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

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER XXXIII.

  After the affair at Rudnik the king advanced farther toward the pointof the wedge between the San and the Vistula, and did not cease asbefore to march with the rearguard; for he was not only a famousleader, but a knight of unrivalled daring. Charnyetski, Vitovski, andLyubomirski followed, and urged him on as a wild beast is urged to atrap. Detached parties made an uproar night and day around the Swedes.The retreating troops had less and less provisions; they were more andmore wearied and drooping in courage, looking forward to certaindestruction.

  At last the Swedes enclosed themselves in the very corner where the tworivers meet, and rested. On one side the Vistula defended them, on theother the San, both overflowed, as usual in springtime; the third sideof the triangle the king fortified with strong intrenchments, in whichcannons were mounted.

  That was a position not to be taken, but it was possible to die therefrom hunger. But even in that regard the Swedes gained better courage,for they hoped that the commandants would send them provisions by waterfrom Cracow and other river fortresses. For instance, right there athand was Sandomir, in which Colonel Schinkler had collectedconsiderable supplies. He sent these in at once; therefore the Swedesate, drank, slept; and when they woke they sang Lutheran psalms,praising God that he had saved them from such dire distress.

  But Charnyetski was preparing new blows for them.

  Sandomir in Swedish hands could always come to the aid of the mainarmy. Charnyetski planned, therefore, to take the town with the castleat a blow, and cut off the Swedes.

  "We will prepare a cruel spectacle for them," said he, at a council ofwar. "They will look on from the opposite bank when we strike the town,and they will not be able to give aid across the Vistula; and when wehave Sandomir we will not let provisions come from Wirtz in Cracow."

  Lyubomirski, Vitovski, and others tried to dissuade Charnyetski fromthat undertaking. "It would be well," said they, "to take such aconsiderable town, and we might injure the Swedes greatly; but how arewe to take it? We have no infantry, siege guns we have not; it would behard for cavalry to attack walls."

  "But do our peasants," asked Charnyetski, "fight badly as infantry? IfI had two thousand such as Mihalko, I would take not only Sandomir, butWarsaw."

  And without listening to further counsel he crossed the Vistula. Barelyhad his summons gone through the neighborhood when a couple of thousandmen hurried to him, one with a scythe, another with a musket, the thirdwith carabine; and they marched against Sandomir.

  They fell upon the place rather suddenly, and in the streets a fierceconflict set in. The Swedes defended themselves furiously from thewindows and the roofs, but they could not withstand the onrush. Theywere crushed like worms in the houses, and pushed entirely out of thetown. Schinkler took refuge, with the remnant of his forces, in thecastle; but the Poles followed him with the same impetuosity. A stormagainst the gates and the walls began, Schinkler saw that he could nothold out, even in the castle; so he collected what he could of men,articles and supplies of provisions, and putting them on boats, crossedto the king, who looked from the other bank on the defeat of his menwithout being able to succor them.

  The castle fell into the hands of the Poles; but the cunning Swede whendeparting put under the walls in the cellars kegs of powder withlighted matches.

  When he appeared before the king he told him of this at once, so as torejoice his heart.

  "The castle," said he, "will fly into the air with all the men.Charnyetski may perish."

  "If that is true, I want myself to see how the pious Poles will fly toheaven," said the king; and he remained on the spot with all thegenerals.

  In spite of the commands of Charnyetski, who foresaw deceit, thevolunteers and the peasants ran around through the whole castle to seekhidden Swedes and treasure. The trumpets sounded an alarm for every manto take refuge in the town; but the searchers in the castle did nothear the trumpets, or would not heed them.

  All at once the ground trembled under their feet, an awful thunder anda roar tore the air, a gigantic pillar of fire rose to the sky, hurlingupward earth, walls, roofs, the whole castle, and more than fivehundred bodies of those who had not been able to withdraw.

  Karl Gustav held his sides from delight, and his favor-seekingcourtiers began at once to repeat his words: "The Poles are going toheaven, to heaven!"

  But that joy was premature; for none the less did Sandomir remain inPolish hands, and could no longer furnish food for the main armyenclosed between the rivers.

  Charnyetski disposed his camp opposite the Swedes, on the other sideof the Vistula, and guarded the passage.

  Sapyeha, grand hetman of Lithuania and voevoda of Vilna, came from theother side and took his position on the San.

  The Swedes were invested completely; they were caught as it were in avise.

  "The trap is closed!" said the soldiers to one another in the Polishcamps.

  For every man, even the least acquainted with military art, understoodthat inevitable destruction was hanging over the invaders, unlessreinforcements should come in time and rescue them from trouble.

  The Swedes too understood this. Every morning officers and soldiers,coming to the shore of the Vistula, looked with despair in their eyesand their hearts at the legions of Charnyetski's terrible cavalrystanding black on the other side.

  Then they went to the San; there again the troops of Sapyeha werewatching day and night, ready to receive them with sabre and musket.

  To cross either the San or the Vistula while both armies stood near wasnot to be thought of. The Swedes might return to Yaroslav by the sameroad over which they come, but they knew that in that case not one ofthem would ever see Sweden.

  For the Swedes grievous days and still more grievous nights now began,for these days and nights were uproarious and quarrelsome. Againprovisions were at an end.

  Meanwhile Charnyetski, leaving command of the army to Lyubomirski andtaking the Lauda squadron as guard crossed the Vistula above the mouthof the San, to visit Sapyeha and take counsel with him touching thefuture of the war.

  This time the mediation of Zagloba was not needed to make the twoleaders agree; for both loved the country more than each one himself,both were ready to sacrifice to it private interests, self-love, andambition.

  The Lithuanian hetman did not envy Charnyetski, nor did Charnyetskienvy the hetman, but each did homage to the other; so the meetingbetween them was of such character that tears stood in the eyes of theoldest soldiers.

  "The Commonwealth is growing, the dear country is rejoicing, when suchsons of heroes take one another by the shoulders," said Zagloba to PanMichael and Pan Yan. "Charnyetski is a terrible soldier and a truesoul, but put Sapyeha to a wound and it will heal. Would there weremore such men! The skin would fly off the Swedes, could they see thislove of the greatest patriots. How did they conquer us, if not throughthe rancor and envy of magnates? Have they overcome us with force? Thisis how I understand! The soul jumps in a man's body at sight of such ameeting. I will guarantee, too, that it will not be dry; for Sapyehaloves a feast wonderfully, and with such a friend he will willingly lethimself out."

  "God is merciful! the evil will pass," said Pan Yan.

  "Be careful that you do not blaspheme," said Zagloba; "every evil mustpass, for should it last forever it would prove that the Devil governsthe world, and not the Lord Jesus, who has mercy inexhaustible."

  Their further conversation was interrupted by the sight of Babinich,whose lofty form they saw from a distance over the wave of other heads.

  Pan Michael and Zagloba began to beckon to him, but he was so muchoccupied in looking at Charnyetski that he did not notice them atfirst.

  "See," said Zagloba, "how thin the man has grown!"

  "It must be that he has not done much against Boguslav," saidVolodyovski; "otherwise he would be more joyful."

  "It is sure that he has not, for Boguslav is before Marienburg withSteinbock, acting against the fortress."

&
nbsp; "There is hope in God that he will do nothing."

  "Even if he should take Marienburg," said Zagloba, "we will captureKarl Gustav right away; we shall see if they will not give the fortressfor the king."

  "See! Babinich is coming to us!" interrupted Pan Yan.

  He had indeed seen them, and was pushing the crowd to both sides; hemotioned with his cap, smiling at them from a distance. They greetedone another as good friends and acquaintances.

  "What is to be heard? What have you done with the prince?" askedZagloba.

  "Evil, evil! But there is no time to tell of it. We shall sit down totable at once. You will remain here for the night; come to me after thefeast to pass the night among my Tartars. I have a comfortable cabin;we will talk at the cups till morning."

  "The moment a man says a wise thing it is not I who will oppose," saidZagloba. "But tell us why you have grown so thin?"

  "That hell-dweller overthrew me and my horse like an earthen pot,so that from that time I am spitting fresh blood and cannot recover.There is hope in the mercy of our Lord Christ that I shall let theblood out of him yet. But let us go now, for Sapyeha and Charnyetskiare beginning to make declarations and to be ceremonious aboutprecedence,--a sign that the tables are ready. We wait for you herewith great pleasure, for you have shed Swedish pig-blood in plenty."

  "Let others speak of what I have done," said Zagloba; "it does notbecome me."

  Meanwhile whole throngs moved on, and all went to the square betweenthe tents on which were placed tables. Sapyeha in honor of Charnyetskientertained like a king. The table at which Charnyetski was seated wascovert with Swedish flags. Mead and wine flowed from vats, so thattoward the end both leaders became somewhat joyous. There was no lackof gladsomeness, of jests, of toasts, of noise; though the weather wasmarvellous, and the sun warm beyond wonder. Finally the cool of theevening separated the feasters.

  Then Kmita took his guests to the Tartars. They sat down in his tent ontrunks packed closely with every kind of booty, and began to speak ofKmita's expedition.

  "Boguslav is now before Marienburg," said Pan Andrei, "though some saythat he is at the elector's, with whom he is to march to the relief ofthe king."

  "So much the better; then we shall meet! You young fellows do not knowhow to manage him; let us see what the old man will do. He has met withvarious persons, but not yet with Zagloba. I say that we shall meet,though Prince Yanush in his will advised him to keep far from Zagloba."

  "The elector is a cunning man," said Pan Yan; "and if he sees that itis going ill with Karl, he will drop all his promises and his oath."

  "But I tell you that he will not," said Zagloba. "No one is so venomousagainst us as the Prussian. When your servant who had to work underyour feet and brush your clothes becomes your master by change offortune, he will be sterner to you, the kinder you were to him."

  "But why is that?" asked Pan Michael.

  "His previous condition of service will remain in his mind, and he willavenge himself on you for it, though you have been to him kindnessitself."

  "What of that?" asked Pan Michael. "It often happens that a dog biteshis master in the hand. Better let Babinich tell about his expedition."

  "We are listening," said Pan Yan.

  Kmita, after he had been silent awhile, drew breath and began to tellof the last campaign of Sapyeha against Boguslav, and the defeat of thelatter at Yanov; finally how Prince Boguslav had broken the Tartars,overturned him with his horse, and escaped alive.

  "But," interrupted Volodyovski, "you said that you would follow himwith your Tartars, even to the Baltic."

  "And you told me also in your time," replied Kmita, "how Pan Yan herepresent, when Bogun carried off his beloved maiden, forgot her andrevenge because the country was in need. A man becomes like those withwhom he keeps company; I have joined you, gentlemen, and I wish tofollow your example."

  "May the Mother of God reward you, as she has Pan Yan!" said Zagloba."Still I would rather your maiden were in the wilderness than inBoguslav's hands."

  "That is nothing!" exclaimed Pan Michael; "you will find her!"

  "I have to find not only her person, but her regard and love."

  "One will come after the other," said Pan Michael, "even if you had totake her person by force, as at that time--you remember?"

  "I shall not do such a deed again."

  Here Pan Andrei sighed deeply, and after a while he said, "Not onlyhave I not found her, but Boguslav has taken another from me."

  "A pure Turk! as God is dear to me!" cried Zagloba.

  And Pan Yan inquired: "What other?"

  "Oh, it is a long story, a long story," said Kmita. "There was a maidenin Zamost, wonderfully fair, who pleased Pan Zamoyski. He, fearingPrincess Vishnyevetski, his sister, did not dare to be over-bold beforeher; he planned, therefore, to send the maiden away with me, as if toSapyeha, to find an inheritance in Lithuania, but in reality to takeher from me about two miles from Zamost, and put her in some wildernesswhere no one could stand in his way. But I sounded his intention. Youwant, thought I to myself, to make a pander of me; wait! I flogged hismen, and the lady in all maidenly honor I brought to Sapyeha. Well, Isay to you that the girl is as beautiful as a goldfinch, but honest. Iam now another man, and my comrades, the Lord light their souls! arelong ago dust in the earth."

  "What sort of maiden was she?" asked Zagloba.

  "From a respectable house, a lady-in-waiting on Princess Griselda. Shewas once engaged to a Lithuanian, Podbipienta, whom you, gentlemen,knew."

  "Anusia Borzobogati!" shouted Volodyovski, springing from his place.

  Zagloba jumped up too from a pile of felt "Pan Michael, restrainyourself!"

  But Volodyovski sprang like a cat toward Kmita. "Is it you, traitor,who let Boguslav carry her off?"

  "Be not unjust to me," said Kmita. "I took her safely to the hetman,having as much care for her as for my own sister. Boguslav seized her,not from me, but from another officer with whom Pan Sapyeha sent her tohis own family; his name was Glovbich or something, I do not rememberwell."

  "Where is he now?"

  "He is no longer living, he was slain; so at least Sapyeha's officerssaid. I was attacking Boguslav separately, with the Tartars; thereforeI know nothing accurately save what I have told you. But noticing yourchanged face, I see that a similar thing has met us; the same man haswronged us, and since that is the case let us join against him toavenge the wrong and take vengeance in company. He is a great lord anda great knight, and still I think it will be narrow for him in thewhole Commonwealth, if he has two such enemies."

  "Here is my hand!" said Volodyovski. "Henceforth we are friends forlife and death. Whoever meets him first will pay him for both. Godgrant me to meet him first, for that I will let his blood out is assure as that there is Amen in 'Our Father.'"

  Here Pan Michael began to move his mustaches terribly and to feel ofhis sabre. Zagloba was frightened, for he knew that with Pan Michaelthere was no joking.

  "I should not care to be Prince Boguslav now," said he, "even if someone should add Livonia to my title. It is enough to have such a wildcatas Kmita against one, but what will he do with Pan Michael? And that isnot all; I will conclude an alliance with you. My head, your sabres! Ido not know as there is a potentate in Christendom who could standagainst such an alliance. Besides, the Lord God will sooner or latertake away his luck, for it cannot be that for a traitor and a hereticthere is no punishment; as it is, Kmita has given it to him terribly."

  "I do not deny that more than one confusion has met him from me," saidPan Andrei. And giving orders to fill the goblets, he told how he hadfreed Soroka from captivity. But he did not tell how he had casthimself first at the feet of Radzivill, for at the very thought of thathis blood boiled.

  Pan Michael was rejoiced while hearing the narrative, and said at theend,--

  "May God aid you, Yendrek! With such a daring man one could go to hell.The only trouble is that we shall not always campaign together, forservice is service. They m
ay send me to one end of the Commonwealth andyou to the other. It is not known which will meet him first."

  Kmita was silent a moment.

  "In justice I should reach him--if only I do not come out again withconfusion, for I am ashamed to acknowledge that I cannot meet thathell-dweller hand to hand."

  "Then I will teach you all my secrets," said Pan Michael.

  "Or I!" said Zagloba.

  "Pardon me, your grace, I prefer to learn from Michael," said Kmita.

  "Though he is such a knight, still I and Pani Kovalski are not afraidof him, if only I had a good sleep," put in Roh.

  "Be quiet, Roh!" answered Zagloba; "may God not punish you through hishand for boasting."

  "Oh, tfu! nothing will happen to me from him."

  Poor Kovalski was an unlucky prophet, but it was steaming terribly fromhis forelock, and he was ready to challenge the whole world to singlecombat. Others too drank heavily to one another, and to the destructionof Boguslav and the Swedes.

  "I have heard," said Kmita, "that as soon as we rub out the Swedes hereand take the king, we shall march straight to Warsaw. Then surely therewill be an end of the war. After that will come the elector's turn."

  "Oh, that's it! that's it!" said Zagloba.

  "I heard Sapyeha say that once, and he, as a great man, calculatesbetter than others; he said: 'There will be a truce with the Swedes;with the Northerners there is one already, but with the elector weshould not make any conditions. Pan Charnyetski,' he says, 'will gowith Lyubomirski to Brandenburg, and I with the treasurer of Lithuaniato Electoral Prussia; and if after that we do not join Prussia to theCommonwealth, it is because in our chancellery we have no such head asPan Zagloba, who in autograph letters threatened the elector.'"

  "Did Sapyeha say that?" asked Zagloba, flushing from pleasure.

  "All heard him. And I was terribly glad, for that same rod will flogBoguslav; and if not earlier, we will surely reach him at that time."

  "If we can finish with these Swedes first," said Zagloba. "Devil takethem! Let them give up Livland and a million, I will let them offalive."'

  "The Cossack caught the Tartar, and the Tartar is holding him by thehead!" said Pan Yan, laughing. "Karl is still in Poland; Cracow,Warsaw, Poznan, and all the most noted towns are in his hands, andfather wants him to ransom himself. Hei, we shall have to work much athim yet before we can think of the elector."

  "And there is Steinbock's army, and the garrisons, and Wirtz," put inPan Stanislav.

  "But why do we sit here with folded hands?" asked Roh Kovalski, on asudden, with staring eyes; "cannot we beat the Swedes?"

  "You are foolish, Roh," said Zagloba.

  "Uncle always says one thing; but as I am alive, I saw a boat at theshore. We might go and carry off even the sentry. It is so dark thatyou might strike a man on the snout and he wouldn't know who did it;before they could see we should return and exhibit the courage ofcavaliers to both commanders. If you do not wish to go, I will gomyself."

  "The dead calf moved his tail, wonder of wonders!" said Zagloba,angrily.

  But Kmita's nostrils began to quiver at once. "Not a bad idea! not abad idea!" said he.

  "Good for camp-followers, but not for him who regards dignity. Haverespect for yourselves! You are colonels, but you wish to amuseyourselves with wandering thieves!"

  "True, it is not very becoming," added Volodyovski. "We would better goto sleep."

  All agreed with that idea; therefore they kneeled down to their prayersand repeated them aloud; after that they stretched themselves on thefelt cloth, and were soon sleeping the sleep of the just.

  But an hour later all sprang to their feet, for beyond the river theroaring of guns was heard; while shouts and tumult rose in Sapyeha'swhole camp.

  "Jesus! Mary!" exclaimed Zagloba. "The Swedes are coming!"

  "What are you talking about?" asked Volodyovski, seizing his sabre.

  "Roh, come here!" cried Zagloba, for in cases of surprise he was gladto have his sister's son near him.

  But Roh was not in the tent.

  They ran out on the square. Crowds were already before the tents, andall were making their way toward the river, for on the other side wasto be seen flashing of fire, and an increasing roar was heard.

  "What has happened, what has happened?" was asked of the numerousguards disposed along the bank.

  But the guards had seen nothing. One of the soldiers said that he hadheard as it were the plash of a wave, but as fog was hanging over thewater he could see nothing; he did not wish therefore to raise the campfor a mere sound.

  When Zagloba heard this he caught himself by the head in desperation,--

  "Roh has gone to the Swedes! He said that he wished to carry off asentry."

  "For God's sake, that may be!" cried Kmita.

  "They will shoot the lad, as God is in heaven!" continued Zagloba, indespair. "Worthy gentlemen, is there no help? Lord God, that boy was ofthe purest gold; there is not another such in the two armies! What shotthat idea into his stupid head? Oh, Mother of God, save him introuble!"

  "Maybe he will return; the fog is dense. They will not see him."

  "I will wait for him here even till morning. Mother of God, Mother ofGod!"

  Meanwhile shots on the opposite bank lessened, lights went outgradually, and after an hour dull silence set in. Zagloba walked alongthe bank of the river like a hen with ducklings, and tore out theremnant of hair in his forelock; but he waited in vain, he despaired invain. The morning whitened the river, the sun rose, but Roh came not.