen," answered the king, with dignity, "you do not knowwhom we have before us. There is yet hope that the Commonwealth has notperished while it gives such cavaliers and citizens."

  "This man might say of himself, '_Si fractus illabatur orbis, impavidumferient ruinae_ (If the broken firmament should fall the ruins wouldstrike him unterrified)!'" said Father Vydjga, who loved to quoteauthors at every opportunity.

  "These are almost impossible things," said the chancellor again. "Tell,Cavalier, how you brought away your life, and how you passed throughthe Swedes."

  "The explosion stunned me," said Kmita, "and next day the Swedes foundme in the ditch lying as if lifeless. They judged me at once, andMiller condemned me to death."

  "Then did you escape?"

  "A certain Kuklinovski begged me of Miller, so that he might put me todeath, for he had a fierce animosity against me."

  "He is a well-known disturber and murderer; we have heard of him," saidthe castellan of Kjyvinsk. "His regiment is with Miller at Chenstohova.That is true!"

  "Previously Kuklinovski was an envoy from Miller to the cloister, andonce tried to persuade me in secret to treason when I was conductinghim to the gate. I struck him in the face and kicked him. For thatinsult he was enraged against me."

  "Ah, this I see is a noble of fire and sulphur!" cried the king,amused. "Do not go into such a man's road. Did Miller then give you toKuklinovski?"

  "He did, Gracious Gentlemen. Kuklinovski shut me with himself and somemen in an empty little barn. There he had me tied to a beam with ropes,then he began to torture me and to burn my sides with fire."

  "By the living God!"

  "While doing this he was called away to Miller; when he was gone threenobles came, certain Kyemliches, his soldiers, who had served with mepreviously. They killed the guards, and unbound me from the beam--"

  "And you fled! Now I understand," said the king.

  "No, your Royal Grace. We waited for the return of Kuklinovski. Then Igave command to tie him to that same beam, and I burned him better withfire."

  When he had said this, Kmita, roused by remembrance, became red again,and his eyes gleamed like those of a wolf. But the king, who passedeasily from grief to joy, from seriousness to sport, began to strikethe table with his hand, and exclaim with laughter,--

  "That was good for him! that was good for him! Such a traitor deservednothing better!"

  "I left him alive," continued Kmita, "but he must have perished fromcold before morning."

  "That's a deed; he does not give away his own. We need more of such!"cried the king, now completely delighted. "Did you come hither withthose soldiers? What are their names?"

  "They are Kyemlich, a father and two sons."

&n
bsp; "My mother is from the house of Kyemlich," said Father Vydjga.

  "It is evident that there are great and small Kyemliches," answeredKmita, smiling; "these are not only small persons, but robbers; theyare fierce soldiers, however, and faithful to me."

  Meanwhile the chancellor, who had been whispering for a time in the earof the Archbishop of Gnyezno, said at last,--

  "Many come here who for their own praise or for an expected reward areglad to raise dust. They bring false and disturbing news, and arefrequently sent by the enemy."

  This remark chilled all present. Kmita's face became purple.

  "I do not know the office of your grace," said he, "which, I think,must be considerable, therefore I do not wish to offend you; but thereis no office, as I think, which would empower any one to give the lieto a noble, without reason."

  "Man! you are speaking to the grand chancellor of the kingdom," saidLugovski.

  "Whoso gives me the lie, even if he is chancellor, I answer him, it iseasier to give the lie than to give your life, it is easier to sealwith wax than with blood!"

  Pan Korytsinski was not angry; he only said: "I do not give you thelie, Cavalier; but if what you say is true, you must have a burnedside."

  "Come to another place, your great mightiness, to another room, and Iwill show it to you!" roared Kmita.

  "It is not needful," said the king; "I believe you without that."

  "It cannot be, your Royal Grace," exclaimed Pan Andrei; "I wish itmyself, I beg it as a favor, so that here no one, even though I knownot how worthy, should make me an exaggerator. My torment would be anill reward; I wish belief."

  "I believe you," answered the king.

  "Truth itself was in his words," added Marya Ludvika. "I am notdeceived in men."

  "Gracious King and Queen, permit. Let some man go aside with me, for itwould be grievous for me to live here in suspicion."

  "I will go," said Pan Tyzenhauz, a young attendant of the king. Sosaying, he conducted Kmita to another room, and on the way said to him,"I do not go because I do not believe you, for I believe; but to speakwith you. Have we met somewhere in Lithuania? I cannot remember yourname, for it may be that I saw you when a youth, and I myself was ayouth then?"

  Kmita turned away his face somewhat to hide his sudden confusion.

  "Perhaps at some provincial diet. My late father took me with himfrequently to see public business."

  "Perhaps. Your face is surely not strange to me, though at that time ithad not those scars. Still see how _memoria fragilis est_ (weak memoryis); also it seems to me you had a different name."

  "Years dull the memory," answered Pan Andrei.

  They went to another room. After a while Tyzenhauz returned to theroyal pair.

  "He is roasted, Gracious King, as on a spit," said he; "his whole sideis burned."

  When Kmita in his turn came back, the king rose, pressed his head, andsaid,--

  "We have never doubted that you speak the truth, and neither your painnor your services will pass unrewarded."

  "We are your debtors," added the queen, extending her hand to him.

  Pan Andrei dropped on one knee and kissed with reverence the hand ofthe queen, who stroked him on the head like a mother.

  "Be not angry with the chancellor," said the king. "In this place thereare really not a few traitors, or, if not traitors, men who are unwise,that wind three after three, and it belongs to the chancellor's officeto discover truth touching public affairs."

  "What does my poor anger mean for such a great man?" answered PanAndrei. "And I should not dare to murmur against a worthy senator, whogives an example of loyalty and love of country to all."

  The chancellor smiled kindly and extended his hand. "Well, let there bepeace! You spoke ill to me of wax; but know this, that the Korytsinskishave sealed often with blood, not with wax only."

  The king was rejoiced. "This Babinich has pleased us," said he to thesenators, "has touched our heart as few have. We will not let you gofrom our side, and God grant that we shall return together soon to ourbeloved country."

  "Oh, Most Serene King," cried Kmita, with ecstasy; "though confined inthe fortress of Yasna Gora, I know from the nobles, from the army, andeven from those who, serving under Zbrojek and Kalinski, besiegedChenstohova, that all are waiting for the day and the hour of yourreturn. Only show yourself. Gracious Lord, and that day all Lithuania,Poland, and Russia will stand by you as one man! The nobles will join;even insignificant peasants will go with their lord to resist. The armyunder the hetmans is barely breathing from eagerness to move againstthe Swedes. I know this, too, that at Chenstohova deputies came fromthe hetmans' troops to arouse Zbrojek, Kalinski, and Kuklinovski,against the Swedes. Appear on the boundary to-day, and in a week therewill not be a Swede; only appear, only show yourself, for we are therelike sheep without a shepherd."

  Sparks came from Kmita's eyes while he was speaking, and such greatardor seized him that he knelt in the middle of the hall. Hisenthusiasm was communicated even to the queen herself, who, being offearless courage, had long been persuading the king to return.

  Therefore, turning to Yan Kazimir, she said with energy anddetermination: "I hear the voice of the whole people through the mouthof this noble."

  "That is true, that is true, Gracious Lady, our Mother!" exclaimedKmita.

  But certain words in what Kmita had said struck the chancellor and theking.

  "We have always been ready," said the king, "to sacrifice our healthand life, and hitherto we have been waiting for nothing else but achange in our subjects."

  "That change has taken place already," said Marya Ludvika.

  "_Majestas infracta malis_ (Majesty unbroken by misfortune)!" saidFather Vydjga, looking at her with homage.

  "It is important," said the archbishop, "if, really, deputations fromthe hetmans went to Chenstohova."

  "I know this from my men, those Kyemliches," answered Pan Andrei. "Inthe squadrons of Zbrojek and Kalinski all spoke openly of this, payingno attention to Miller and the Swedes. These Kyemliches were notenclosed in the fortress; they had relations with the world, withsoldiers and nobles,--I can bring them before your Royal Grace and yourworthinesses; let them tell how it is seething in the whole country asin a pot. The hetmans joined the Swedes from constraint only; thetroops wish to return to duty. The Swedes beat nobles and priests,plunder, violate ancient liberties; it is no wonder then that each manballs his fist and looks anxiously at his sabre."

  "We, too, have had news from the troops," said the king; "there werehere, also, secret envoys who told us of the general wish to return toformer loyalty and honor."

  "And that agrees with what this cavalier tells," said the chancellor."But if deputations are passing among the regiments it is important,for it means that the fruit is already ripe, that our efforts were notvain, that our work is accomplished, that the time is at hand."

  "But Konyetspolski," said the king, "and so many others who are stillat the side of the invader, who look into his eyes and give assurancesof their devotion?"

  Then all grew silent, the king became gloomy on a sudden, and as whenthe sun goes behind a cloud a shadow covers at once the whole world, sodid his face grow dark. After a time he said,--

  "God sees in our heart that even to-day we are ready to move, and thatnot the power of Sweden detains us, but the unhappy fickleness of ourpeople, who, like Proteus, take on a new form every moment. Can webelieve that this change is sincere, this desire not imagined, thisreadiness not deceitful? Can we believe that people who so recentlydeserted us, and with such light hearts joined the invader againsttheir own king, against their own country, against their own liberties?Pain straitens our heart, and we are ashamed of our own subjects! Wheredoes history show such examples? What king has met so many treasons, somuch ill-will? Who has been so deserted? Call to mind, your kindnesses,that we in the midst of our army, in the midst of those who were boundto shed their blood for us,--it is a danger and a terror to tellit,--we were not sure of our life. And
if we left the country and hadto seek an asylum, it is not from fear of the Swedish enemy, but of ourown subjects, to save our own children from the terrible crime of kingmurder and parricide."

  "Gracious Lord!" exclaimed Kmita; "our people have sinned grievously;they are guilty, and the hand of God is punishing them justly; butstill, by the wounds of Christ, there has not been found among thatpeople, and God grant that there will never be found, a man who wouldraise his hand on the sacred person of the anointed of God."

  "You do not believe, because you are honest," said the king, "but wehave letters and proofs. The Radzivills have paid us badly for thekindness with which we have covered them; but still Boguslav, though atraitor, was moved by conscience, and not only did he not wish to lenda hand to such a deed, but he was the first to warn us of it."

  "What deed?" asked the astonished Kmita.

  "He informed us," said the king, "that there was a man who offered forone hundred gold ducats to seize us and deliver us, living or dead, tothe Swedes."

  A shiver passed through the whole assembly at these words of the king,and Kmita was barely able to groan out the question, "Who was thatman?--who was he?"

  "A certain Kmita," answered the king.

  A wave of blood suddenly struck Pan Andrei in the head, it grew dark inhis eyes, he seized his forelock, and with a terribly wandering voicesaid: "That is a lie! Prince Boguslav lies like a dog! Gracious King,believe not that traitor; he did that of purpose to bring infamy on anenemy, and to frighten you, my king. He is a traitor! Kmita would nothave done such a deed."

  Here Pan Andrei turned suddenly where he was standing. His strength,exhausted by the siege, undermined by the explosion of powder in thegreat gun, and through the torture given by Kuklinovski, left himaltogether, and he fell without consciousness at the feet of the king.

  They bore him into the adjoining room, where the king's physicianexamined him. But in the assembly of dignitaries they knew not how toexplain why the words of the king had produced such a terribleimpression on the young man.

  "Either he is so honest that horror alone has thrown him off his feet,or he is some relative of that Kmita," said the castellan of Cracow.

  "We must ask him," replied the chancellor. "In Lithuania nobles are allrelated one to another, as in fact they are with us."

  "Gracious Lord," said Tyzenhauz, "God preserve me from wishing to speakevil of this young man; but we should not trust him at present toomuch. That he served in Chenstohova is certain,--his side is burned;this the monks would not have done in any event, for they as servantsof God must have every clemency, even for prisoners and traitors; butone thing is coming continually to my head and destroying trust in him,that is, I met him somewhere in Lithuania,--still a youth, at a diet ora carnival,--I don't remember--"

  "And what of that?" asked the king.

  "And it seems to me always that his name was not Babinich."

  "Do not tell every little thing," said the king; "you are young andinattentive, and a thing might easily enter your head. Whether he isBabinich or not, why should I not trust him? Sincerity and truth arewritten on his lips, and evidently he has a golden heart. I should nottrust myself, if I could not trust a soldier who has shed his blood forus and the country."

  "He deserves more confidence than the letter of Prince Boguslav," saidthe queen, suddenly, "and I recommend this to the consideration of yourworthinesses, there may not be a word of truth in that letter. It mighthave been very important for the Radzivills of Birji that we shouldlose courage completely, and it is easy to admit that Prince Boguslavwished also to ruin some enemy of his, and leave a door open to himselfin case of changed fortune."

  "If I were not accustomed," said the primate, "to hear wisdom itselfcoming from the mouth of the gracious queen, I should be astonished atthe quickness of these words, worthy of the ablest statesman--"

  "_Comasque gerens, animosque viriles_ (Though wearing tresses, she hasthe courage of a man)," interrupted Father Vydjga, in a low voice.

  Encouraged by these words, the queen rose from her chair and began tospeak: "I care not for the Radzivills of Birji, for they, as heretics,listen easily to the whispers of the enemy of the human race; nor ofthe letter of Prince Boguslav, which may touch private affairs. But Iam most pained by the despairing words of my lord and husband, theking, spoken against this people. For who will spare them if their ownking condemns them? And still, when I look through the world, I ask invain, where is there another such people in which the praise of Godendures with the manner of ancient sincerity and increases continually?In vain do I look for another people in which such open candor exists.Where is there another State in which no one has heard of those hellishblasphemies, subtle crimes, and never ending feuds with which foreignchronicles are filled. Let people skilled in the history of the worldshow me another kingdom where all the kings died their own quietdeaths. You have no knives or poisons here; you have no protectors, asamong the English. It is true that this nation has grown grievouslyguilty, has sinned through frivolity and license. But where is thenation that never errs, and where is the one which, as soon as it hasrecognized its offence, begins penance and reformation? Behold theyhave already taken thought, they are now coming, beating their breaststo your majesty, ready to spill their blood, to yield their lives, tosacrifice their fortune for you. And will you reject them; will you notforgive the penitent; will you not trust those who have reformed, thosewho are doing penance; will you not return the affection of a father tochildren who have erred? Trust them, since they are yearning for theirYagyellon blood, and for your government, which is of their fathers. Goamong them; I, a woman, fear no treason, for I see love, I see sorrowfor sins and restoration of this kingdom to which they called you afteryour father and your brother. It does not seem to me likely that Godwill destroy such a great commonwealth, in which the light of the truefaith is burning. For a short period God's justice has stretched forththe rod to chastise, not to ruin its children, and soon will thefatherly love of that heavenly Lord receive them and cherish them. Butdo not contemn them, O king, and fear not to confide in their sonlydiscretion, for in this way alone can you turn evil into good,suffering into comfort, defeat into triumph."

  When she had said this, the queen sat down, with fire still in hereyes, and heaving breast; all looked at her with veneration, and herchancellor, Vydjga, began to speak with a resonant voice,--

  "Nulla sors longa est, dolor et voluptas, Invicens cedunt. Ima permutat brevis hora summis."

  (No fortune is long, pain and pleasure Yield in turn. A short hour changes the lowest with the highest.)

  But no one heard what he said, for the ardor of the heroic lady wascommunicated to every heart. The king himself sprang up, with a flushon his sallow face, and said,--

  "I have not lost the kingdom yet, since I have such a queen. Let herwill be done, for she spoke with prophetic inspiration. The sooner Imove and appear in my realms the better."

  To this the primate answered with seriousness: "I do not wish to opposethe will of my gracious king and queen, nor to turn them from anundertaking in which there is hazard, but in which there may be alsosalvation. Still I should consider it a wise thing to assemble in Opol,where a majority of the senators are tarrying, and there listen to theideas of all; these may develop and explain the affair more clearly andbroadly."

  "Then to Opol!" exclaimed the king, "and afterward to the road, andwhat God will give!"

  "God will give a happy return and victory!" said the queen.

  "Amen!" said the primate.