CHAPTER XXXI.
When the warriors drew near each other, they reined in their horses andopened in mutual abuse.
"Come on! come on! We will feed the dogs with your carrion right away!"cried the prince's soldiers.
"Your carrion is not fit even for dogs!" answered the Cossacks.
"You will rot here on the dam, you infamous robbers!"
"For whom it is fated, that one will rot; but the fish will pick yourbones soon."
"To the dung-heaps with your forks, you trash! Dung-forks are fitterfor you than sabres."
"If we are trash, our sons will be nobles, for they will be born ofyour girls."
Some Cossack, evidently from the Trans-Dnieper, pushed forward, andplacing his palms around his mouth, cried with a loud voice: "Theprince has two nieces; tell him to send them to Krivonos."
It grew dim in Volodyovski's eyes when he heard this blasphemy, and hespurred his horse on to the Zaporojian.
Skshetuski, on the right wing with his hussars, recognized him from adistance, and cried to Zagloba: "Volodyovski is rushing on!Volodyovski! Look there! there!"
"I see!" said Zagloba. "He has already reached him. They are fighting!One, two! I see perfectly. It is all over. He is a swordsman, plaguetake him!"
At the second blow the Cossack fell to the ground as if struck bylightning, and fell with his head to his comrades, as an evil omen tothem.
Then a second sprang forward, in a scarlet kontush stripped from somenoble. He fell upon Volodyovski a little from the flank, but his horsestumbled at the very moment of the blow. Volodyovski turned, and thencould be seen the master; for he only moved his hand, making a light,soft motion,--invisible, so to speak,--but still the sabre of theZaporojian sprang up, flew into the air. Volodyovski seized him by theshoulder, and pulled him with his horse toward the Polish side.
"Save me, brothers!" cried the prisoner.
He offered no resistance, knowing that in case he did he would bethrust through that moment. He even struck his horse with his heels tourge him on; and so Volodyovski led him as a wolf leads a kid.
In view of this, a couple of tens of warriors rushed out from bothsides of the river, for no more could find place on the dam. Theyfought in single combat, man with man, horse with horse, sabre withsabre; and it was a wonderful sight, that series of duels, on whichboth armies looked with the greatest interest, drawing auguries fromthem of the future success. The morning sun shone upon the combatants,and the air was so transparent that even the faces might be seen fromboth sides. Any one looking from a distance would have thought that itwas a tournament or games. But at one moment a riderless horse wouldspring from the tumult; at another, a body would tumble from the daminto the clear mirror of the water, which splashed up in golden sparksand then moved forward in a circling wavelet farther and farther fromshore.
The courage of the soldiers in both armies grew as they beheld thebravery of their own men and their eagerness for the fight. Each sentgood wishes to its own. Suddenly Skshetuski clasped his hands andcried,--
"Vershul is lost; he fell with his horse. Look! he was sitting on thewhite one."
But Vershul was not lost, though he had indeed fallen with his horse;for they had both been thrown by Pulyan, a former Cossack of PrinceYeremi, then next in command to Krivonos. He was a famous skirmisher,and had never left off that game. He was so strong that he could easilybreak two horseshoes at once. He had the reputation of being invinciblein single combat. When he had thrown Vershul he attacked a gallantofficer, Koroshlyakhtsits, and cut him terribly,--almost to the saddle.Others drew back in fear. Seeing this, Pan Longin turned his Livonianmare against him.
"You are lost!" cried Pulyan, when he saw the foolhardy man.
"It can't be helped," answered Podbipienta, raising his sabre for theblow.
He had not, however, his Zervikaptur, that being reserved for ends tooimportant to permit its use in desultory combat. He had left it in thehands of his faithful armor-bearer in the ranks, and had merely a lightblade of blue steel engraved with gold. Pulyan endured its first blow,though he saw in a moment that he had to do with no common enemy, forhis sword quivered to the palm of his hand. He endured the second andthe third blow; then, either he recognized the greater skill of hisopponent in fencing, or perhaps he wished to exhibit his tremendousstrength in view of both armies, or, pushed to the edge of the dam, hefeared to be thrown into the water by Pan Longings enormous beast. Itis enough that after he had received the last blow he brought thehorses side by side, and seized the Lithuanian by the waist in hispowerful arms.
They grasped each other like two bears when they are fighting for afemale. They wound themselves around each other like two pines which,having grown from a single stump, intertwine till they form but onetree. All held breath and gazed in silence on the struggle of thecombatants, each one of whom was considered the strongest among hisown. You would have said that both had become one body, for theyremained a long time motionless. But their faces grew red; and onlyfrom the veins which swelled on their foreheads, and from their backsbent like bows, could you suspect under that terrible quiet thesuperhuman tension of the arms which crushed them.
At length both began to quiver; but by degrees the face of Pan Longingrew redder and redder and the face of the Cossack bluer and bluer.Still a moment passed. The disquiet of the spectators increased.
Suddenly the silence was broken by a hollow, smothered voice: "Let mego--"
"No, my darling!" Something gave a sudden and terrible rattle, a groanwas heard as if from under the ground, a wave of black blood burst fromPulyan's mouth, and his head dropped on his shoulder.
Pan Longin lifted the Cossack from his seat, and before the spectatorshad time to think what had happened, threw him on his own saddle andstarted on a trot toward Skshetuski's regiment.
"Vivat!" cried the Vishnyevetski men.
"Destruction!" answered the Zaporojians.
Instead of being confused by the defeat of their leader, they attackedthe enemy the more stubbornly. A crowded struggle followed, which thenarrowness of the place made the more venomous; and the Cossacks inspite of their bravery would certainly have yielded to the greaterskill of their opponents, had it not been that suddenly the trumpetsfrom the camp of Krivonos sounded a retreat.
They withdrew at once; and their opponents, after they had stoppedawhile to show that they had kept the field, withdrew also. The dam wasdeserted; there remained on it only bodies of men and horses, as if intestimony of that which would be,--and that road of death lay blackbetween the two armies,--but a light breath of wind wrinkled the smoothsurface of the water and sounded plaintively through the leaves of thewillows standing here and there above the banks of the pond.
Meanwhile the regiments of Krivonos moved like countless flocks ofstarlings and plover. The mob went in advance, then the regularZaporojian infantry, companies of cavalry, Tartar volunteers, andCossack artillery, and all without much order. They hurried before theothers, wishing to force the dam by countless numbers, and theninundate and cover the army of the prince. The savage Krivonos believedin the fist and the sabre, not in military art. Therefore he urged hiswhole power to the attack, and ordered the regiments marching frombehind to push on those in front, so that they must go even if againsttheir will. Cannon-balls began to plunge into the water like wild swansand divers, causing no damage however to the prince's troops, by reasonof the distance. The torrent of people covered the dam and advancedwithout hindrance. A part of that wave on reaching the river sought apassage, and not finding it turned back to the embankment, and marchedin such a dense throng that, as Osinski said afterward, one might haveridden on horseback over their heads, and so covered the embankmentthat not a span of free earth remained.
Yeremi looked on this from the high shore, his brows wrinkled, andfrom his eyes flashed malicious lightning toward those crowds. Seeingthe disorder and rush of the regiments of Krivonos, he said toMakhnitski,--
"The enemy beg
in with us in peasant fashion, and disregarding militaryart, come on like beaters at a hunt, but they will not reach thisplace."
Meanwhile, as if challenging his words, the Cossacks had come to themiddle of the embankment. There they paused, astonished and disquietedby the silence of the prince's forces. But just at that moment therewas a movement among these forces, and they retreated, leaving betweenthemselves and the embankment a broad half-circle, which was to be thefield of battle.
Then the infantry of Koritski opened, disclosing the throats ofVurtsel's cannon, turned toward the embankment, and in the cornerformed by the slough and the embankment shone among the thickets alongthe bank the muskets of Osinski's Germans.
It was clear in a moment to military men on whose side the victory mustbe. Only a mad leader like Krivonos could rush to battle on conditionsaccording to which he could not even pass the river in caseVishnyevetski wished to prevent him.
But the prince permitted part of his enemy's army to cross theembankment so as to surround and destroy it. The great leader tookadvantage of the blunders of his opponents, who did not even considerthat it was impossible to reinforce his men on the other bank, exceptthrough a narrow passage over which no considerable number of men couldbe sent at one time; practised soldiers therefore looked with wonder atthe action of Krivonos, who was not forced by anything to such a madundertaking.
He was forced by ambition alone and a thirst for blood. He had learnedthat Hmelnitski, in spite of the preponderance of power under Krivonos,fearing the result of a battle with Yeremi, was marching with all hisforces to his aid. Orders came not to deliver battle; but for that veryreason Krivonos determined to deliver it.
Having taken Polonnoe, he got the taste of blood, and did not like todivide it with any one; therefore he hastened. He would lose half ofhis men,--well, what of that! With the rest he would overwhelm theslender forces of the prince and cut them to pieces. He would bring thehead of Vishnyevetski as a present to Hmelnitski.
The billows of the mob had reached the end of the embankment, passedit, and spread over the half-circle abandoned by Yeremi's army. But atthis moment the concealed infantry of Osinski opened upon them in theflank, and from the cannon of Vurtsel there bloomed out long wreaths ofsmoke, the earth trembled from the roar, and the battle began along thewhole line.
Clouds of smoke concealed the shores of the Sula, the pond, theembankment, and even the field itself, so that all was hidden, save attimes the scarlet, glittering uniforms of the dragoons, and the crestsgleaming over the flying helmets, as everything seethed in thatterrible cloud. The bells of the town were ringing, and mingled theirsad groans with the deep bellowing of the guns. From the Cossack campregiment after regiment rolled on to the embankment.
Those who crossed and reached the other side of the river extended inthe twinkle of an eye into a long line and rushed with rage on theprince's regiments. The battle extended from one end of the pond to thebend in the river and the swampy meadows, which were flooded that rainysummer.
The mob and the men of the lower country had to conquer or perish,having behind them water, toward which they were pushed by the infantryand cavalry of the prince.
When the hussars moved forward, Zagloba, though he had short breath anddid not like a throng, galloped with the others, because in fact hecould not do otherwise without danger of being trampled to death. Heflew on therefore, closing his eyes, and through his head there flewwith lightning speed the thought, "Stratagem is nothing, stratagem isnothing; the stupid win, the wise perish!" Then he was seized withspite against the war, against the Cossacks, the hussars, and every oneelse in the world. He began to curse, to pray. The wind whistled in hisears, the breath was hemmed in his breast. Suddenly his horse struckagainst something; he felt resistance. Then he opened his eyes, andwhat did he see? Scythes, sabres, flails, a crowd of inflamed faces,eyes, mustaches,--and all indefinite, unknown, all trembling,galloping, furious. Then he was transported with rage against thoseenemies, because they are not going to the devil, because they arerushing up to his face and forcing him to fight. "You wanted it, nowyou have it," thought he, and he began to slash blindly on every side.Sometimes he cut the air, and sometimes he felt that his blade had sunkinto something soft. At the same time he felt that he was still living,and this gave him extraordinary hope. "Slay! kill!" he roared like abuffalo. At last those frenzied faces vanished from his eyes, and intheir places he saw a multitude of visages, tops of caps, and theshouts almost split his ears. "Are they fleeing?" shot through hishead. "Yes!" Then daring sprang up in him beyond measure. "Scoundrels!"he shouted, "is that the way you meet a noble?" He sprang among thefleeing enemy, passed many, and entangled in the crowd began to laborwith greater presence of mind now.
Meanwhile his comrades pressed the Cossacks to the bank of the Sula,covered pretty thickly with trees, and drove them along the shore tothe embankment, taking no prisoners, for there was no time.
Suddenly Zagloba felt that his horse began to spread out under him; atthe same time something heavy fell on him and covered his whole head,so that he was completely enveloped in darkness.
"Oh, save me!" he cried, beating the horse with his heels.
The steed, however, apparently wearied with the weight of the rider,only groaned and stood in one place.
Zagloba heard the screams and shouts of the horsemen rushing aroundhim; then that whole hurricane swept by and all was in apparent quiet.
Again thoughts began to rush through his head with the swiftness ofTartar arrows: "What is this? What has happened? Jesus and Mary, I amin captivity!"
On his forehead drops of cold sweat came out. Evidently his head wasbound just as he had once bound Bogun. That weight which he feels onhis shoulder is the hand of a Cossack. But why don't they hang him orkill him? Why is he standing in one place?
"Let me go, you scoundrel!" cried he at last, with a muffled voice.
Silence.
"Let me go! I'll spare your life. Let me go, I say!"
No answer.
Zagloba struck into the sides of his horse again with his heels, butagain without result; the prodded beast only stretched out wider andremained in the same place.
Finally rage seized the unfortunate captive, and drawing a knife fromthe sheath that hung at his belt, he gave a terrible stab behind. Butthe knife only cut the air.
Then Zagloba pulled with both hands at the covering which bound hishead, and tore it in a moment. What is this?
No Cossack. Deserted all around. Only in the distance was to be seen inthe smoke the red dragoons of Volodyovski flying past, and farther onthe glittering armor of the hussars pursuing the remnant of thedefeated, who were retreating from the field toward the water. AtZagloba's feet lay a Cossack regimental banner. Evidently the fleeingCossack had dropped it so that the staff hit Zagloba's shoulder, andthe cloth covered his head.
Seeing all this, and understanding it perfectly, that hero regained hispresence of mind completely.
"Oh, ho!" said he, "I have captured a banner. How is this? Didn't Icapture it? If justice is not defeated in this battle, then I am sureof a reward. Oh, you scoundrels! it is your luck that my horse gaveout! I did not know myself when I thought I was greater in strategythan in bravery. I can be of some higher use in the army than eatingcakes. Oh, God save us! some other crowd is rushing on. Don't comehere, dog-brothers; don't come this way! May the wolves eat this horse!Kill! slay!"
Indeed, a new band of Cossacks were rushing toward Zagloba, raisingunearthly voices, closely pursued by the armored men of Polyanovski.And perhaps Zagloba would have found his death under the hoofs of theirhorses, had it not been that the hussars of Skshetuski, having finishedthose whom they had been pursuing, turned to take between two firesthose onrushing parties. Seeing this, the Zaporojians ran toward thewater, only to find death in the swamps and deep places after escapingthe sword. Those who fell on their knees begging for quarter died underthe steel. The defeat was terrible and complete, but most terrible onthe embankment. All who pass
ed that, were swept away in the half-circleleft by the forces of the prince. Those who did not pass, fell underthe continual fire of Vurtsel's cannon and the guns of the Germaninfantry. They could neither go forward nor backward; for Krivonosurged on still new regiments, which, pushing forward, closed the onlyroad to escape. It seemed as though Krivonos had sworn to destroy hisown men, who stifled, trampled, and fought one another, fell, spranginto the water on both sides, and were drowned. On one side were blackmasses of fugitives, and on the other masses advancing; in the middle,piles and mountains and rows of dead bodies; groans, screams, mendeprived of speech; the madness of terror, disorder, chaos. The wholepond was full of men and horses; the water overflowed the banks.
At times the artillery was silent. Then the embankment, like the mouthof a cannon, threw forth crowds of Zaporojians and the mob, who rushedover the half-circle and went under the swords of the cavalry waitingfor them. Then Vurtsel began to play again with his rain of iron andlead; the Cossack reinforcement barred the embankment. Whole hours werespent in these bloody struggles.
Krivonos, furious, foaming at the mouth, did not give up the battleyet, and hurried thousands of men to the jaws of death.
Yeremi, on the other side, in silver armor, sat on his horse, on alofty mound called at that time the Kruja Mogila, and looked on. Hisface was calm; his eye took in the whole embankment, pond, banks of theSluch, and extended to the place in which the enormous tabor ofKrivonos stood wrapped in the bluish haze of the distance. The eyes ofthe prince never left that collection of wagons. At last he turned tothe massive voevoda of Kieff, and said,--
"We shall not capture the tabor to-day."
"How? You wished to--"
"Time is flying quickly. It is too late. See! it is almost evening."
In fact, from the time the skirmishers went out, the battle, kept up bythe stubbornness of Krivonos, had lasted already so long that the sunhad but an hour left of its whole daily half-circle, and inclined toits setting. The light, lofty, small clouds, announcing fair weatherand scattered over the sky like white-fleeced lambs, began to grow redand disappear in groups from the field of heaven. The flow of Cossacksto the embankment stopped gradually, and those regiments that hadalready come upon it retreated in dismay and disorder.
The battle was ended, and ended because the enraged crowd fell uponKrivonos at last, shouting with despair and madness,--
"Traitor! you are destroying us. You bloody dog! We will bind youourselves, and give you up to Yeremi, and thus secure our lives. Deathto you, not to us!"
"To-morrow I will give you the prince and all his army, or perishmyself," answered Krivonos.
But the hoped for to-morrow had yet to come, and the present to-day wasa day of defeat and disorder. Several thousand of the best warriors ofthe lower country, not counting the mob, lay on the field of battle, orwere drowned in the pond and river. Nearly two thousand were takenprisoners; fourteen colonels were killed, not counting sotniks,essauls, and other elders. Pulyan, next in command to Krivonos, hadfallen into the hands of the enemy alive, but with broken ribs.
"To-morrow we will cut them all up," said Krivonos. "I will neither eatnor drink till it is done."
In the opposite camp the captured banners were thrown down at the feetof the terrible prince. Each of the captors brought his own, so thatthey formed a considerable crowd,--altogether forty. When Zaglobapassed by, he threw his down with such force that the staff split.Seeing this, the prince detained him, and asked,--
"And you captured that banner with your own hands?"
"At your service, your Highness."
"I see that you are not only a Ulysses, but an Achilles."
"I am a simple soldier, but I serve under Alexander of Macedon."
"Since you receive no wages, the treasurer will pay you, in addition towhat you have had, two hundred ducats for this honorable exploit."
Zagloba seized the prince by the knees, and said, "Your favor isgreater than my bravery, which would gladly hide itself behind its ownmodesty."
A scarcely visible smile wandered over the dark face of Skshetuski; butthe knight was silent, and even later on he never said anything to theprince, or any one else, of the fears of Zagloba before the battle; butZagloba himself walked away with such threatening mien that, seeinghim, the soldiers of the other regiments pointed at him, saying,--
"He is the man who did most to-day."
Night came. On both sides of the river and the pond thousands of fireswere burning, and smoke rose to the sky in columns. The weariedsoldiers strengthened themselves with food and gorailka, or gavethemselves courage for tomorrow's battle by relating the exploits ofthe present day. But loudest of all spoke Zagloba, boasting of what hehad done, and what he could have done if his horse had not failed.
"I can tell you," said he, turning to the officers of the prince, andthe nobles of Tishkyevich's command, "that great battles are no noveltyfor me. I was in many of them in Moldavia and Turkey; but when I was onthe field I was afraid--not of the enemy, for who is afraid of suchtrash!--but of my own impulsiveness, for I thought immediately that itwould carry me too far."
"And did it?"
"It did. Ask Skshetuski. The moment I saw Vershul falling with hishorse, I wanted to gallop to his aid without asking a question. Mycomrades could scarcely hold me back."
"True," said Skshetuski, "we had to hold you in."
"But," interrupted Karvich, "where is Vershul?"
"He has already gone on a scouting expedition, he knows no rest."
"See then, gentlemen," said Zagloba, displeased at the interruption,"how I captured the banner."
"Then Vershul is not wounded?" inquired Karvich again.
"This is not the first one that I have captured in my life, but nonecost me such trouble."
"He is not wounded, only bruised," answered Azulevich, a Tartar, "andhas gulped water, for he fell head first into the pond."
"Then I wonder the fish didn't die," said Zagloba, with anger, "for thewater must have boiled from such a flaming head."
"But he is a great warrior."
"Not so great, since a half John[13] was enough for him. Tfu! it isimpossible to talk with you. You might learn from me how to capturebanners from the enemy."
Further conversation was interrupted by the youthful Pan Aksak, whoapproached the fire at that moment.
"I bring you news, gentlemen," said he, with a clear half-childishvoice.
"The nurse hasn't washed his bib, the cat has drunk his milk, and hiscup is broken," muttered Zagloba.
But Pan Aksak paid no attention to this fling at his youth, and said:"They are burning Pulyan."
"The dogs will have toast," said Zagloba.
"And he is making a confession. The negotiations are broken. Kisel isnearly wild. Hmel[14] (hops) is coming with all his forces to helpKrivonos."
"Hops? What hops? Who is making anything of hops? If hops are on theroad, there will be beer then. We don't care for hops," said Zagloba,looking at the same time with fierce, haughty eyes at those around.
"Hmel is coming; but Krivonos didn't wait, therefore he lost--"
"Yes, he played and lost."
"Six thousand Cossacks are already in Makhnovka. Two thousand Bogun isleading."
"Who? who?" asked Zagloba instantly, in a changed voice.
"Bogun."
"Impossible!"
"That is the confession of Pulyan."
"Ah, here is a cake for you, grandmother!" cried Zagloba, piteously."Can they get here soon?"
"In three days. But on the way to battle they will not hurry too much,so as not to tire their horses."
"But I will hurry!" muttered Zagloba. "Oh, angels of God, save mefrom that ruffian! I would gladly give my captured banner if thatwater-burner would only break his neck on the way to this place. I hopetoo that we shall not wait here long. We have shown Krivonos what wecan do, and now it is time to rest. I hate that Bogun so much that Icannot call to mind his devilish name without abomination. I did make achoice
! I couldn't stay in Bar? Bad luck brought me here."
"Don't worry yourself," whispered Skshetuski, "for it is a shame!Between you and me nothing threatens you here."
"Nothing threatens me? You don't know him! Why, he might creep up to usnow among the fires here." Zagloba looked around disquieted. "And he isas enraged at you as at me."
"God grant me to meet him!" said Pan Yan.
"If that is a favor, then I have no wish to receive it. In my characterof Christian I forgive him all his offences willingly, but on conditionthat he be hanged two days before. I am not alarmed, but you have noidea what surpassing disgust seizes me. I like to know with whom I haveto deal,--if with a noble, then a noble; if with a peasant, then apeasant,--but he is a sort of incarnate devil, with whom you don't knowwhat course to take. I ventured many a thing with him; but such eyes ashe made when I bound his head, I cannot describe to you,--to the hourof my death I shall remember them. I don't wish to rouse the devilwhile he sleeps. Once is enough for a trick. I will say to you alsothat you are ungrateful, have no thought of that unhappy woman."
"How so?"
"Because," said Zagloba, drawing the knight away from the fire, "youstay here and gratify your military caprice and fancy by fighting dayafter day, while she is drowning herself in tears, waiting in vain foran answer. Another man with real love in his heart and pity for hergrief wouldn't do this, but would have sent me off long ago."
"Do you think then of returning to Bar?"
"Even to-day, for I have pity on her."
Pan Yan raised his eyes yearningly to the stars and said,--
"Do not speak to me of insincerity, for God is my witness that I neverraise a bit of bread to my mouth or take a moment of sleep withoutthinking of her first, and nothing can be stronger in my heart than thethought of her. I have not sent you with an answer hitherto because Iwished to go myself to be with her at once. And there are no wings inthe world and no speed which I would not use could they serve me ingoing to her."
"Then why don't you fly?"
"Because I cannot before battle. I am a soldier and a noble, thereforeI must think of honor."
"But to-day we are after the battle; therefore we can start, even thisminute."
Pan Yan sighed.
"To-morrow we attack Krivonos."
"I don't understand your ways. You beat young Krivonos; old Krivonoscame, and you beat old Krivonos. Now what's-his-name (not to mentionhim in an evil hour), Bogun, will come, you will beat him. Hmelnitskiwill come. Oh, what the devil! And as it will go on this way it wouldbe better for you to enter into partnership with Podbipienta at once,then there would be a fool with continence plus his mightinessSkshetuski, total two fools and one continence. Let's have peace, for,as God lives, I will be the first to persuade the princess to put hornson you; and at Bar lives Andrei Pototski, and when he looks at her fireflashes out of his eyes. Tfu! if this should be said by some youngfellow who had not seen a battle and wanted to make a reputation, thenI could understand; but not you, who have drunk blood like a wolf,and at Makhnovka, I am told, killed a kind of infernal dragon of aman-eater. I swear, by that moon in heaven, that you are up tosomething here, or that you have got such a taste of blood that youlike it better than your bride."
Skshetuski looked involuntarily at the moon, which was sailing in thehigh starry heavens like a ship above the camp.
"You are mistaken," said he, after a while. "I do not want blood, noram I working for reputation, but it would not be proper to leave mycomrades in a difficult struggle in which the whole regiment mustengage, _nemine excepto_. In this is involved knightly honor, a sacredthing. As to the war it will undoubtedly drag on, for the rabble hasgrown too great; but if Hmelnitski comes to the aid of Krivonos, therewill be an intermission. To-morrow Krivonos will either fight or hewill not. If he does, with God's aid he will receive dire punishment,and we must go to a quiet place to draw breath. During these two monthswe neither sleep nor eat, we only fight and fight; day and night wehave nothing over our heads, exposed to all the attacks of theelements. The prince is a great leader, but prudent. He does not rushon Hmelnitski with a few thousand men against legions. I know also thathe will go to Zbaraj, recruit there, get new soldiers,--nobles from thewhole Commonwealth will hurry to him,--and then we shall move to ageneral campaign. To-morrow will be the last day of work, and afterto-morrow I shall be able to accompany you to Bar with a clean heart.And I will add, to pacify you, that Bogun can in no wise come hereto-morrow and take part in the battle; and even if he should I hopethat his peasant star will pale, not only before that of the prince,but before my own."
"He is an incarnate Beelzebub. I have told you that I dislike a throng;but he is worse than a throng, though I repeat it is not so much fromfear as from an unconquerable aversion I have for the man. But no moreof this. Tomorrow comes the tanning of the peasants' backs, and then toBar. Oh, those beautiful eyes will laugh at the sight of you, and thatface will blush! I tell you, even I feel lonely without her, for I loveher as a father. And no wonder. I have no legitimate children; myfortune is far away, for it is in Turkey, where my scoundrelly agentssteal it all; and I live as an orphan in the world, and in my old age Ishall have to go and live with Podbipienta at Myshekishki."
"Oh, no; don't let your head ache over that! You have done somethingfor us; we cannot be too thankful to you."
Further conversation was interrupted by some officer who passing alonginquired: "Who stands there?"
"Vershul!" exclaimed Skshetuski, recognizing him by his voice. "Are youfrom the scouting-party?"
"Yes; and now from the prince."
"What news?"
"Battle to-morrow. The enemy are widening the embankment, buildingbridges over the Stira and Sluch, and on the morrow wish to come to uswithout fail."
"What did the prince say to that?"
"The prince said: 'All right!'"
"Nothing more?"
"Nothing. He gave no order to hinder them, and axes are chopping; theywill work till morning."
"Did you get informants?"
"I captured seven. All confessed that they have heard ofHmelnitski,--that he is coming, but probably far away yet. What anight!"
"Yes, you can see as in the day. And how do you feel after the fall?"
"My bones are sore. I am going to thank our Hercules and then sleep,for I am tired. If I could doze a couple of hours--good-night!"
"Good-night!"
"Go you to sleep also," said Skshetuski to Zagloba; "for it is late,and there will be work to-morrow."
"And the next day a journey," said Zagloba.
They turned, said their prayers, and then lay down near the fire.
Soon the fires began to go out one after another. Silence embraced thecamp; but the moon cast on the men silver rays, with which it illuminedevery little while new groups of sleepers. The silence was broken onlyby the universal, mighty snoring, and the call of the sentinelswatching the camp.
But sleep did not close the heavy lids of the soldiers long. Scarcelyhad the first dawn whitened the shadows of night when the trumpets inevery corner of the camp thundered the _reveille_.
An hour later the prince, to the great astonishment of the knights,drew back along the whole line.
Ogniem i mieczem. English Page 33
