CHAPTER XXIII.
Late in the evening the army arrived in Rozlogi by moonlight. Therethey found Pan Yan sitting on his Calvary. The knight, as is known, hadlost his senses altogether from pain and torment; and when the priestMukhovetski brought him to his mind, the officers bore him away andbegan to greet and comfort him, especially Pan Longin Podbipienta, whofor three months past had been a popular officer in Skshetuski'sregiment. Pan Longin was ready also to be his companion in sighing andweeping, and for his benefit made a new vow at once, that he would fastevery Tuesday of his life, if God would in any way send solace to thelieutenant.
Skshetuski was conducted straightway to Vishnyevetski at a peasant'scottage. When the prince saw his favorite he said not a word; he onlyopened his arms to him and waited. Skshetuski threw himself into thosearms with loud weeping. Yeremi pressed him to his bosom and kissed himon the forehead, and the officers present saw the tears in his worthyeyes. After a while he began to speak,--
"I greet you as a son, for I thought I should never see you again. Bearyour burden manfully, and remember that you will have thousands ofcomrades in misfortune who will leave wives, children, parents, andfriends; and as a drop of water is lost in an ocean, so let yoursuffering sink in the sea of universal pain. When such terrible timeshave come on our dear country, whoever is a man and has a sword at hisside will not yield himself to weeping over his own loss, but willhasten to the rescue of the common mother, and either find relief inhis conscience or lie down in a glorious death, receive a heavenlycrown, and with it eternal happiness."
"Amen!" said the priest Mukhovetski.
"Oh, I should rather see her dead!" groaned the knight.
"Weep, then, for great is your loss, and we will weep with you; for youhave come not to Pagans, wild Scythians, or Tartars, but to brothersand loving comrades. Say to yourself, 'To-day I will weep over myself,but to-morrow is not mine;' for remember that to-morrow we march tobattle."
"I will go with you to the end of the world; but I cannot consolemyself. It is so grievous for me without her that I cannot, I cannot--"
The poor fellow seized himself by the head, then put his fingersbetween his teeth, and gnawed them to overcome the groans, for a stormof despair was tearing him afresh.
"You have said, 'Thy will be done!'" said the priest, severely.
"Amen, amen! I yield to his will, but with pain. I cannot help it,"answered the knight, with a broken voice.
They could see how he struggled and writhed, and his suffering wrungtears from them all. The most sensitive were Volodyovski andPodbipienta, who poured out whole streams. The latter clasped his handsand said pitifully:
"Brother, dear brother, contain yourself!"
"Listen!" said the prince on a sudden, "I have news that Bogun rushedoff from here toward Lubni, for he cut down my men at Vassilyevka. Donot despair too soon, for perhaps he did not find her; if he did, whyshould he rush on toward Lubni?"
"As true as life, that may be the case," cried some of the officers."God will console you."
Skshetuski opened his eyes as if he did not understand what they weresaying. Suddenly hope gleamed in his mind, and he threw himself at thefeet of the prince.
"Oh, your Highness!" cried he, "my life, my blood--"
He could speak no further. He had grown so weak that Pan Longin wasobliged to raise him and place him on the bench; but it was evidentfrom his looks that he had grasped at that hope as a drowning man at aplank, and that his pain had left him. The officers fanned that spark,saying he might find the princess in Lubni. Afterward they took him toanother cottage, and then brought him mead and wine. He wished todrink, but could not, his throat was so straitened. His faithfulcomrades drank instead; and when they had grown gladsome they began toembrace and kiss him, and to wonder at his meagreness and the marks ofsickness which he bore on his face.
"Oh, you look like one risen from the dead," said portly Pan Dzik.
"It must be they insulted you in the Saitch, and gave you neither foodnor drink."
"Tell us what happened to you."
"I will tell you some time," said Skshetuski, with a weak voice. "Theywounded me, and I was sick."
"They wounded him!" cried Pan Dzik.
"They wounded him, though an envoy!" added Pan Sleshinski. Theofficers, astounded at Cossack insolence, looked at one another, andthen began to press forward to Pan Yan with great friendliness.
"And did you see Hmelnitski?"
"I did."
"Well, give him here!" said Migurski; "we will make mince-meat of himin a minute."
The night passed in such conversation. Toward morning it was announcedthat the second party, despatched on the more distant road to Cherkasi,had returned. It was evident the men of this party had not come up withBogun; they had brought wonderful news, however. They brought manypeople whom they had found on the road, and who had seen Bogun two daysbefore. These people said that the chief was evidently pursuing someone, for he inquired everywhere if a fat noble had not been seenfleeing with a young Cossack. Besides, he was in a terrible hurry, andflew at breakneck speed. The people also affirmed that they had notseen Bogun taking away a young woman, and they would have seen herwithout fail if she had been with him, for only a few Cossacks werefollowing the chief.
New consolation, but also new anxiety, entered the heart of Pan Yan,for these stories were simply beyond his comprehension. He did notunderstand why Bogun, pursuing first in the direction of Lubni, threwhimself on the garrison at Vassilyevka, and then returned suddenly inthe direction of Cherkasi. That he had not carried off Helena appearedto be certain, for Pan Kushel had met Anton's party, and she was notwith them. The people now brought from the direction of Cherkasi hadnot seen her with Bogun. Where could she be then? Where was she hiding?Had she escaped? If so, in what direction? Why should she not escape toLubni, instead of Cherkasi or Zolotonosha? Still Bogun's parties werepursuing and hunting somebody around Cherkasi and Prohorovka. But whywere they inquiring about a noble with a young Cossack? To all thesequestions the lieutenant found no answer.
"Put your heads together, talk the matter over, explain what thismeans," said he to the officers, "for my head is unequal to the task."
"I think she must be in Lubni," said Pan Migurski.
"Impossible!" rejoined Zatsvilikhovski; "for if she were in Lubni thenBogun would hurry to Chigirin, and would not expose himself to thehetmans, of whose defeat he could not have known at that time. If hedivided his Cossacks and pursued in two directions, I tell you that hewas pursuing no one but her."
"And why did he inquire for an old noble and a young Cossack?"
"No great sagacity is needed to guess that. If she fled, she was not inwoman's dress, but surely in disguise, so as not to be discovered. Itis my opinion, then, that that Cossack is she."
"Sure as life, sure as life!" repeated the others.
"Well, but who is the noble?"
"I don't know that," replied the old man, "but we can ask about it. Thepeasants must have seen who was here and what happened. Let's have theman of this cottage brought in."
The officers hurried, and brought by the shoulder a "sub-neighbor" fromthe cow-house.
"Well, fellow," said Zatsvilikhovski, "were you here when the Cossackswith Bogun attacked the castle?"
The peasant, as was customary, began to swear that he had not beenpresent, that he had not seen anything, did not know anything. ButZatsvilikhovski knew with whom he had to deal; therefore he said,--
"Oh, I know, you son of a Pagan, that you were right here when theyplundered the place. Lie to some one else. Here is a gold ducat foryou, and there is a soldier with a sword. Take your choice. Besides, ifyou do not tell, we will burn the village, and harm will come to poorpeople through you."
Then the "sub-neighbor" began to tell of what he had seen. When theCossacks fell to revelling on the square before the house, he went withothers to see what was going on. They heard that the old princess andher sons were killed,
but that Nikolai had wounded the ataman, who layas if lifeless. What happened to the young woman they could notdiscover; but at daybreak next morning they heard that she had escapedwith a noble who had come with Bogun.
"That's it! that's it!" said Zatsvilikhovski. "Here is your gold ducat.You see that no harm has come to you. And did you or any one in theneighborhood see that noble?"
"I saw him; but he was not from this place."
"What did he look like?"
"He was as big as a stove, with a gray beard, and swore like aminstrel; blind of one eye."
"Oh, for God's sake!" said Pan Longin, "that must be Pan Zagloba."
"Zagloba, who else!"
"Zagloba? Wait!--Zagloba?--maybe it is. He kept company with Bogun inChigirin,--drank and played dice with him. Maybe it is he. Thedescription fits him."
Here Zatsvilikhovski turned again to the peasant.
"And that noble fled with the young lady?"
"Yes; so we heard."
"Do you know Bogun well?"
"Oh, very well! He used to be here for months at a time."
"But maybe that noble took her away for Bogun?"
"No; how could he do that? He bound Bogun,--tied him up with hiscoat,--then, they say, carried off the young lady as far as the eye ofpeople could see. The ataman howled like a werewolf, and beforedaylight had himself bound between horses, and rushed off toward Lubni,but did not find them; then he rushed in another direction."
"Praise be to God!" said Migurski; "she may be in Lubni. That hehurried in the direction of Cherkasi is nothing; not finding her in oneplace, he tried in another."
Pan Yan was already on his knees, praying fervently.
"Well, well," said the old standard-bearer, "I did not think there wassuch mettle in Zagloba that he would dare to attack such a hero asBogun. True, he was very friendly to Skshetuski for the triple mead ofLubni which we drank in Chigirin, He mentioned it to me more than once,and called him a distinguished cavalier. Well, well, this cannot find aplace yet in my head, for he drank up no small amount of Bogun's money.But that he should bind Bogun and carry off the lady! I did not expectsuch a daring deed from him, for I held him a squabbler and a coward.Cunning he is, but a tremendous exaggerator; and all the bravery ofsuch people is generally on their lips."
"Let him be as he likes; it is enough that he has snatched the princessfrom the hands of robbers," said Volodyovski. "And since, as isevident, he has no lack of stratagems, he has surely fled with her insuch fashion as to be safe from the enemy himself."
"His own life depended on that," said Migurski.
Then they turned to Pan Yan and said: "Comfort yourself, dear comrade;we shall all be your best men yet!"
"And drink at the wedding."
Zatsvilikhovski added: "If he fled beyond the Dnieper and heard of thedefeat at Korsun, he was obliged to return to Chernigoff, and in thatcase we shall come up to him on the road."
"Here is to the happy conclusion of all the troubles and sufferings ofour friend!" called out Sleshinski.
They began to raise their glasses to the health of Pan Yan, theprincess, their future descendants, and Zagloba. Thus passed the night.At daybreak the march was sounded, and the forces moved for Lubni.
The journey was made quickly, for the troops of the prince went withouta train. Pan Yan wished to gallop ahead with the Tartar regiment, butwas too weak. Besides, Prince Yeremi kept him near his own person, forhe wished to hear the account of his mission to the Saitch. The knightwas obliged, therefore, to give an account of how he had travelled, howthey attacked him at Hortitsa and dragged him into the Saitch, but wassilent concerning his disputes with Hmelnitski, lest it might seem thathe was praising himself. The prince was affected most by the news thatold Grodzitski had no powder, and therefore could not defend himselflong.
"That is an unspeakable loss," said he, "for that fortress might causegreat damage and hindrance to the rebellion. Grodzitski is a famousman, really a _decus et praesidium_ to the Commonwealth. Why did he notsend to me for powder? I should have given it to him from the cellarsof Lubni."
"He thought evidently that by virtue of his office the Grand Hetmanshould think of that," said Pan Yan.
"I can believe it," added the prince, and was silent.
After a while, however, he continued: "The Grand Hetman is an old andexperienced soldier, but he had too much self-confidence, and therebyhas ruined himself; he underestimated the whole rebellion, and when Ihurried to him with assistance he did not look at me at all agreeably.He did not wish to divide the glory with any one, feared the victorywould be attributed to me."
"That is my opinion too," said Skshetuski, gravely.
"He thought to pacify the Zaporojians with clubs. God has punished theinsolence. This Commonwealth is perishing through that same kind ofpride, which is hateful to God, and of which perhaps no one is free."
The prince was right; and in truth he was not himself without blame,for it was not so long since, in his dispute over Gadyach with PanAlexander Konyetspolski, the prince entered Warsaw with four thousandmen, whom he ordered, in case he should be pressed to take the oath inthe Senate, to break into the Chamber and fall upon them all; and hedid this through nothing else but insolent pride, which would not allowhim to be brought to oath instead of giving his word. Maybe heremembered this affair at that moment; for he fell to thinking, androde on in silence, his eyes wandering over the broad steppes which layon both sides of the road. Perhaps he thought of the fate of thatCommonwealth which he loved with all the power of his ardent spirit,and to which the day of wrath and calamity seemed approaching.
After midday the swelling cupolas of Lubni churches and the glitteringroof and pointed towers of St. Michael appeared from the lofty bank ofthe Sula. The army marched without hurry, and entered before evening.
The prince went immediately to the castle, where, in accordance withorders sent in advance, everything had been made ready for the road.The regiments were disposed for the night in the town,--which was noeasy matter, for there was a great concourse of people in the place.Roused by reports of the progress of civil war on the right bank and offerment among the peasants, all the nobles east of the Dnieper hadcrowded to Lubni. They had come even from distant settlements, withtheir wives, children, servants, horses, camels, and whole herds ofcattle. There had come also the prince's agents, under-starostas andall kinds of officials from among the nobles, tenants, Jews; in a word,all against whom the rebellion might turn sharp knives. You would havesaid that some great annual fair was going on at Lubni; for there werenot wanting even merchants of Moscow and Astrakhan Tartars, who, comingto the Ukraine with goods, halted there in view of war. On the squarestood thousands of wagons of the most varied forms,--some withwillow-bound wheels, others having wheels without spokes, cut out ofone piece of wood,--Cossack telegas, and equipages of nobles. The moredistinguished guests were lodged in the castle and in inns; theunimportant and servants, in tents near the churches. In the streetsfires were kindled, at which food was cooking; and everywhere was athrong, a stir, a bustle, as in a bee-hive. The most varied costumesand colors were to be seen. There were present soldiers of the princefrom different regiments, haiduks and Turkish grooms, Jews in blackcloaks, peasants, Armenians in violet caps, Tartars in fur coats. Theair was full of the sounds of different languages, of shouts, curses,cries of children, barking of dogs, and bellowing of cattle.
The people greeted the approaching regiments joyfully, for they saw inthem assurance of safety and deliverance. Some went to the castle toshout in honor of the prince and princess. The most varied reportspassed through the crowd,--one that the prince would stay in Lubni;another that he was going far away to Lithuania, where it would benecessary to follow him; a third, that he had already defeatedHmelnitski. The prince, after the greeting with his wife was over, andthe announcement of the journey on the following day, looked withanxiety on those crowds of wagons and people which were to follow thearmy, and be fetters to his feet by lessening the speed of the m
arch.His only comfort was the thought that beyond Bragin, in a quietercountry, all would disperse, take refuge in various corners, and be aburden no longer. The princess herself, with ladies in waiting and thecourt, were to be sent to Vishnyovets, so that the prince without careor hindrance might move into the fire with his whole force. Thepreparations at the castle had been made already,--wagons were filledwith effects and valuables, supplies were collected, all persons of thecourt were ready to take their seats in the wagons and on horseback ata moment's notice. This readiness was the work of Princess Griselda,who in calamity had as great a soul as her husband, and who, in truth,was equal to him in energy and unbending temper.
The prince was pleased with what he saw, though his heart was rent atthe thought that he must leave the Lubni nest in which he had known somuch happiness and had won so much glory. This sorrow, too, was sharedby the whole army, the servants, and the entire court; for all feltcertain that when the prince would be far away in battle, the enemywould not leave Lubni in peace, but would avenge on those beloved wallsall the blows which they had suffered at the hands of Yeremi. Cries andlamentations were not lacking, especially among the women, and amongthose whose children were born there, and those who were leaving thegraves of their parents behind.
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