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

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER XLIV.

  Sakovich did not leave Boguslav's bedside for two days, the secondparoxysm being worse than the first. The prince's jaws closed so firmlythat attendants had to open them with a knife to pour medicine into hismouth. He regained consciousness immediately after; but he trembled,quivered, floundered in the bed, and stretched himself like a wildbeast mortally wounded. When that had passed, a wonderful weaknesscame; he gazed all night at the ceiling without saying a word. Nextday, after he had taken drugs, he fell into a sound sleep, and aboutmidday woke covered with abundant perspiration.

  "How does your highness feel?" asked Sakovich.

  "I am better. Have any letters come?"

  "Letters from the elector and Steinbock are lying on the table; but thereading must be put off till later, for you have not strength enoughyet."

  "Give them at once!--do you hear?"

  Sakovich brought the letters, and Boguslav read them twice; then hethought awhile and said,--

  "We will move for Podlyasye to-morrow."

  "You will be in bed to-morrow, as you are to-day."

  "I will be on horseback as well as you. Be silent, no interference!"

  The starosta ceased, and for a while silence continued, broken only bythe tick-tick of the Dantzig clock.

  "The advice was stupid, the idea was stupid, and I too was stupid tolisten."

  "I knew that if it did not succeed the blame would fall on me,"answered Sakovich.

  "For you blundered."

  "The counsel was clever; but if there is some devil at their servicewho gives warning of everything, I am not to blame."

  The prince rose in the bed. "Do you think that they employ a devil?"asked he, looking quickly at Sakovich.

  "But does not your highness know the Papists?"

  "I know, I know! And it has often come into my head that there might beenchantment. Since yesterday I am certain. You have struck my idea;therefore I asked if you really think so. But which of them could enterinto company with unclean power? Not she, for she is too virtuous; notthe sword-bearer, for he is too stupid."

  "But suppose the aunt?"

  "That may be."

  "To make certain I bound her yesterday, and put a dagger to her throat;and imagine,--I look to-day, the dagger is as if melted in fire."

  "Show it."

  "I threw it into the river, though there was a good turquoise in thehilt. I preferred not to touch it again."

  "Then I'll tell you what happened to me yesterday. I ran into her roomas if mad. What I said I do not remember; but I know this,--that shecried, 'I'll throw myself into the fire first.' You know what anenormous chimney there is there; she sprang right into it, I after her.I dragged her out on the floor. Her clothes were already on fire. I hadto quench the fire and hold her at the same time. Meanwhile dizzinessseized me, my jaws became fixed,--you would have said that some one hadtorn the veins in my neck; then it seemed to me that the sparks flyingnear us were turned into bees, were buzzing like bees. And this is astrue as that you see me here."

  "And what came later?"

  "I remember nothing, but such terror as if I were flying into animmense well, into some depth without bottom. What terror! I tell youwhat terror! Even now the hair is standing on my head. And not terroralone, but--how can I explain it?--an emptiness, a measurelessweariness and torment beyond understanding. Luckily the powers ofheaven were with me, or I should not be speaking with you this day."

  "Your highness had a paroxysm. Sickness itself often brings visionsbefore the eye; but for safety's sake we may have a hole cut in theriver ice, and let the old maid float down."

  "Oh, devil take her! We will march to-morrow in any event, andafterward spring will come; there will soon be other stars, and thenights will be short, weakening every unclean power."

  "If we must march to-morrow, then you would better let the girl go."

  "Even if I wished not, I must. All desire has fallen away from me."

  "Never mind them; let them go to the devil!"

  "Impossible!"

  "Why?"

  "The old man has confessed that he has a tremendous lot of money buriedin Billeviche. If I let them alone, they will dig up the money and goto the forests. I prefer to keep them here, and take the money inrequisition. There is war now, and this is permissible. Besides, heoffered it himself. We shall give orders to dig up the whole garden,foot by foot; we must find the money. While Billevich is sitting here,at least, he will not make a noise and shout over all Lithuania that heis plundered. Rage seizes me when I think how much I have spent onthose amusements and tournaments,--and all for nothing, for nothing!"

  "Rage against that maiden seized me long ago. And I tell your highnessthat when she came yesterday and said to me, as to the last campfollower, 'Be off, serving-man! go up, for thy master is lying there!'I came near twisting her head like a starling; for I thought that shehad stabbed you with a knife or shot you from a pistol."

  "You know that I do not like to have any one manage in my house like agray goose. It is well that you did not do as you say, for I shouldhave given orders to nip you with those pincers which were heated forPlaska. Keep away from her!"

  "I sent Plaska back. He was terribly astonished, not knowing why he wasbrought nor why he was sent home. He wanted something for his fatigue,'because this,' said he, 'is loss in my trade;' but I told him, 'Youbear home a sound skin as reward.' Do we really march to-morrow forPodlyasye?"

  "As God is in heaven. Are the troops sent off according to my orders?"

  "The cavalry has gone already to Kyedani, whence it is to march toKovno and wait there. Our Polish squadrons are here yet; I did not liketo send them in advance. The men seem reliable; still they might meetthe confederates. Glovbich will go with us; also the Cossacks underVrotynski. Karlstroem marches with the Swedes in the vanguard. He hasorders to exterminate rebels, and especially peasants on the way."

  "That is well."

  "Kyritz with infantry is to march slowly, so that we may have some oneto fall back upon in difficulty. If we are to advance like athunderbolt,--and our entire calculation lies in swiftness,--I do notknow whether the Prussian and Swedish cavalry will be useful. It is apity that the Polish squadrons are not reliable; for between us, thereis nothing superior to Polish cavalry."

  "Has the artillery gone?"

  "It has."

  "And Patterson too?"

  "No, Patterson is here; he is nursing Kettling, of whom he is veryfond, and who wounded himself rather badly with his own sword. If I didnot know Kettling to be a daring officer, I should think that he hadcut himself of purpose to avoid the campaign."

  "It will be needful to leave about a hundred men here, also in Rossyeniand in Kyedani. The Swedish garrisons are small, and De la Gardie, asit is, is asking men every day from Loewenhaupt. Besides, when we marchout, the rebels, forgetting the defeat of Shavli, will raise theirheads."

  "They are growing strong as it is. I have heard again that the Swedesare cut down in Telshi."

  "By nobles or peasants?"

  "By peasants under the leadership of a priest; but there are parties ofnobles, particularly near Lauda."

  "The Lauda men have gone out under Volodyovski."

  "There is a multitude of youths and old men at home. These have takenarms, for they are warriors by blood."

  "The rebellion can do nothing without money."

  "But we shall get a supply of that in Billeviche."

  "A man must be a genius like your highness to find means ineverything."

  "There is more esteem in this country," said Boguslav, with a bittersmile, "for the man who can please the queen and the nobles. Neithergenius nor virtue has value. It is lucky that I am also a prince of theEmpire, and therefore they will not tie me by the legs to a pine-tree.If I could only have the revenues regularly from my estates, I shouldnot care for the Commonwealth."

  "But will they not confiscate these estates?"

  "We will first confiscate Podlyas
ye, if not all Lithuania. Now summonPatterson."

  Sakovich went out, and returned soon with Patterson. At Boguslav'sbedside a council was held, at which it was determined to move beforedaylight next morning and go to Podlyasye by forced marches. The princefelt so much better in the evening that he feasted with the officersand amused himself with jests till late, listening with pleasure to theneighing of horses and the clatter of arms in the squadrons preparingto march. At times he breathed deeply, and stretched himself in thechair.

  "I see that this campaign will bring back my health," said he to theofficers, "for amid all these negotiations and amusements I haveneglected the field notably. But I hope in God that the confederatesand our ex-cardinal (the king) in Poland will feel my hand."

  To this Patterson made bold to answer: "It is lucky that Delilah didnot clip Samson's hair."

  Boguslav looked at him for a while with a strange expression, fromwhich the Scot was growing confused; but after a time the countenanceof the prince grew bright with a threatening smile, and he said,--

  "If Sapyeha is my pillar, I will shake him so that the wholeCommonwealth will fall on his head."

  The conversation was carried on in German; therefore all the foreignofficers understood it perfectly, and answered in chorus,--

  "Amen!"

  The column, with Boguslav at the head of it, marched before daybreaknext morning. The Prussian nobles whom the brilliant court attracted,began at the same time to return to their homes. After them marched toTyltsa those who in Taurogi had sought refuge from the terrors of war,and to whom now Tyltsa seemed safer. Only Billevich, Olenka, and PannaKulvyets remained, not counting Kettling and the old officer Braun, whoheld command over the slender garrison.

  Billevich, after that blow of the hammer, lay for some days bleedingfrom the mouth at intervals; but since no bone was broken, he recoveredby degrees and began to think of flight.

  Meanwhile an official came from Billeviche with a letter from Boguslavhimself. The sword-bearer did not wish at first to read the letter, butsoon changed his mind, following in this the advice of Olenka, whothought it better to know all the plans of the enemy.

  VERY GRACIOUS PAN BILLEVICH!--_Concordia res parvae crescunt; discordiamaximae dillabuntar_ (By concord small things grow great; by discord thegreatest are ruined)! The fates brought it about that we did not partin such harmony as my love for you and your charming niece demands, inwhich God knows I am not to blame, for you know yourself that you fedme with ingratitude in return for my sincere intentions. But forfriendship's sake what in done in anger should not be remembered; Ithink, therefore, that you will excuse my deeds of impulse, because ofthe injustice which I experienced at your hands. I, too, forgive youfrom my heart, as Christian charity enjoins, and I wish to return to agood understanding. To give you a proof that no offence has remained inmy heart, I have not thought it proper to refuse the service which youhave asked of me, and I accept your money.

  Here Billevich stopped reading, struck the table with his fist, andcried,--

  "He will see me in dreams rather than receive one coin from mycaskets!"

  "Read on!" said Olenka.

  Billevich raised the letter again to his eyes.

  "Not wishing to trouble you and expose your health to hazard in thepresent stormy times while getting this money, we have orderedourselves to get it and count it."

  At this point Billevich's voice failed, and the letter fell from hishands to the floor. For a while it seemed that speech was taken fromthe noble, for he only caught after his hair and pulled it with all hispower.

  "Strike, whoso believes in God!" cried he at last.

  "One injustice the more, the punishment of God nearer; for the measurewill soon be filled," said Olenka.