CHAPTER XLIII.
A week later, on the morning of the 6th of October, news as unexpectedas terrible burst upon Lvoff. Prince Yeremi, with the greater part ofthe army, had left the city secretly and had gone it was unknownwhither.
Crowds gathered before the archbishop's palace; they would not believethe report at first. The soldiers insisted that if the prince had gone,he had gone without doubt at the head of a powerful division on areconnoissance of the surrounding country. It appeared, they said, thatlying spies had spread reports announcing Hmelnitski and the Tartars atany moment; for since September 26 ten days had passed, and the enemywas not yet in sight. The prince wished undoubtedly to convince himselfof the danger by actual inspection, and after obtaining intelligencewould return without fail. Besides, he had left a number of regiments,and everything was ready for defence.
The last was true. Every disposition had been made, the places markedout, the cannon planted on the walls. In the evening Captain Tsikhotskiarrived at the head of fifty dragoons. He was surrounded immediately bythe curious, but would not speak with the crowd, and went directly toGeneral Artsishevski. Both called the grozwayer, and after consultationthey went to the city hall. There Tsikhotski informed the astonishedcouncillors that the prince had gone, not to return.
At the first moment the hands of all dropped at their sides, and someinsolent lips uttered the word, "Traitor!" But that momentArtsishevski, an old leader famed for achievements in the Dutchservice, rose and began to speak as follows to the military and thecouncillors:--
"I have heard the injurious word, which I wish no one had spoken, foreven despair cannot justify it. The prince has gone and will notreturn. But what right have you to force a leader on whose shouldersthe salvation of a whole country rests to defend your city only? Whatwould have happened if the enemy had surrounded in this place theremaining forces of the Commonwealth? There are neither supplies offood nor of arms for so many troops here. I tell you this,--and you maytrust in my experience,--that the greater the force shut up here, theshorter the defence would be; for hunger would overpower you soonerthan the enemy. Hmelnitski cares more for the person of the prince thanfor your city; therefore, when he discovers that Vishnyevetski is nothere, that he is collecting new troops and may come with relief, hewill let you off more easily, and agree to terms. You are murmuringtoday; but I tell you that the prince, by leaving this city andthreatening Hmelnitski from outside, has saved you and your children.Bear up, and defend yourselves! If you can detain the enemy some time,you may save your city, and you will render a memorable service to theCommonwealth; for during that time the prince will collect forces, armother fortresses, rouse the torpid Commonwealth, and hasten to yourrescue. He has chosen the only road of salvation; for if he had fallenhere, with his army overcome by hunger, then nothing could stop theenemy, who might march on Cracow, on Warsaw, and flood the wholecountry, finding resistance in no place. Therefore, instead ofmurmuring, hurry to the walls, defend yourselves and your children,your city and the whole Commonwealth!"
"To the walls! to the walls!" repeated many of the more daring.
The grozwayer, an energetic and bold man, answered: "Your determinationpleases me; and you know that the prince did not go away withoutplanning defence. Every one here knows what he has to do, and that hashappened which should have happened. I have the defence in hand, and Iwill defend to the last."
Hope returned again to timid hearts. Seeing this, Tsikhotski said inconclusion,--
"His Highness informs you also that the enemy is at hand. LieutenantSkshetuski struck on a party of two thousand Tartars whom he defeated.The prisoners say that a great power is marching behind them."
This news made a deep impression. A moment of silence followed; allhearts beat more quickly.
"To the walls!" said the grozwayer.
"To the walls! to the walls!" repeated the officers and citizenspresent.
Meanwhile a tumult was raised outside the windows; the uproar of athousand voices, which mingled in one undistinguishable roar like thesound of the waves of the sea. Suddenly the doors of the hall werethrown open with a crash, and a number of citizens burst into the room;and before the councillors had time to inquire what had happened,shouts were raised: "Flames in the sky! flames in the sky!"
"The word has become flesh," said the grozwayer. "To the walls!"
The hall was deserted. Soon the thunder of cannon shook the walls,announcing to the inhabitants of the city, the suburbs and villagesbeyond, that the enemy was coming. In the east the heavens were red asfar as the eye could see. One would have said that a sea of fire wasapproaching the city.
The prince meanwhile had thrown himself on Zamost, and having dispersedon the road the party which Tsikhotski had mentioned to the citizens,occupied himself with repairing and arming that fortress, naturallystrong, which he made impregnable in a short time. Skshetuski, with PanLongin and a part of the squadron, remained in the fortress with PanWeyher, the starosta of Volets. The prince went to Warsaw to obtainfrom the Diet means to assemble new forces, and also to take part inthe election which was near. The fortunes of Vishnyevetski and thewhole Commonwealth hung upon that election; for if Prince Karl werechosen the war party would win, and the prince would receive chiefcommand of all the forces of the Commonwealth, and it would perforcecome to a general struggle for life and death with Hmelnitski. PrinceKazimir, though famous for his bravery and altogether a military man,was justly considered an adherent of the policy of Ossolinski, thechancellor, therefore of the policy of negotiations with the Cossacks,and considerable concessions to them. Neither brother was sparing ofpromises, and each struggled to gain partisans for himself; consideringtherefore the equal power of both parties, no one could foresee theresult of the election. The partisans of the chancellor feared thatVishnyevetski, thanks to his increasing fame and the favor which hepossessed among the knighthood and the nobles, would carry the balanceof minds to the side of Prince Karl; Yeremi, for these reasons, desiredto support his candidate in person. Therefore he hastened to Warsaw,sure that Zamost would be able to hold in check for a long time thewhole power of Hmelnitski and the Crimea. Lvoff, according to everyprobability, might be considered safe; for Hmelnitski could in no wisespend much time in capturing that city, since he had before him themore powerful Zamost, which barred his way to the heart of theCommonwealth.
These thoughts strengthened the resolution of the prince, and pouredconsolation into his heart, torn by so many terrible defeats of thecountry. Hope possessed him that even if Kazimir were elected, warwould be unavoidable, and the terrible rebellion would have to bedrowned in a sea of blood. He hoped that the Commonwealth would againput forth a powerful army, for negotiations were only possible in sofar as a powerful army sustained them.
Flattered by these thoughts, the prince went under the protection of afew squadrons, having with him Zagloba and Pan Volodyovski, the firstof whom swore by everything that he would carry the election of PrinceKarl, for he knew how to talk to the brother nobles and how to managethem; the second commanded the escort of the prince.
At Sennitsa, not far from Minsk, a delightful though unexpectedinterview awaited the prince; for he met Princess Griselda, who wasgoing from Brest-Litovsk to Warsaw for safety, with the reasonable hopethat the prince would go there too. They greeted each other withemotion after a long separation. The princess, though she had an ironsoul, rushed with such weeping into the embrace of her husband that shecould not compose herself for several hours; for, oh! how many were themoments in which she had no hope of seeing him again, and still Godgranted him to return more famous than ever, covered with praise, suchas had never yet beamed upon one of his house, the greatest of leaders,the one hope of the Commonwealth. The princess, tearing herself timeafter time from his breast, glanced through her tears at that faceemaciated and embrowned, at that lofty forehead on which cares andtoils had ploughed deep furrows, at those eyes inflamed with sleeplessnights; and again she shed plentiful tears,
and all her ladies wept toofrom the depths of their excited hearts.
When after a time she and the prince had become calm, they went to thehouse of the priest, and there inquiries were made for friends,attendants, and knights, who as it were belonged to the family, andwith whom the memory of Lubni was bound up. The prince quieted theprincess concerning Skshetuski, first of all explaining that he hadremained in Zamost only because he did not wish to lose himself in thenoise of the capital on account of the suffering which God had senthim, and preferred to heal the wounds of his heart in military service.Then he presented Zagloba and told of his deeds. "Vir incomparabilis,"said he, "who not only saved Kurtsevichovna from Bogun, but took herthrough the camps of Hmelnitski and the Tartars; later he was with usto his great glory, and fought admirably at Konstantinoff." Hearingthis, the princess did not spare praise on Zagloba, giving him her handto kiss repeatedly, and promising a still better reward at a propertime; and the "vir incomparabilis" bowed, veiling his heroism with hismodesty. Then, he strutted and looked at the ladies in waiting; forthough he was old and did not promise himself much from the fair sex,still it was pleasant to him that the ladies had heard so much of hisbravery and his deeds. But mourning was not absent from this otherwiseglad greeting; for mentioning the grievous times of the Commonwealth,how often did the prince reply to the questions of the princess aboutvarious knights: "Killed, killed, lost." Then young women weresaddened, for more than one name was mentioned among the dead that wasdear.
So gladness was mingled with grief, tears with smiles. But the mostafflicted of all was Volodyovski; for in vain did he look around andcast his eyes on every side,--Princess Barbara was not there. It istrue that amid the toils of war and continual battles, skirmishes, andcampaigns, that cavalier had forgotten her somewhat, for he was bynature as prone to love as he was inconstant; but now, when he saw theyoung ladies of the princess once more, when before his eyes the lifeat Lubni stood as if actual, he thought to himself that it would bepleasant for him too if the moment of rest should come to sigh andoccupy his heart again. Since this did not happen, however, butsentiment, as if through malice, sprang up in him anew, Volodyovskisuffered grievously, and looked as if he had been drenched in a pouringrain. He hung his head upon his breast; his slender mustaches, whichusually curled upward like those of a May-bug till they reached hisnose, were hanging too; his upturned nose had grown long; the usualserenity had vanished from his face, and he stood silent, did not evenmove when the prince gave unusual praise to his bravery andsuperiority,--for what mattered all praises to him when she could nothear them?
Finally Anusia Borzobogata took pity on him, and though they had hadquarrels, she determined to comfort him. With this object, keeping hereyes on the princess, she pushed unobserved toward the knight, and atlast was by his side.
"Good-day," said she; "we have not seen each other for a long time."
"Oh, Panna Anna," answered Pan Michael, in sadness, "much water hasflowed past since then. We meet again in unpleasant times, and not allof us."
"True, not all! So many knights have fallen." Here Anusia sighed; thencontinued, after a time: "And we are not the same in number; for PannaSenyntovna has married, and Princess Barbara has remained with the wifeof the voevoda of Vilna."
"And she is going to marry, of course."
"No, she is not thinking much of that. But why do you ask?"
Having said this, Anusia closed her dark eyes till two thin lines wereleft, and looked sideways from under her lashes at the knight.
"Oh, through good-will for the family," answered Pan Michael.
"Oh, that is proper," answered Anusia, "for Pan Michael has a greatfriend in Princess Barbara. More than once she inquired; 'Where is thatknight who in the tournament at Lubni took off most Turkish heads, forwhich I gave him a reward? What is he doing? Is he still alive, anddoes he remember us?'"
Pan Michael raised his eyes in thankfulness to Anusia; first he wascomforted, and then he observed that Anusia had improved beyondmeasure.
"Did Princess Barbara really say that?"
"As true as life; and she remembered, too, how you were riding over theditch for her when you fell into the water."
"And where is the wife of the voevoda of Vilna now?"
"She was with us in Brest, and a week ago went to Belsk; from there shewill go to Warsaw."
Pan Volodyovski looked at Anusia a second time, and could not restrainhimself: "But Panna Anusia has attained such beauty that one's eyesache in looking at her."
The girl smiled thankfully. "Pan Michael only says this to capture me."
"I wanted to do so in my time," said he, shrugging his shoulders. "Godknows I tried to, but failed; and now I wish well to Pan Podbipienta,for he was more fortunate."
"And where is Pan Podbipienta?" inquired Anusia, dropping her eyes.
"In Zamost, with Skshetuski. He has become lieutenant in the squadron,and must attend to service; but if he knew whom he could see here, asGod is in heaven he would have taken leave and come with long steps. Heis a great knight, and deserving of every love."
"And in war--he met no accident?"
"It seems to me that you wish to ask, not about that, but about thethree heads that he wanted to cut off."
"I do not believe that he really wanted to do that."
"But you would better, for without that there will be nothing. And heis not slow in looking for a chance, either. At Makhnovka, when we wentto examine the places where he had struggled in the throng of battle,the prince himself went with us; and I tell you I have seen many afight, but such execution I shall not see again while I live. When heputs on your scarf for battle, he does awful things. He will find histhree heads: be at rest on that point."
"May each find what he seeks!" said Anusia, with a sigh.
Then Volodyovski sighed, raised his eyes, and looked suddenly towardone corner of the room. From that corner peered a visage, angry,excited, and entirely unknown to him, armed with a gigantic nose, andmustaches great as two bushes on a tavern-sign, which moved quickly, asif from pent-up passion. One might be terrified at that nose, thoseeyes and mustaches; but little Volodyovski was by no means timid;therefore he only wondered, and turning to Anusia asked,--
"What sort of figure is that over there in the corner, which looks atme as if it wished to swallow me whole, and moves its mustaches justlike an old tom-cat at prayers?"
"What?" said Anusia, showing her white teeth; "that's Pan Kharlamp."
"What sort of Pagan is he?"
"He is no Pagan at all, but a light-horse captain in the squadron ofthe voevoda of Vilna, who is escorting us to Warsaw, and has to waitfor the voevoda there. Let Pan Michael not come in his way, for he is adreadful man-eater."
"I see that, I see that. But if he is a man-eater, there are othersfatter than I. Why should he whet his teeth at me instead of them?"
"Because--" said Anusia; and she laughed quietly.
"Because?"
"Because he is in love with me, and has told me that he will cut topieces every man who approaches me; and now, believe me, it is only outof regard for the prince and princess that he restrains himself. Wereit not for them, he would pick a quarrel with you at once."
"Here you've got it," said Volodyovski, merrily. "That's how it is,Panna Anna. It was not for nothing, I see, that we sang, 'Tartars carrycaptive prisoners, you seize captive hearts.' You remember, I suppose?You cannot move, you know, without making some one fall in love withyou."
"Such is my misfortune," answered Anusia, dropping her eyes.
"Ah, Panna Anna is a Pharisee; and what will Pan Longin say to this?"
"How am I to blame if this Pan Kharlamp pursues me? I can't endure him,and I don't want to look at him."
"But see to it that blood is not shed on your account. Podbipienta isso mild that you could heal a wound with him, but in love affairs it isdangerous to joke with him."
"If he cuts Kharlamp's ears off, I shall be glad."
When she had said this, Anusia whiz
zed off like a top, and tripped tothe other side of the room to Carboni, the physician of the princess,to whom she began to whisper something with animation, and thenconverse; but the Italian fastened his eyes on the ceiling, as ifcarried away by ecstasy.
Meanwhile Zagloba approached Volodyovski, and began in merry mood towink his one sound eye. "Pan Michael," he asked, "what sort of crestedlark is that?"
"That is Panna Anusia Borzobogata, lady-in-waiting to the princess. Ah,she is a pretty little rogue,--eyes like plates, a pug as if painted,and a neck--uf!"
"Oh, she'll pass, she'll pass! My congratulations to you!"
"Oh, give us peace! She is betrothed to Podbipienta, or the same asbetrothed."
"To Podbipienta! My dear sir, have fear of the Lord's wounds! Why, hehas made vows of celibacy. And besides, the disproportion between them!He could carry her at his collar; she might sit on his mustaches, likea fly."
"Ah! she will manage him yet. Hercules was stronger, but a womantrapped him."
"Yes, if she only doesn't give him horns; though I should be the firstto help that about, as I am Zagloba."
"There will be more than you of that sort, though in truth the girl isof good stock and honest. This is too bad, for she is young andpretty."
"You are an honorable cavalier, and that is why you praise her; but sheis a lark."
"Beauty attracts people. For example, that captain over there isdesperately in love with her."
"Pshaw! But look at that raven with whom she is talking now! What sortof devil is he?"
"That is an Italian,--Carboni, the physician of the princess."
"Look, Pan Michael, how his lanterns are lighted up, and his eyeballsroll as if in delirium. Oh, it is bad for Pan Longin! I know somethingof this business, for I had more than one experience in my youth.Another time I'll tell you of all the scrapes in which I have been, orif you wish you can listen this minute."
Zagloba began to whisper in the ear of the little knight, and to winkwith more vigor than usual. But the end of the visit came. The princeseated himself by the princess in the carriage, that they might talkall they wished after the long absence; the ladies occupied carriages,the knights mounted their horses, and all moved on. The court went inadvance, and the troops at some distance in the rear; for those partswere peaceable, and the squadrons were needed for ostentation alone,not safety. They went from Sennitsa to Minsk, and thence to Warsaw,stopping frequently for plentiful refreshments, according to the customof the time.
The road was so thronged that it was barely possible to move at a walk.All were going to the election, from near neighborhoods and fromdistant Lithuania; so that here and there were met lordly households,whole trains of gilded carriages, surrounded by haiduks, giganticTurkish grooms dressed in Turkish costumes; after which marchedhousehold troops,--now Hungarian, now German, now janissaries, nowCossack detachments, and finally squadrons of the matchless heavycavalry of the Poles. Each one of the more important personages triedto appear in the most showy manner and with the greatest retinues.Among the numerous cavalcades belonging to magnates, came also thesmaller local and district dignitaries. Every little while singlewagons of nobles appeared from out the dust, covered with black leatherand drawn by two or four horses, and in each sat a noble with acrucifix or an image of the Most Holy Lady hung on a silk ribbon aroundhis neck. All were armed,--a musket on one side of the seat, a sabre onthe other. Former or actual officers of squadrons also had lancessticking out two yards behind the seat. Under the wagons weredogs,--either setters or hounds,--not for use (for they were not goingto the chase), but for the amusement of the owner. Behind werestable-boys leading horses covered with cloth to protect rich saddlesfrom dust or rain. Farther on were drawn squeaking wagons withwillow-bound wheels, in which were tents and supplies of provisions forservants and masters. When at times the wind blew the dust from thehighway into the fields, the whole road was uncovered and changed likea hundred-colored serpent, or a ribbon artistically woven from gold andbrocade. Here and there on the road were heard orchestras of Italiansor janissaries, especially before the squadrons of royal or Lithuanianescort, of which there was no lack in this throng, for they had to goin the company of the dignitaries; and every place was full of shouts,calls, questions, disputes, since precedence was not yielded willinglyby one to another.
From time to time mounted servants and soldiers galloped up to theretinue of the prince, demanding the road for such or such a dignitary,or to ask who was travelling. But when the answer came to their ears,"The voevoda of Rus!" immediately they informed their masters, who leftthe road free, or if they were in advance, turned aside to see thepassing retinue. At places of refreshment the nobles gathered in crowdsto feast their eyes with a sight of the greatest warrior of theCommonwealth. Cheers also were not lacking, to which the princeanswered with thanks, first by reason of his innate politeness, andsecondly wishing with that affability to win adherents for Prince Karl,of which he gained not a few by his appearance alone.
With equal curiosity did they look on the squadrons of theprince,--"those Russians," as they were called. They were not sotattered and haggard as after the battle at Konstantinoff, for theprince had given them new uniforms at Zamost; but they were alwaysgazed at as wonders from beyond the sea, since in the opinion of thosedwelling in the neighborhood of the capital they came from the end ofthe earth. Marvels were related of those mysterious steppes andpine-groves in which such a knighthood was born. They wondered at theirsunburnt complexions, embrowned from the winds of the Black Sea; attheir haughtiness of look, and a certain freedom of bearing acquiredfrom their wild neighbors.
But after the prince, most eyes were turned on Zagloba, who, noticingthat he was the centre of admiration, looked with such haughtiness andpride, and turned his eyes so threateningly that it was whispered atonce in the crowd: "This must be the foremost knight of them all!" Andothers said: "He must have let a power of souls out of their bodies; heis as fierce as a dragon!" When words like these came to the ears ofZagloba, his only thought was to conceal his inward delight by stillgreater fierceness. Sometimes he answered the crowd, sometimes he jokedwith them, but especially with squadrons of the Lithuanian escort, inwhich the men of the heavy cavalry wore golden, and of the light,silver loops on their shoulders. At sight of this Zagloba would callout, "Pan Loop, there is a hook on you!" More than one officer frowned,gritted his teeth, and grasped his sabre; but remembering that that wasa warrior from the squadron of the voevoda of Rus who took suchliberty, he spat at last, and let the matter drop.
Nearer Warsaw the throng became so dense that it was only possible topush forward at a walk. The election promised to be more crowded thanusual; for nobles from remote Russian and Lithuanian districts, who byreason of the distance could not have come for the election itself,assembled now at Warsaw for safety. The day of election was stilldistant, for the first sessions of the Diet had barely begun; but theyhad assembled a month or two in advance, so as to locate themselves inthe city, renew acquaintance with this one and that, seek for promotionhere and there, eat and drink at the houses of great lords, and enjoyluxury in the harvest of the capital.
The prince looked with sadness through the windows of his carriage onthose crowds of knights, soldiers, and nobles, on that wealth andluxury of costume, thinking what forces could be formed of them, whatarmies could be put in the field. "Why is this Commonwealth, sopowerful, populous, and rich, filled with valiant knights, so weak thatit is not able to settle with one Hmelnitski and the Tartar savagery?Why is this? The legions of Hmelnitski could be answered with otherlegions if those nobles, those soldiers, that wealth and substance,those regiments and squadrons were willing to serve public as well asprivate interests. Virtue is perishing in the Commonwealth," thoughtthe prince, "and the great body is beginning to decay. Manhood has longsince begun to disappear in pleasant leisure; it is not warlike toilthat the army and the nobles love!" The prince was right so far; but ofthe shortcomings of the Commonwealth he thought only as a warrior and achie
ftain who wanted to turn all men into soldiers and lead themagainst the enemy. Bravery could be found, and was found, when wars ahundred times greater threatened soon after. It lacked still somethingmore, which the soldier-prince at that moment saw not, but which hisenemy, the chancellor of the Crown, an abler statesman than Yeremi, didsee.
But behold in the gray and azure distance appeared indistinctly thepointed towers of Warsaw. Further meditations of the prince ceased. Heissued orders, which the officer on duty bore immediately toVolodyovski. In consequence of these orders Pan Michael galloped fromthe carriage of Anusia, around which he had been hovering hitherto, tobring up the squadrons which had lagged considerably in the rear, tostrengthen the line and lead it on in order. He had ridden barely a fewpaces when he heard some one rushing after him. It was Pan Kharlamp,captain of the light cavalry of the voevoda of Vilna, Anusia'sworshipper.
Volodyovski held in his horse; for he understood at once that it wouldsurely come to some quarrel, and Pan Michael loved such things from hissoul. Kharlamp came up with him, and at first said nothing; he onlypuffed, and moved his mustaches threateningly, as if looking for words.
"With the forehead, with the forehead, Pan Dragoon!"
"With the forehead, Pan Escort!"
"How do you dare to call me Escort," demanded Kharlamp, grinding histeeth,--"me an officer and a captain, hei?"
Volodyovski began to throw up a hatchet which he held in his hand,turning his whole attention as it were to catching it by the handleafter every turn, and answered as if unwillingly. "For I am not able torecognize rank by the loop."
"You offend a whole body of officers with whom you are not equal."
"How is that?" asked with pretended simplicity the rogue Volodyovski?
"For you serve in the foreign levy."
"Put yourself to rest," said Pan Michael. "Though I serve in thedragoons, I belong to that body of officers not of the light, but ofthe heavy cavalry of the voevoda. You can talk with me therefore aswith an equal or as with a superior."
Kharlamp reined himself in a little, seeing that he had not to do withso insignificant a person as he had thought; but he did not cease togrit his teeth, for the coolness of Pan Michael brought him to stillgreater rage.
"Why do you get in my way?"
"I see that you are seeking a quarrel."
"Maybe I am; and I will tell you this [here Kharlamp bent to the ear ofVolodyovski and finished in a lower voice], that I'll trim your ears ifyou come in my way before Panna Anna."
Volodyovski began again to throw up the hatchet very diligently, as ifthat were the special time for such amusement, and answered in a toneof persuasiveness: "Oh, my benefactor, permit me to live a little yet;let me go!"
"Oh, no! Nothing will come of that; you won't escape me!" saidKharlamp, seizing the little knight by the sleeve.
"I will not get away from you," said Pan Michael, with a mild voice;"but now I am on service, and am going with the order of the prince mymaster. Let go my sleeve, let go, I beg you; for otherwise what shallI, poor devil! do unless I go at you with this hatchet and tumble youfrom the horse?"
Here the voice of Volodyovski, submissive at first, hissed with suchvenom that Kharlamp looked at him with involuntary astonishment anddropped his sleeve. "Oh, it is all one!" said he. "You will give me achance in Warsaw, I'll look after you!"
"I won't hide; but how can we fight in Warsaw, be so kind as toinstruct me. I have never been there yet in my life; I am a simplesoldier, but I have heard of court-martials which execute a man fordrawing his sabre in the presence of the king or during aninterregnum."
"It is evident that you have never been in Warsaw, and that you are anignorant clown, since you are afraid of court-martials and don't knowthat in the interregnum a chapter is in session with which the questionis easier, and you may be sure they won't take my head for your ears."
"Thank you for the information, and I will ask you for informationfrequently; for I see that you are a man of no ordinary experience, andI, since I practise only the lowest of the rudiments, am barely able tomake an adjective agree with a noun, and if I wanted to call (which Godforbid) your Honor a fool, then I know that I should say 'stultus,' andnot 'stulta' or 'stultum.'"
Here Volodyovski began again to throw up the hatchet, and Kharlamp wasastonished again. The blood rushed to his face, and he pulled his sabreout of the scabbard; but in the twinkle of an eye the little knight,putting his hatchet under his knee, drew his own. For a moment theylooked at each other, like two stags, with distended nostrils, and withfire in their eyes; but Kharlamp considered that he would have anaffair with the voevoda himself if he fell upon his officer going withan order, therefore he sheathed his sabre.
"Oh, I'll find you, you son of a such a one!" said he.
"You'll find me, you'll find me, you fish-broth!" said the littleknight.
And they parted,--one going to the cavalcade, the other to thesquadrons, which had approached considerably during this time, so thatthrough the clouds of dust was heard the clatter of the hoofs on thehard road. Volodyovski straightened the cavalry and the infantry to theproper line, and moved to the head. After a while Zagloba trotted up tohim.
"What did that scarecrow of the sea want of you?" asked he ofVolodyovski.
"Oh, nothing!--he called me out to a duel."
"Here is trouble for you; he will punch a hole through you with hisnose. Look out, Pan Michael, that you don't cut off the biggest nose inthe Commonwealth, for you will have to raise a separate mound over it.Happy is the voevoda of Vilna! Others must send scouting-parties out tolook for the enemy, but this one could scent them for miles. But whydid he challenge you?"
"Because I rode by the carriage of Anusia Borzobogata."
"You ought to have told him to go to Pan Longin at Zamost. He wouldhave dressed him with pepper and ginger. That fish-broth fellow hasstruck badly; it is evident that he has less luck than his nose."
"I said nothing to him about Pan Podbipienta," said Volodyovski, "forhe might have dropped me. I'll pay court now to Anusia with redoubledfervor out of spite. I want to have my sport too; what betteremployment can we have in Warsaw?"
"We'll find it, Pan Michael, we'll find it," said Zagloba, winking."When in my younger years I was a deputy from the squadron in which Iserved, I travelled through the whole country, but such life as I foundin Warsaw I found nowhere else."
"You say it is different from what we have in the Trans-Dnieper?"
"Of course it is!"
"I am very curious," said Pan Michael. After a while he added: "Still,I'll trim the mustaches of that fish-broth, for they are too long."
Ogniem i mieczem. English Page 45
