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

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER XXV.

  It was near midnight when Pan Andrei announced himself to the advancedpickets of the prince, but no one was sleeping in the whole camp. Thebattle might begin at any moment, therefore they had prepared for itcarefully. Boguslav's troops had occupied Yanov itself; they commandedthe road from Sokolka, which was held by artillery, managed by theelector's trained men. There were only three cannons, but abundance ofpowder and balls. On both sides of Yanov, among the birch groves,Boguslav gave orders to make intrenchments and to occupy them withdouble-barrelled guns and infantry. The cavalry occupied Yanov itself,the road behind the cannons, and the intervals between the trenches.The position was defensible enough, and with fresh men defence in itmight be long and bloody; but of fresh soldiers there were only eighthundred under Kyritz; the rest were so wearied that they could barelystand on their feet. Besides, the howling of the Tartars was heard inSuhovola at midnight, and later in the rear of Boguslav's ranks; hencea certain fear was spread among the soldiers. Boguslav was forced tosend in that direction all his light cavalry, which after it had gonethree miles dared neither return nor advance, for fear of ambushes inthe forest.

  Boguslav, though fever together with violent chills was tormenting himmore than ever, commanded everything in person; but since he rode withdifficulty he had himself carried by four soldiers in an open litter.In this way he had examined the road as well as the birch groves, andwas entering Yanov when he was informed that an envoy from Sapyeha wasapproaching.

  They were already on the street. Boguslav was unable to recognize Kmitabecause of the darkness, and because Pan Andrei, through excess ofcaution on the part of officers in the advance guard, had his headcovered with a bag in which there was an opening only for his mouth.

  The prince noticed the bag when Kmita, after dismounting, stood nearhim; he gave command to remove it at once.

  "This is Yanov," said he, "and there is no reason for secrecy." Then heturned in the darkness to Pan Andrei: "Are you from Pan Sapyeha?"

  "I am."

  "And what is Pan Sakovich doing there?"

  "Pan Oskyerko is entertaining him."

  "Why did you ask for a safe conduct when you have Sakovich? Pan Sapyehais too careful, and let him see to it that he is not too clever."

  "That is not my affair," answered Kmita.

  "I see that the envoy is not over-given to speech."

  "I have brought a letter, and in the quarters I will speak of my ownaffair."

  "Is there a private question?"

  "There will be a request to your highness."

  "I shall be glad not to refuse it. Now I beg you to follow. Mount yourhorse; I should ask you to the litter, but it is too small."

  They moved on. The prince in the litter and Kmita at one side onhorseback. They looked in the darkness without being able todistinguish the faces of each other. After a while the prince, in spiteof furs, began to shake so that his teeth chattered. At last he said,--

  "It has come on me grievously; if it were--brr!--not for this, I wouldgive other conditions."

  Kmita said nothing, and only wished to pierce with his eyes thedarkness, in the middle of which the head and face of the prince wereoutlined in indefinite gray and white features. At the sound ofBoguslav's voice and at sight of his figure all the former insults, theold hatred, and the burning desire for revenge so rose in Kmita's heartthat they turned almost to madness. His hand of itself sought thesword, which had been taken from him; but at his girdle he had thebaton with an iron head, the ensign of his rank of colonel; the devilthen began to whirl in his brain at once, and to whisper: "Cry in hisear who you are, and smash his head into bits. The night is dark, youwill escape. The Kyemliches are with you. You will rub out a traitorand pay for injustice. You will rescue Olenka, Soroka-- Strike!strike!"

  Kmita came still nearer the litter, and with trembling hand began todraw forth the baton. "Strike!" whispered the devil; "you will servethe country."

  Kmita had now drawn out the baton, and he squeezed the handle as ifwishing to crush it in his hand. "One, two, three!" whispered thedevil.

  But at that moment Kmita's horse, whether because he had hit the helmetof the soldier with his nose, or had shied, it is enough that hestumbled violently. Kmita pulled the reins. During this time the litterhad moved on several steps. The hair stood on the head of the youngman.

  "O Most Holy Mother, restrain my hand!" whispered he, through his setteeth. "O Most Holy Mother, save me! I am here an envoy; I came fromthe hetman, and I want to murder like a night assassin. I am a noble; Iam a servant of Thine. Lead me not into temptation!"

  "But why are you loitering?" asked Boguslav, in a voice broken byfever.

  "I am here!"

  "Do you hear the cocks crowing beyond the fences? It is needful tohurry, for I am sick and want rest."

  Kmita put the baton behind his belt and rode farther, near the litter.Still he could not find peace. He understood that only with cool bloodand self-command could he free Soroka; therefore he stipulated withhimself in advance what words to use with the prince so as to inclineand convince him. He vowed to have only Soroka in view, to mentionnothing else, and especially not Olenka. And he felt how in thedarkness a burning blush covered his face at the thought that perhapsthe prince himself would mention her, and maybe mention something thatPan Andrei would not be able to endure or listen to.

  "Let him not mention her," said he to himself; "let him not allude toher, for in that is his death and mine. Let him have mercy uponhimself, if he lacks shame."

  Pan Andrei suffered terribly; his breath failed him, and his throat wasso straitened that he feared lest he might not be able to bring forththe words when he came to speak. In this stifling oppression he beganthe Litany.

  After a time relief came; he was quieted considerably, and that graspas it were of an iron hand squeezing his throat was relaxed.

  They had now arrived at the prince's quarters. The soldiers put downthe litter; two attendants took the prince by the armpits; he turned toKmita, and with his teeth chattering continually, said,--

  "I beg you to follow. The chill will soon pass; then we can speak."

  After a while they found themselves in a separate apartment in whichheaps of coals were glowing in a fireplace, and in which wasunendurable heat. His servants placed Prince Boguslav on a longcampaign arm-chair covered with furs, and brought a light. Then theattendants withdrew. The prince threw his head back, closed his eyes,and remained in that position motionless for a time; at last he said,--

  "Directly,--let me rest."

  Kmita looked at him. The prince had not changed much, but the fever hadpinched his face. He was painted as usual, and his cheeks touched withcolor; but just for that reason, when he lay there with closed eyes andhead thrown back, he was somewhat like a corpse or a wax figure. PanAndrei stood before him in the bright light. The prince began to openhis lids lazily; suddenly he opened them completely, and a flame, as itwere, flew over his face. But it remained only an instant; then againhe closed his eyes.

  "If thou art a spirit, I fear thee not," said he; "but vanish."

  "I have come with a letter from the hetman," answered Kmita.

  Boguslav shuddered a little, as if he wished to shake off visions; thenhe looked at Kmita and asked,--

  "Have I been deceived in you?"

  "Not at all," answered Pan Andrei, pointing with his finger to thescar.

  "That is the second!" muttered the prince to himself; and he addedaloud, "Where is the letter?"

  "Here it is," said Kmita, giving the letter.

  Boguslav began to read, and when he had finished a marvellous lightflashed in his eyes.

  "It is well," said he; "there is loitering enough! Tomorrow thebattle--and I am glad, for I shall not have a fever."

  "And we, too, are glad," answered Kmita.

  A moment of silence followed, during which these two inexorable enemiesmeasured each other with a certain terrible curiosity. The prince firs
tresumed the conversation.

  "I divine that it was you who attacked me with the Tartars?"

  "It was T."

  "And did you not fear to come here?"

  Kmita did not answer.

  "Did you count on our relationship through the Kishkis? For you and Ihave our reckonings. I can tear you out of your skin, Sir Cavalier."

  "You can, your highness."

  "You came with a safe-conduct, it is true. I understand now why PanSapyeha asked for it. But you have attempted my life. Sakovich isdetained there; but Sapyeha has no right to Sakovich, while I have aright to you, cousin."

  "I have come with a prayer to your highness."

  "I beg you to mention it. You can calculate that for you everythingwill be done. What is the prayer?"

  "You have here a captive soldier, one of those men who aided me incarrying you off. I gave orders, he acted as a blind instrument. Bepleased to set that man at liberty."

  Boguslav thought awhile.

  "I am thinking," said he, "which is greater,--your daring as a soldier,or your insolence as a petitioner."

  "I do not ask this man from you for nothing."

  "And what will you give me for him?"

  "Myself."

  "Is it possible that he is such a precious soldier? You paybountifully, but see that that is sufficient; for surely you would liketo ransom something else from me."

  Kmita came a step nearer to the prince, and grew so awfully pale thatBoguslav, in spite of himself, looked at the door, and notwithstandingall his daring he changed the subject of conversation.

  "Pan Sapyeha will not entertain such an agreement. I should be glad tohold you; but I have guaranteed with my word of a prince your safety."

  "I will write by that soldier to the hetman that I remain of my ownwill."

  "And he will declare that, in spite of your will, I must send you. Youhave given him services too great. He will not set Sakovich free, andSakovich I prize higher than you."

  "Then, your highness, free that soldier, and I will go on my word whereyou command."

  "I may fall to-morrow; I care nothing for treaties touching the dayafter."

  "I implore your highness for that man. I--"

  "What will you do?"

  "I will drop my revenge."

  "You see, Pan Kmita, many a time have I gone against a bear with aspear, not because I had to do so, but from desire. I am glad when somedanger threatens, for life is less dull for me. In this case I reserveyour revenge as a pleasure; for you are, I must confess, of that breedof bears which seek the hunter themselves."

  "Your highness," said Kmita, "for small mercies God often forgivesgreat sins. Neither of us knows when it will come to him to standbefore the judgment of Christ."

  "Enough!" said the prince. "I compose psalms for myself in spite of thefever, so as to have some merit before the Lord; should I need apreacher I should summon my own. You do not know how to beg withsufficient humility, and you go in round-about ways. I will show youthe method myself: strike to-morrow in the battle on Sapyeha, and afterto-morrow I will let out the soldier and forgive you your sins. Youbetrayed Radzivill; betray now Sapyeha."

  "Is this the last word of your highness? By all the saints, I imploreyou!"

  "No! Devil take you! And you change in the face--But don't come toonear, for, though I am ashamed to call attendants--look here! You aretoo bold!"

  Boguslav pointed at a pistol-barrel peeping from under the fur withwhich it was covered, and looked with sparkling eyes into Kmita's eyes.

  "Your highness!" cried Kmita, almost joining his hands in prayer, butwith a face changed by wrath.

  "You beg, but you threaten," said Boguslav; "you bend your neck, butthe devil is gnashing his teeth at me from behind your collar. Pride isgleaming in your eyes, and in your mouth it sounds as in a cloud. Withyour forehead to the Radzivill feet when you beg, my little man! Beatwith your forehead on the floor, then I will answer."

  Pan Andrei's face was as pale as a piece of linen; he drew his handover his moist forehead, his eyes, his face; and he spoke with such abroken voice, as if the fever from which the prince suffered hadsuddenly sprung upon him.

  "If your highness will free for me that old soldier, I am ready to fallat your feet."

  Satisfaction gleamed in Boguslav's eyes. He had brought down his enemy,bent his proud neck. Better food he could not give to his revenge andhatred.

  Kmita stood before him with hair erect in his forelock, trembling inhis whole body. His face, resembling even in rest the head of a hawk,recalled all the more an enraged bird of prey. You could not tellwhether at the next moment he would throw himself at the feet, or hurlhimself at the breast of the prince. But Boguslav not taking his eyesfrom him, said,--

  "Before witnesses! before people!" And he turned to the door. "Hither!"

  A number of attendants, Poles and foreigners, came in; after themofficers entered.

  "Gracious gentlemen!" said the prince, "behold Pan Kmita, the banneretof Orsha and envoy of Pan Sapyeha, who has come to beg a favor of me,and he wishes to have all you gentlemen as witnesses."

  Kmita tottered like a drunken man, groaned, and fell at Boguslav'sfeet. The prince stretched his feet purposely so that the end of hisriding-boot touched the forehead of the knight.

  All looked in silence, astonished at the famous name, as well as atthis,--that he who bore it was now an envoy from Pan Sapyeha. Allunderstood, too, that something uncommon was taking place.

  The prince rose, and without saying a word passed into the adjoiningchamber, beckoning to two attendants to follow him.

  Kmita rose. His face showed no longer either anger or rapacity, merelyindifference and insensibility. He appeared unconscious of what washappening to him, and his energy seemed broken completely.

  Half an hour passed; an hour. Outside the windows was heard the trampof horses' feet and the measured tread of soldiers; he sat continuallyas if of stone.

  Suddenly the door opened. An officer entered, an old acquaintance ofKmita's from Birji, and eight soldiers,--four with muskets, fourwithout firearms,--with sabres.

  "Gracious Colonel, rise!" said the officer, politely.

  Kmita looked on him wanderingly. "Glovbich!" said he, recognizing theofficer.

  "I have an order," answered Glovbich, "to bind your hands and conductyou beyond Yanov. The binding is for a time, then you will go free;therefore I beg you not to resist."

  "Bind!" answered Kmita.

  And he permitted them to tie him. But they did not tie his feet. Theofficer led him out of the room and on foot through Yanov. Then theyadvanced for about an hour. On the road some horsemen joined them.Kmita heard them speaking in Polish; the Poles, who served withBoguslav, all knew the name of Kmita, and therefore were most curiousto know what would happen to him. The party passed the birch grove andcame to an open field, on which Pan Andrei saw a detachment of thelight Polish squadron of Boguslav.

  The soldiers stood in rank, forming a square; in the middle was a spacein which were two foot-soldiers holding horses harnessed to draw, andsome men with torches.

  By the light of the torches Pan Andrei saw a freshly sharpened stakelying on the ground with the large end fastened in a great log.

  A shiver passed through Kmita involuntarily. "That is for me," thoughthe; "Boguslav has ordered them to draw me on the stake with horses. Hesacrifices Sakovich to his vengeance."

  But he was mistaken; the stake was intended first for Soroka.

  By the quivering flames Pan Andrei saw Soroka himself; the old soldierwas sitting there at the side of the log on a stool, without a cap andwith bound hands, guarded by four soldiers. A man dressed in a shortshuba without sleeves was at that moment giving him in a shallow cupgorailka, which Soroka drank eagerly enough. When he had drunk, hespat; and since at that very moment Kmita was placed between twohorsemen in the first rank, Soroka saw him, sprang from the stool andstraightened himself as if on military parade.

  For a while they looked the one at the ot
her. Soroka's face was calmand resigned; he only moved his jaws as if chewing.

  "Soroka!" groaned Kmita, at last.

  "At command!" answered the soldier.

  And again silence followed. What had they to say at such a moment? Thenthe executioner, who had given Soroka the vodka, approached him.

  "Well, old man,"' said he, "it is time for you!"

  "And you will draw me on straight?"

  "Never fear."

  Soroka feared not; but when he felt on his shoulder the hand of theexecutioner, he began to pant quickly and loudly. At last he said,--

  "More gorailka!"

  "There is none!"

  Suddenly one of the soldiers pushed out of the rank and gave acanteen,--

  "Here is some; give it to him."

  "To the rank!" commanded Glovbich.

  Still the man in the short shuba held the canteen to Soroka's mouth; hedrank abundantly, and after he had drunk breathed deeply.

  "See!" said he, "the lot of a soldier after thirty years' service.Well, if it is time, it is time!"

  Another executioner approached and they began to undress him.

  A moment of silence. The torches trembled in the hands of those holdingthem; it became terrible for all.

  Meanwhile from the ranks surrounding the square was wrested a murmur ofdissatisfaction, which became louder each instant: "A soldier is not anexecutioner; he gives death himself, but does not wish to see torture."

  "Silence!" cried Glovbich.

  The murmur became a loud bustle, in which were heard single words:"Devils!" "Thunders!" "Pagan service!"

  Suddenly Kmita shouted as if they had been drawing him on to thestake,--

  "Stop!"

  The executioner halted involuntarily. All eyes were turned to Kmita.

  "Soldiers!" shouted Pan Andrei, "Prince Boguslav is a traitor to theking and the Commonwealth! You are surrounded, and to-morrow you willbe cut to pieces. You are serving a traitor; you are serving againstthe country! But whoso leaves this service leaves the traitor; to himforgiveness of the king, forgiveness of the hetman! Choose! Death anddisgrace, or a reward to-morrow! I will pay wages, and a ducat aman,--two ducats a man! Choose! It is not for you, worthy soldiers, toserve a traitor! Long life to the king! Long life to the grand hetmanof Lithuania!"

  The disturbance was turned into thunder; the ranks were broken. Anumber of voices shouted,--

  "Long life to the king!"

  "We have had enough of this service!"

  "Destruction to traitors!"

  "Stop! stop!" shouted other voices.

  "To-morrow you will die in disgrace!" bellowed Kmita.

  "The Tartars are in Suhovola!"

  "The prince is a traitor!"

  "We are fighting against the king!"

  "Strike!"

  "To the prince!"

  "Halt!"

  In the disturbance some sabre had cut the ropes tying Kmita's hands. Hesprang that moment on one of the horses which were to draw Soroka onthe stake, and cried from the horse,--

  "Follow me to the hetman!"

  "I go!" shouted Glovbich. "Long life to the king!"

  "May he live!" answered fifty voices, and fifty sabres glittered atonce.

  "To horse, Soroka!" commanded Kmita.

  There were some who wished to resist, but at sight of the naked sabresthey grew silent. One, however, turned his horse and vanished from theeye in a moment. The torches went out. Darkness embraced all.

  "After me!" shouted Kmita. An orderless mass of men moved from theplace, and then stretched out in a long line.

  When they had gone two or three furlongs they met the infantry picketswho occupied in large parties the birch grove on the left side.

  "Who goes?"

  "Glovbich with a party!"

  "The word?"

  "Trumpets!"

  "Pass!"

  They rode forward, not hurrying over-much; then they went on a trot.

  "Soroka!" said Kmita.

  "At command!" answered the voice of the sergeant at his side.

  Kmita said nothing more, but stretching out his hand, put his palm onSoroka's head, as if wishing to convince himself that he was ridingthere. The soldier pressed Pan Andrei's hand to his lips in silence.

  Then Glovbich called from the other side,--

  "Your grace! I wanted long to do what I have done to-day."

  "You will not regret it!"

  "I shall be thankful all my life to you."

  "Tell me, Glovbich, why did the prince send you, and not a foreignregiment, to the execution?"

  "Because he wanted to disgrace you before the Poles. The foreignsoldiers do not know you."

  "And was nothing to happen to me?"

  "I had the order to cut your bonds; but if you tried to defend Sorokawe were to bring you for punishment to the prince."

  "Then he was willing to sacrifice Sakovich," muttered Kmita.

  Meanwhile Prince Boguslav in Yanov, wearied with the fever and the toilof the day, had gone to sleep. He was roused from slumber by an uproarin front of his quarters and a knocking at the door.

  "Your highness, your highness!" cried a number of voices.

  "He is asleep, do not rouse him!" answered the pages.

  But the prince sat up in bed and cried,--

  "A light!"

  They brought in a light, and at the same time the officer on dutyentered.

  "Your highness," said he, "Sapyeha's envoy has brought Glovbich'ssquadron to mutiny and taken it to the hetman."

  Silence followed.

  "Sound the kettle-drums and other drums!" said Boguslav at last; "letthe troops form in rank!"

  The officer went out; the prince remained alone.

  "That is a terrible man!" said he to himself; and he felt that a newparoxysm of fever was seizing him.