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

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER XLI.

  Though Kettling was near the person of Prince Boguslav, he did not knowall, and could not tell of all that was done in Taurogi, for he wasblinded himself by love for Panna Billevich.

  Boguslav had also another confidant, Pan Sakovich, the starosta ofOshmiana; and he alone knew how deeply the prince was involved by lovefor his charming captive, and what means he was using to gain her heartand her person.

  That love was merely a fierce desire, for Boguslav's heart was notcapable of other feelings; but the desire was so violent that thatexperienced cavalier lost his head. And often in the evening, whenalone with the starosta, he seized his own hair and cried,--

  "I am burning, Sakovich, I am burning!"

  Sakovich found means at once.

  "Whoso wishes to take honey must drug the bees," said he. "And has yourphysician few of such intoxicating herbs? Give him the word to-day, andto-morrow the affair will be over."

  But the prince did not like such a method, and that for variousreasons. First, on a time, old Heraclius Billevich, the grandfather ofOlenka, appeared to him in a dream, and standing at his pillow, lookedwith threatening eyes till the first crowing of the cocks. Boguslavremembered the dream; for that knight, without fear, was superstitious,dreaded charms, dream warnings, and supernatural apparitions so muchthat a shiver passed through him at thought of the terror and the shapein which that phantom might come a second time should he followSakovich's counsel. The starosta of Oshmiana himself, who did notbelieve greatly in God, but who, like the prince, dreaded dreams andenchantments, staggered somewhat in giving advice.

  The second reason of Boguslav's delay was that the "Wallachian woman"was living with her step-daughter in Taurogi. They called PrincessRadzivill, the wife of Yanush, "the Wallachian woman." That lady,coming from a country in which her sex have rather free manners, wasnot, in truth, over-stern; nay, maybe she understood too well theamusements of courtiers and ladies-in-waiting; still she could notendure that at her side a man, the coming husband of her step-daughter,should do a deed calling to heaven for vengeance.

  But even later, when through the persuasions of Sakovich, and with theconsent of the prince voevoda of Vilna, "the Wallachian woman" wentwith Yanush's daughter to Courland, Boguslav did not dare to do thedeed. He feared the terrible outcry which would rise throughout allLithuania. The Billeviches were wealthy people; they would not fail tocrush him with a prosecution. The law punished such deeds with loss ofproperty, honor, and life.

  The Radzivills, it is true, were powerful, and might trample on law;but when victory in war was inclining to the side of Yan Kazimir, theyoung prince might fall into serious difficulties, in which he wouldlack power, friends, and henchmen. And just then it was hard to foreseehow the war would end. Forces were coming every day to Yan Kazimir; thepower of Karl Gustav was decreasing absolutely by the loss of men andthe exhaustion of money.

  Prince Boguslav, an impulsive but calculating man, reckoned with theposition. His desires tormented him with fire, his reason advisedrestraint, superstitious fear bridled the outbursts of his blood. Atthe same time disease fell upon him; great and urgent questions rose,involving frequently the fate of the whole war; and all these causesrent the soul of the prince till he was mortally wearied.

  Still, it is unknown how the struggle might have ended had it not beenfor Boguslav's self-love. He was a man of immense self-esteem. Hecounted himself an unequalled statesman, a great leader, a greatknight, and an invincible captor of the hearts of women. Was he to useforce or intoxicating drugs,--he who carried around with him a boundcasket filled with love-letters from various foreign ladies ofcelebrity? Were his wealth, his titles, his power almost royal, hisgreat name, his beauty and courtliness not equal to the conquest of onetimid noble woman?

  Besides, how much greater the triumph, how much greater the delight,when the resistance of the maiden drops, when she herself willingly,and with a heart beating like that of a seized bird, with burning faceand eyes veiled with mist, falls into those arms which are stretchedtoward her!

  A quiver passed through Boguslav at thought of that moment, and hedesired it as greatly as he did Olenka herself. He hoped always thatthat moment would come. He writhed, he was impatient, he deceivedhimself. At one time it seemed to him nearer, at another farther; andthen he cried that he was burning. But he did not cease to work.

  To begin with, he surrounded the maiden with minute care, so that shemust be thankful to him and think that he is kind; for he understoodthat the feeling of gratitude and friendship is that mild and warmflame which only needs to be fanned and it will turn into a great fire.Their frequent intercourse was to bring this about the more surely;hence Boguslav showed no insistence, not wishing to chill confidence orfrighten it away.

  At the same time every look, every touch of the hand, every word wascalculated; nothing passed in vain, everything was the drop wearing thestone. All that he did for Olenka might be interpreted as thehospitality of a host, that innocent friendly attraction which oneperson feels for another; but still it was done to create love. Theboundary was purposely blurred and indefinite, so that to pass it wouldbecome easy in time; and thus the maiden might the more lightly wanderinto those labyrinths where each form might mean something or nothing.That play did not agree, it is true, with the native impulsiveness ofBoguslav. Still he restrained himself, for he judged that that alonewould lead to the object; and at the same time he found in it suchsatisfaction as the spider finds when weaving his web, the traitorousbird-catcher when spreading his net, or the hunter tracking patientlyand with endurance the wild beast. His own penetration, subtlety, andquickness, developed by life at the French court, amused the prince.

  He entertained Panna Aleksandra as if she were a sovereign princess;but in such a way that again it was not easy for her to divine whetherthis was done exclusively for her, or whether it flowed from his innateand acquired politeness toward the fair sex in general. It is true thathe made her the chief person in all the entertainments, plays,cavalcades, and hunting expeditious; but this came somewhat from thenature of things. After the departure of Yanush's princess to Courland,she was really first among the ladies at Taurogi. A multitude of nobleladies from all Jmud had taken refuge in Taurogi, as in a place lyingnear the boundary, so as to be protected by the Swedes under theguardianship of the prince; but they recognized Panna Billevich asfirst among all, since she was the daughter of the most noted family.And while the whole Commonwealth was swimming in blood, there was noend to entertainments. You would have said that the king's court withall the courtiers and ladies had gone to the country for leisure andentertainment.

  Boguslav ruled as an absolute monarch in Taurogi and in all adjoiningElectoral Prussia, in which he was frequently a guest; thereforeeverything was at his orders. Towns furnished money and troops on hisnotes; the Prussian nobles came gladly, in carriages and on horseback,to his feasts, hunts, and tournaments. Boguslav even renewed, in honorof his lady, the conflicts of knights within barriers, which werealready in disuse.

  On a certain occasion he took active part in them; dressed in silverarmor, and girded with a silver sash which Panna Billevich had to bindon him, he hurled from their horses four of the first knights ofPrussia, Kettling the fifth, and Sakovich the sixth, though the lasthad such gigantic strength that he stopped carriages in their course byseizing a hind wheel. And what enthusiasm rose in the crowd ofspectators when afterward the silver-clad knight, kneeling before hislady, took from her hand the crown of victory! Shouts rang like thethunder of cannon, handkerchiefs were waving, flags were lowered; buthe raised his visor and looked into her blushing face with hisbeautiful eyes, pressing at the same time her hand to his lips.

  Another time when in the enclosure a raging bear was fighting with dogsand had torn them all one after another, the prince, dressed only inlight Spanish costume, sprang in with his spear, and pierced not onlythe savage beast, but also a soldier, who, seeing the moment of dangerhad sprung to his
aid.

  Panna Aleksandra, the grand-daughter of an old soldier, reared intraditions of blood, war, and reverence for knightly superiority, couldnot restrain at sight of these deeds her wonder, and even homage; forshe had been taught from childhood to esteem bravery as almost thehighest quality of man.

  Meanwhile the prince gave daily proofs of daring almost beyond human,and always in honor of her. The assembled guests in their praises andenthusiasm for the prince, which were so great that even a deity mightbe satisfied with them, were forced involuntarily to connect in theirconversations the name of Panna Billevich with the name of Boguslav. Hewas silent, but with his eyes he told her what he did not dare to utterwith his lips. The spell surrounded her perfectly.

  Everything was so combined as to bring them together, to connect them,and at the same time to separate them from the throng of other people.It was difficult for any one to mention him without mentioning her.Into the thoughts of Olenka herself Boguslav was thrust with anirresistible force. Every moment of the day was so arranged as to lendpower to the spell.

  In the evening, after amusements, the chambers were lighted by manycolored lamps casting mysterious rays, as if from the land of splendiddreams transferred to reality; intoxicating eastern odors filled theair; the low sounds of invisible harps, lutes, and other instrumentsfondled the hearing; and in the midst of these odors, lights, sounds,he moved in the glory of universal homage, like an enchanted king's sonin a myth-tale, beautiful, knightly, sun-bright from jewels, and asdeeply in love as a shepherd.

  What maiden could resist these spells, what virtue would not grow faintamid such allurements? But to avoid the prince there was no possibilityfor one living with him under the same roof and enjoying hishospitality, which, though given perforce, was still dispensed withsincerity and in real lordly fashion. Besides, Olenka had gone withoutunwillingness to Taurogi, for she wished to be far from hideousKyedani, as she preferred to Yanush, an open traitor, the knightlyBoguslav, who feigned love for the deserted king and the country. Hencein the beginning of her visit at Taurogi she was full of friendlyfeeling for the young prince; and seeing soon how far he was strivingfor her friendship, she used her influence more than once to do good topeople.

  During the third month of her stay a certain artillery officer, afriend of Kettling, was condemned by the prince to be shot; PannaBillevich, hearing of this from the young Scot, interceded for him.

  "A divinity may command, not implore," said Boguslav to her; andtearing the sentence of death he threw it at her feet. "Ordain,command! I will burn Taurogi, if at that price I can call forth on yourface even a smile. I ask no other reward save this, that you be joyousand forget that which once pained you."

  She could not be joyous, having pain in her heart, pity and anunutterable contempt for the man whom she had loved with first love,and who at that time was in her eyes a worse criminal than a parricide.That Kmita, promising to sell the king for gold, as Judas sold Christ,became fouler and more repulsive in her eyes, till in the course oftime he was turned into a human monster, a grief and reproach to her.She could not forgive herself for having loved him, and at the sametime she could not forget him while she hated.

  In view of these feelings it was indeed difficult for her even to feigngladness; but still she had to be thankful to the prince even for this,that he would not put his hand to Kmita's crime, and for all that hehad done for her. It was a wonder to her that the prince, such a knightand so full of noble feeling, did not hasten to the rescue of thecountry, since he had not consented to the intrigues of Yanush; but shejudged that such a statesman knew what he was doing, and was forced bya policy which she, with her simple maiden's mind, could not sound.Boguslav told her also, explaining his frequent journeys to PrussianTyltsa, which was near by, that his strength was failing him fromoverwork; that he was conducting negotiations between Yan Kazimir, KarlGustav, and the elector, and that he hoped to bring the country out ofdifficulty.

  "Not for rewards, not for offices, do I do this," said he to her. "Iwill sacrifice my cousin Yanush, who was to me a father, for I know notwhether I shall be able to implore his life for him from the animosityof Queen Ludvika; but I will do what my conscience and love for thedear mother, my country, demands."

  When he spoke thus with sadness on his delicate face, with eyes turnedto the ceiling, he seemed to her as lofty as those heroes of antiquityof which Heraclius Billevich had told her, and of whom he himself hadread in Cornelius Nepos. And the heart swelled within her withadmiration and homage. By degrees it went so far that when thoughts ofthe hated Andrei Kmita had tortured her too much, she thought ofBoguslav to cure and strengthen herself. Kmita became for her aterrible and gloomy darkness; Boguslav, light in which every troubledsoul would gladly bathe itself. The sword-bearer and Panna Kulvyets,whom they had brought also from Vodokty, pushed Olenka still more alongthat incline by singing hymns of praise from morning till night inhonor of Boguslav. The sword-bearer and the aunt wearied the prince, itis true, so that he had been thinking how to get rid of them politely;but he won them to himself, especially the sword-bearer, who though atfirst displeased and even enraged, still could not fight against thefriendship and favors of Boguslav.

  If Boguslav had been merely a noble of noted stock, but not Radzivill,nor a prince, not a magnate invested with almost the majesty of amonarch, perhaps Panna Billevich might have loved him for life anddeath, in spite of the will of the old colonel, which left her a choiceonly between the cloister and Kmita. But she was a stern lady for herown self, and a very just soul; therefore she did not even admit to herhead a dream of anything save gratitude and admiration so far as theprince was concerned.

  Her family was not so great that she could become the wife ofRadzivill, and was too great for her to become his mistress; she lookedon him, therefore, as she would on the king, were she at the king'scourt. In vain did Boguslav endeavor to give her other thoughts; invain did he, forgetting himself in love, partly from calculation,partly from enthusiasm, repeat what he had said the first evening inKyedani,--that the Radzivills had married ordinary noble women morethan once; these thoughts did not cling to her, as water does not clingto the breast of a swan; and she remained as she had been, thankful,friendly, homage-giving, seeking consolation in the thought of a hero,but undisturbed in heart.

  He could not catch her through her feelings, though often it seemed tohim that he was near his object. But he saw himself with shame andinternal anger that he was not so daring with her as he had been withthe first ladies in Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Perhaps this wasbecause he was really in love, and perhaps because in that lady, in herface, in her dark brows and stern eyes, there was that which enforcedrespect. Kmita was the one and only man who in his time did not submitto that influence and paid no regard, prepared boldly to kiss thoseproud eyes and stern lips; but Kmita was her betrothed.

  All other cavaliers, beginning with Pan Volodyovski and ending with thevery vulgar Prussian nobles in Taurogi and the prince himself, wereless confident with her than with other ladies in the same condition.Impulsiveness carried away the prince; but when once in a carriage hepressed against her feet, whispering at the same time, "Fear not!" sheanswered that she did fear to regret the confidence reposed in him,Boguslav was confused, and returned to his former method of conqueringher heart by degrees.

  But his patience was becoming exhausted. Gradually he began to forgetthe terrible dream, he began to think more frequently of what Sakovichhad counselled, and that the Billeviches would all perish in the war;his desires tormented him more powerfully, when a certain event changedcompletely the course of affairs in Taurogi.

  One day news came like a thunderbolt that Tykotsin was taken by PanSapyeha, and that Prince Yanush had lost his life in the ruins of thecastle.

  Everything began to seethe in Taurogi. Boguslav himself sprang up andwent off that same day to Koenigsberg, where he was to see the ministersof the King of Sweden and the elector.

  His stay there exceeded his original plan. Meanwhi
le bodies of Prussianand even of Swedish troops were assembling at Taurogi. Men began tospeak of an expedition against Sapyeha. The naked truth was coming tothe surface more and more clearly, that Boguslav was a partisan of theSwedes, as well as his cousin Yanush.

  It happened that at the same time the sword-bearer of Rossyeni receivednews of the burning of his native Billeviche by the troops ofLoewenhaupt, who, after defeating the insurgents in Jmud, at Shavli,ravaged the whole country with fire and sword.

  The old noble sprang up and set out, wishing to see the damage with hisown eyes; and Prince Boguslav did not detain him, but sent him offwillingly, adding at parting,--

  "Now you will understand why I brought you to Taurogi; for, speakingplainly, you owe your life to me."

  Olenka remained alone with Panna Kulvyets. They shut themselves up intheir own chambers at once, and received no one but a few women. Whenthese women brought tidings that the prince was preparing an expeditionagainst the Poles, Olenka would not believe them at first: but wishingto be certain, she gave orders to summon Kettling, for she knew thatfrom her the young Scot would hide nothing.

  He appeared before her at once, happy that he was called, that for atime he could speak with her who had taken possession of his soul.

  "Cavalier," said Panna Billevich, "so many reports are circulatingabout Taurogi that we are wandering as in a forest. Some say that theprince voevoda died a natural death; others that he was borne apart onsabres. What was the cause of his death?"

  Kettling hesitated for a while. It was evident that he was strugglingwith innate indecision. At last he blushed greatly, and said,--

  "You are the cause of the fall and the death of Prince Yanush."

  "I?" asked Panna Billevich, with amazement.

  "You; for our prince chose to remain in Taurogi rather than go torelieve his cousin. He forgot everything near you, my lady."

  Now she blushed in her turn like a purple rose, and a moment of silencefollowed.

  The Scot stood, hat in hand, with downcast eyes, his head bent, in aposture full of homage and respect. At last he raised his head, shookhis bright curls, and said,--

  "My lady, if these words have offended you, let me kneel down and begforgiveness."

  "Do not," said she, quickly, seeing that the young knight was bendinghis knees already. "I know that what you have said was said with aclean heart; for I have long noticed that you wish me well."

  The officer raised his blue eyes, and putting his hand on his heart,with a voice as low as the whisper of a breeze and as sad as a sigh,replied,--

  "Oh, my lady! my lady!"

  At this moment he was frightened lest he had said too much, and againhe bent his head toward his bosom, and took the posture of a courtierwho is listening to the commands of a queen.

  "I am here among strangers, without a guardian," said Olenka; "andthough I shall be able to watch over myself alone, and God willpreserve me from harm, still I need the aid of men also. Do you wish tobe my brother? Do you wish to warn me in need, so that I may know whatto do, and avoid every snare?"

  As she said this, she extended her hand; but he kneeled, in spite ofher prohibition, and kissed the tips of her fingers.

  "Tell me," said she, "what is happening around me."

  "The prince loves you," said Kettling. "Have you not seen that?"

  She covered her face with her hands. "I saw and I did not see. At timesit seemed to me that he was only very kind."

  "Kind!" repeated Kettling, like an echo.

  "But when it came into my head that I, unfortunate woman, might rousein him unhappy wishes, I quieted myself with this, that no dangerthreatened me from him. I was thankful to him for what he had done,though God sees that I did not look for new kindnesses, since I fearedthose he had already shown me."

  Kettling breathed more freely.

  "May I speak boldly?" asked he.

  "Speak."

  "The prince has only two confidants,--Pan Sakovich and Patterson; butPatterson is very friendly to me, for we come from the same country,and he carried me in his arms. What I know, I know from him. The princeloves you; desires are burning in him as pitch in a pine torch. Allthings done here--all these feasts, hunts, tournaments, through which,thanks to the princess hand, blood is flowing from my mouth yet--werearranged for you. The prince loves you, my lady, to distraction, butwith an impure fire; for he wishes to disgrace, not to marry you. Forthough he could not find a worthier, even if he were king of the wholeworld, not merely a prince, still he thinks of another,--the princess,Yanush's daughter, and her fortune are predestined to him. I learnedthis from Patterson; and the great God, whose gospel I take here towitness, knows that I speak the pure truth. Do not believe the prince,do not trust his kindness, do not feel safe in his moderation. Watch,guard yourself; for they are plotting treason against you here at everystep. The breath is stopping in my breast from what Patterson has toldme. There is not a criminal in the world equal to Sakovich,--I cannotspeak of him, I cannot. Were it not for the oath which I have taken toguard the prince, this hand and this sword would free you fromcontinual danger. But I would slay Sakovich first. This is true. Himfirst, before all men,--even before those who in my own country shed myfather's blood, took my fortune, made me a wanderer and a hireling."

  Here Kettling trembled from emotion. For a while he merely pressed thehilt of his sword with his hand, not being able to utter a word; thenhe recovered, and in one breath told what methods Sakovich hadsuggested to the prince.

  Panna Aleksandra, to his great surprise, bore herself calmly enoughwhile looking at the threatening precipice before her; only her facegrew pale and became still more serious. Unbending resolution wasreflected in her stern look.

  "I shall be able to save myself," said she, "so help me God and theholy cross!"

  "The prince has not consented hitherto to follow Sakovich's counsel,"added Kettling. "But when he sees that the road he has chosen leads tonothing--" and he began to tell the reasons which restrained Boguslav.

  The lady listened with frowning brow, but not with superfluousattention, for she had already begun to ponder on means to wrestherself free of this terrible guardianship. But there was not a placein the whole country unsprinkled with blood, and plans of flight didnot seem to her clear; hence she preferred not to speak of them.

  "Cavalier," said she at last, "answer me one question. Is PrinceBoguslav on the side of the King of Sweden or the King of Poland?"

  "It is a secret to none of us," answered the young officer, "that theprince wishes the division of this Commonwealth, so as to make ofLithuania an independent principality for himself."

  Here Kettling was silent, and you would have thought that his mind wasfollowing involuntarily the thoughts of Olenka; for after a while headded,--

  "The elector and the Swedes are at the service of the prince; and sincethey will occupy the Commonwealth, there is no place in which to hidefrom him."

  Olenka made no answer.

  The young man waited awhile longer, to learn if she would ask him otherquestions; but when she was silent, occupied with her own thoughts, hefelt that it was not proper for him to interrupt her; therefore he bentdouble in a parting bow, sweeping the floor with the feathers in hiscap.

  "I thank you, cavalier," said Olenka, extending her hand to him.

  The officer, without turning, withdrew toward the door. All at oncethere appeared on her face a slight flush. She hesitated a moment, andthen said,--

  "One word, cavalier."

  "Every word is for me a favor."

  "Did you know Pan Andrei Kmita?"

  "I made his acquaintance, my lady, in Kyedani. I saw him the last timein Pilvishki, when we were marching hither from Podlyasye."

  "Is what the prince says true, that Pan Kmita offered to do violence tothe person of the King of Poland?"

  "I know not, my lady. It is known to me that they took counsel togetherin Pilvishki; then the prince went with Pan Kmita to the forest, and itwas so long before he returned that Patt
erson was alarmed and senttroops to meet him. I led those troops. We met the prince. I saw thathe was greatly changed, as if strong emotion had passed through hissoul. He was talking to himself, which never happens to him. I heardhow he said: 'The devil would have undertaken that--' I know nothingmore. But later, when the prince mentioned what Kmita offered, Ithought, 'If this was it, it must be true.'"

  Panna Billevich pressed her lips together.

  "I thank you," said she. And after a while she was alone.

  The thought of flight mastered her thoroughly. She determined at anyprice to tear herself from those infamous places, and from the power ofthat treacherous prince. But where was she to find refuge? The villagesand towns were in Swedish hands, the cloisters were ruined, the castleslevelled with the earth; the whole country was swarming with soldiers,and with worse than soldiers,--with fugitives from the army, robbers,all kinds of ruffians. What fate could be waiting for a maiden cast asa prey to that storm? Who would go with her? Her aunt Kulvyets, heruncle, and a few of his servants. Whose power would protect her?Kettling would go, perhaps; maybe a handful of faithful soldiers andfriends might even be found who would accompany him. But as Kettlinghad fallen in love with her beyond question, then how was she to incura debt of gratitude to him, which she would have to pay afterward witha great price? Finally, what right had she to close the career of thatyoung man, scarcely more than a youth, and expose it to pursuit, topersecution, to ruin, if she could not offer him anything in returnsave friendship? Therefore, she asked herself, what was she to do,whither was she to flee, since here and there destruction threatenedher, here and there disgrace?

  In such a struggle of soul she began to pray ardently; and moreespecially did she repeat one prayer with earnestness to which the oldcolonel had constant recourse in evil times, beginning with thewords,--

  "God saved Thee with Thy Infant From the malice of Herod; In Egypt he straightened the road For Thy safe passage--"

  At this moment a great whirlwind rose, and the trees in the gardenbegan to make a tremendous noise. All at once the praying ladyremembered the wilderness on the borders of which she had grown up frominfancy; and the thought that in the wilderness she would find the onlysafe refuge flew through her head like lightning.

  Then Olenka breathed deeply, for she had found at last what she hadbeen seeking. To Zyelonka, to Rogovsk! There the enemy would not go,the ruffian would not seek booty. There a man of the place, if heforgot himself, might go astray and wander till death; what must it beto a stranger not knowing the road? There the Domasheviches, the SmokyStakyans; and if they are gone, if they have followed Pan Volodyovski,it is possible to go by those forests far beyond and seek quiet inother wildernesses.

  The remembrance of Pan Volodyovski rejoiced Olenka. Oh, if she had sucha protector! He was a genuine soldier; his was a sabre under which shemight take refuge from Kmita and the Radzivills themselves. Now itoccurred to her that he was the man who had advised, when he caughtKmita in Billeviche, to seek safety in the Byalovyej wilderness.

  And he spoke wisely! Rogovsk and Zyelonka are too near the Radzivills,and near Byalovyej stands that Sapyeha who rubbed from the face of theearth the most terrible Radzivill.

  To Byalovyej then, to Byalovyej, even to-day, to-morrow! Only let heruncle come, she would not delay.

  The dark depths of Byalovyej will protect her, and afterward, when thestorm passes, the cloister. There only can be real peace andforgetfulness of all men, of all pain, sorrow, and contempt.