CHAPTER LIV.
"Picture to yourself," said Volodyovski to Pan Longin a few days later,"that that man has changed in one hour as if he had grown ten yearsolder. So joyous was he, so talkative, so full of tricks, that hesurpassed Ulysses himself. Now he does not let two words out of hislips, but dozes away whole days, complains of old age, and speaks as ina dream. I knew that he loved her, but I did not think that he lovedher to this degree."
"What is there wonderful in that?" answered the Lithuanian, sighing."He was the more attached to her that he snatched her from the hands ofBogun, and went through so many dangers and adventures in the flight.While there was hope his wit was exerted in inventions, and he kept onfoot; but now he has really nothing to do in the world, being alone andwithout heart for anything."
"I tried to drink with him, hoping that drink would restore his formervigor, but in vain. He drinks, but does not think as before, does nottalk about his exploits; only becomes sensitive, and then hangs hishead on his breast and goes to sleep. I do not know if even Pan Yan isin greater despair than he."
"It is an unspeakable loss, for withal he was a great knight. Let us goto him, Pan Michael. He had the habit of scoffing at me and teasing meon every occasion; perhaps the desire will take him now. My God, howpeople change! He was such a gladsome man."
"Let us go," said Volodyovski. "It is already late; but it is mostgrievous for him in the evening,--for dozing all day, he is unable tosleep at night."
Thus conversing, they betook themselves to the quarters of Zagloba,whom they found sitting under the open window with his head resting onhis hand. It was late; every movement in the castle had ceased; onlythe sentinels answered in prolonged tones, and in the thicketsseparating the castle from the town the nightingales brought out theirpassionate trills, whistling, smacking, and clapping as quickly as fallthe drops in a spring shower. Through the open window came in the warmbreeze of May and the clear rays of the moon, which lighted thedowncast face of Zagloba and the bald crown bent toward his breast.
"Good-evening!" said the two knights.
"Good-evening!" answered Zagloba.
"Why have you forgotten yourself before the window instead of going tobed?" asked Volodyovski.
Zagloba sighed. "It is not a question of sleep with me," said he, witha drawling voice. "A year ago I was fleeing with her on the Kagamlikfrom Bogun, and in this same way those birds were twittering; and whereis she now?"
"God has so ordained," said Volodyovski.
"Ordained to tears and sorrow, Pan Michael. There is no moreconsolation for me."
They were silent; but through the open window came, with powerincreasing each moment, the trill of the nightingales, with which allthat clear night seemed filled.
"Oh, God, God!" sighed Zagloba, "exactly as it was on the Kagamlik."
Pan Longin shook a tear from his great mustaches, and the little knightsaid after a while,--
"Sorrow is sorrow; but drink some mead with us, for there is nothingbetter against sorrow. At the glass we will talk of better times."
"Let us drink," said Zagloba, with resignation.
Volodyovski ordered the servant to bring a light and decanter, andafterward, when they had sat down, knowing that reminiscences enlivenedZagloba more than anything else, he inquired: "It is just a year, is itnot, since you fled with her before Bogun from Rozlogi?"
"It was in May, in May," answered Zagloba. "We passed through theKagamlik to flee to Zolotonosha. Oh, it is hard in this world!"
"And she was disguised?"
"As a Cossack. I had to cut off her hair with my sabre, poor thing! sothat she shouldn't be discovered. I know the place under the tree whereI hid the hair, together with the sabre."
"Oh, she was a sweet lady!" added Longin, with a sigh.
"I tell you, gentlemen, from the first day I fell in love with her asif I had paid homage to her from youthful years. And she would claspher hands before me and thank me for her rescue and my care. I wishthey had killed me before I had lived to this day! Would that I had notlived to it!"
Then came silence again, and the three knights drank mead mixed withtears. After that Zagloba began to speak again.
"I thought to pass a calm old age with them, but now"--here his handshung down powerless--"nowhere solace, nowhere solace, but in thegrave--"
Before Zagloba had finished speaking a disturbance rose in theanteroom; some one wished to enter, and the servant would not let himin. A wordy struggle followed, in which it seemed to Volodyovski thathe recognized some known voice; therefore he called to the servant notto forbid entrance further.
The door opened, and in it appeared the plump, ruddy face of Jendzian,who, passing his eyes over those present, bowed and said: "May JesusChrist be praised!"
"For the ages of ages," said Volodyovski. "This is Jendzian?"
"I am he," said the young man, "and I bow to your knees. And where ismy master?"
"Your master is in Korets, and ill."
"Oh, for God's sake, what do you tell me? And is he seriously ill,which God forbid?"
"He was, but he is better now. The doctor says he will recover."
"For I have come with news about the lady to my master."
The little knight began to nod his head in melancholy fashion. "Youneed not hasten, for Pan Skshetuski already knows of her death, and wehere are shedding tears of mourning for her."
Jendzian's eyes were bursting from his head. "By violence! What do Ihear? Is she dead?"
"Not dead, but murdered in Kieff by robbers."
"What are you talking about? In what Kieff?"
"Don't you know Kieff?"
"For God's sake, are you fooling with me? What had she to do in Kieffwhen she is hidden in the ravine at Valadinka, not far from Rashkoff,and the witch was commanded not to move a step till Bogun should come?As God is dear to me, must I run mad?"
"What witch are you speaking of?"
"Why, Horpyna! I know that bass-viol well."
Zagloba stood up suddenly from the bench, and began to strike out withhis hands like a man who has fallen into deep water and is trying tosave himself from drowning.
"By the living God, be quiet!" said he to Volodyovski. "By God'swounds, let me ask him!"
The company trembled, so pale was Zagloba, and the perspiration cameout on his bald head. He sprang over the bench to Jendzian, and seizingthe young fellow by the shoulders, asked in a hoarse voice,--
"Who told you that she is near Rashkoff, secreted?"
"Who should tell me? Bogun!"
"Are you mad, fellow?" roared Zagloba, shaking him like a pear-tree."What Bogun?"
"Oh, for God's sake," called Jendzian, "why do you shake me so? Let mego, let me collect my wits, for I am losing my senses. You have turnedeverything over in my head. What Bogun should there be,--or don't youknow him?"
"Speak, or I'll stab you!" shouted Zagloba. "Where did you see Bogun?"
"In Vlodava! What do you want of me?" cried the frightened young man."Am I a robber?"
Zagloba lost the thread of his thought, breath failed him, and he fellon the bench panting heavily. Volodyovski came to his aid.
"When did you see Bogun?" asked Volodyovski.
"Three weeks ago."
"Then he is alive?"
"Why shouldn't he be? He told me himself how you split him up, but hehas recovered."
"And he told you that the young lady is at Rashkoff?"
"Who else should tell me?"
"Listen, Jendzian! it is a question here of the life of your master andthe young lady. Did Bogun himself tell you that she was not in Kieff?"
"My master, how could she be in Kieff when he secreted her at Rashkoff,and told Horpyna on peril of her life not to let her escape? But now hehas given me a baton and his ring to go to her; for his wounds opened,and he had to lie down himself, it is unknown for how long."
Further words from Jendzian were interrupted by Zagloba, who sprangfrom the bench again, and seizing th
e remnant of his hair with bothhands, began to shout like a madman: "My daughter is living,--by God'swounds, she is living! They didn't kill her in Kieff; she is alive, sheis alive, my dearest!"
And the old man stamped with his feet, laughed and sobbed. Finally, heseized Jendzian by the head, pressed him to his bosom and began to kisshim, so that the young fellow lost his head altogether.
"Let me go, my master, for I am stifled! Of course she is alive--Godgrant us to go together for her, my master--But, my master!"
"Let him go, let him tell his story, for we don't understand anythingyet," said Volodyovski.
"Speak, speak!" cried Zagloba.
"Begin at the beginning, brother," said Pan Longin, on whose mustaches,too, thick dew had settled down.
"Permit me, gentlemen, to draw breath," said Jendzian; "and I willclose the window, for those wretches of nightingales are tearing awayin the bushes at such a rate that it is impossible to speak."
"Mead!" cried Volodyovski to the servant.
Jendzian closed the window with his usual deliberation, then turned tothe company and said; "You will let me sit down, for I am tired."
"Sit down!" said Volodyovski, pouring to him from the decanter borne inby the servant. "Drink with us, for you deserve it for the news whichyou bring. If you will only speak as soon as possible!"
"Good mead!" said he, raising the glass toward the light.
"May you be split! will you talk?" shouted Zagloba.
"You are angry at once, my master! I will talk if you wish; it is foryou to command and me to obey, that's why I am a servant. But I seethat I must start from the beginning and tell everything in detail."
"Speak from the beginning!"
"You remember, gentlemen, how the news of the taking of Bar came; howwe thought then that the young lady was lost? So I returned to theJendzians,--to my parents and my grandfather, who is now ninety yearsold--I speak correctly--no! ninety-and-one."
"May he be nine hundred!" burst out Zagloba.
"May God give him as many years as possible! I thank you, my master,for the kind word. So I returned home to visit my parents, as I by theassistance of God had passed the robbers; for as you know, the Cossackstook me up in Chigirin last year, and considered me one of themselvesbecause I nursed Bogun when wounded, and arrived at great intimacy withhim; and at the same time I collected some little from thosecriminals,--some silver and precious stones."
"We know, we know!" said Volodyovski.
"Well, I reached my parents, who were glad to see me, and couldn'tbelieve their eyes when I showed them all I had collected. I had toswear to my grandfather that I had come by it honestly. Then they wereglad; for you must know that they have a lawsuit with the Yavorskisabout a pear-tree which stands on the line between them,--half itsbranches are on the land of the Yavorskis, and half on ours. Now theYavorskis shake the tree and our pears fall, and many of them go tothem. They stick to it that those in the middle are theirs, and we--"
"Don't bring me to anger, fellow!" interrupted Zagloba, "and don'tspeak of that which does not belong to the story!"
"First, with your pardon, my master, I am no fellow, but a noble,though a poor one, and with an escutcheon as well as you, as PanVolodyovski and Podbipienta, friends of Pan Skshetuski, will tell you;and I repeat that this lawsuit has lasted fifty years."
"Dear little fish!" said Podbipienta, sweetly; "but tell us aboutBogun, not about pear-trees."
"Of Bogun?" said Jendzian. "Well, let it be about Bogun. That Bogunthinks, my master, that he has not a more faithful friend and servantthan me, though he struck me in Chigirin; for it is true I nursed him,took care of him, when the Kurtsevichi had wounded him. I lied thenwhen I said I did not like my master's service and preferred to be withthe Cossacks, for there was more profit among them; and he believed me.Why shouldn't he believe me when I brought him to health? Therefore hetook a wonderful fancy to me, and what is true, rewarded me mostliberally, not knowing that I had sworn to have vengeance on him forthe wrong he had done me in Chigirin; and if I did not stab him atonce, it was only because it is not proper for a noble to stab an enemylying in bed, as he would stick a pig."
"Well, well," said Volodyovski, "we know that too, but how did you findhim this time?"
"It was this way: When we had pushed the Yavorskis to the wall (theywill have to go out with packs on their backs, it cannot be otherwise),I thought: 'Well, it is time for me to look for Bogun and pay him forthe wrong he did me.' I left my parents in secret, and my grandfather;and he (there is good metal in him) said: 'If you have taken an oath,then go; if not, you will be a fool.' I went, for I thought to myselfbesides: 'When I find Bogun maybe I shall learn something about thelady, if she is alive; and afterward when I shoot him and go to mymaster with the news, that too will not be without a reward.'"
"Certainly it will not; and we will reward you also," said Volodyovski.
"And from me, brother, you will have a horse with trappings," addedPodbipienta.
"I thank you most kindly," said the delighted young man; "a present isa fitting return for good news, and I won't drink away what I get fromanybody--"
"Oh, the devil take me!" muttered Zagloba.
"You went away from your home and friends then?" suggested Volodyovski.
"I did; and on the way I thought: 'Where shall I go unless to Zbaraj,for it is not far from Bogun, and I can hear more readily of mymaster.' I go through Beloe to Vlodava, and in Vlodava I find my littlehorse terribly used up,--I halt for refreshment. There was a fair inthe place; all the inns were full of nobles. I go to townspeople;nobles there too! Then a Jew says to me: 'I have a room, but a woundednoble has taken it. Then I say: 'This has happened well, for I know howto nurse, and your barber, as it is fair-time, cannot get through hiswork.' The Jew said then that the noble took care of himself, did notwish to see any man; still he went afterward to inquire. It is evidentthe noble was worse, for he gave orders to admit me. I enter, and Ilook to see who lies in the bed. Bogun! I bless myself in the name ofthe Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! I was frightened; but he recognized meat once, was very glad (for he takes me as his friend), and says he:'God sent you to me! I'll not die this time.' And I say: 'What are youdoing here, my master?' But he put his finger on his lips, and onlyafterward did he tell me of what had happened to him,--how Hmelnitskisent him to the king, who at that time was a prince,--sent him frombefore Zamost, and how Pan Volodyovski cut him up at Lipki."
"Did he remember me pleasantly?" asked Volodyovski.
"I cannot say, my master, otherwise than pleasantly enough. 'Ithought,' says he, 'that he was some little cur; but it turns out thathe is a hero of the first water, who almost cut me in two.' But when hethinks of Pan Zagloba, then he grits his teeth in great anger, becausehe urged you on to this fight--"
"May the hangman light him!" said Zagloba, "I am not afraid of him."
"We returned then to our former familiarity, yes, even to greater. Hetold me all,--how near he had been to death; how they removed him tothe mansion at Lipki, taking him for a noble, and he gave himself outas Pan Hulevich from Podolia; how they cured him and treated him withgreat kindness, for which he swore gratitude to them till death."
"And what was he doing in Vlodava?"
"He was going to Volynia; but in Parcheva his wounds opened, for thewagon turned over with him, and he had to stop, though in great fear,for they might easily cut him to pieces there. He told me this himself.'I was,' said he, 'sent with letters; but now I have no papers, nothingbut a baton; and if they should discover who I am, not only the nobleswould cut me to pieces, but the first commandant would hang me withoutasking permission of any man.' I remember that when he told me that, Isaid to him: 'It is well to know that the first commandant would hangyou.' 'And how is that?' asked he. 'So as to be cautious and saynothing to any man, in which I also will serve you.' Then he began tothank me and to assure me of gratitude, and that reward would not missme. Then he said: 'I have no money, but what jewels I have I will giveyou, and later I w
ill cover you with gold; only render me one moreservice.'"
"And now we are coming to the princess?" said Volodyovski.
"Yes, my master, I must tell everything in detail. When he said that hehad no money, I lost all heart for him, and thought to myself: 'Wait!I'll render you a service.' He said: 'I am sick, I have not strengthfor the journey, but a long and dangerous road awaits me. If I go toVolynia,--and it is not far from here,--then I shall be among my own;but to the Dniester I cannot go, for my strength is insufficient, andit is necessary to pass through an enemy's country, near castles andtroops. Do you go for me!' 'To what place?' I ask. 'To Rashkoff, forshe is hidden there with a sister of Donyets, Horpyna.' I ask, 'Is itthe princess?' 'Yes,' says he, 'I hid her there where the eye of mancannot see her; it is pleasant for her there, and she sleeps like thePrincess Vishnyevetska, on golden cushions.'"
"Tell me quickly, in God's name!" shouted Zagloba.
"What is done quickly is done in the devil's fashion," answeredJendzian. "When I heard that, my master, how I rejoiced! But I did notshow it, and I say: 'Is she surely there, for it must be a long timesince you took her to the place?' He began to swear that Horpyna wasdevoted to him, would keep her ten years till his return, and that theprincess was there as God is in heaven; for neither Poles nor Tartarsnor Cossacks could come, and Horpyna would not disobey his order."
While Jendzian was telling the story, Zagloba trembled as in a fever,the little knight nodded his head joyfully, Podbipienta raised his eyesto heaven.
"That she is there is certain," continued the youth, "for the bestproof is that he sent me to her. But I put it off at first so as tobetray nothing, and I ask: 'Why should I go?' 'Because I am not able togo. If,' says he, 'I go from Vlodava to Volynia alive, I will have hertaken to Kieff, for our Cossacks have the upper hand there everywhere.And you,' says he, 'go to Horpyna, and give her the order to take theprincess to the monastery of the Holy Virgin in Kieff.'"
"Well, it was not to Nikolai the Good then," burst out Zagloba. "I sawat first that Yerlich was a hypochondriac, or that he lied."
"To the Holy Virgin," said Jendzian. "'I'll give you my ring,' says he,'and baton and knife, and Horpyna will know what they mean, for we haveagreed about them; and God has sent you,' says he, 'all the morebecause she knows you,--knows that you are my best friend. Go at once;don't fear the Cossacks, but look out for the Tartars, if there areany, and avoid them, for they will not respect the baton. Money,ducats, are buried in the ravine; take them out at once. Along the roadyou need only say, "Bogun's wife is travelling," and you will want fornothing. Besides,' says he, 'the witch is able to help herself. Onlygo, for my sake! Whom besides can I--unfortunate man!--send, whom can Itrust, in this strange country, among enemies?' He begged, my master,till he almost shed tears. Finally the beast asked me to take an oaththat I would go; and I took the oath, but in my mind I added: 'With mymaster!' Then he rejoiced, and gave me the baton, the ring, and theknife at once, and whatever jewels he had; and I took them too, for Ithought, better that they be with me than with a robber. At parting hetold me what ravine is above the Valadinka, how to go and how to turnso exactly, that I could get there with my eyes bound; which you willsee yourselves if you go with me, as I think you will."
"Immediately! to-morrow!" said Volodyovski.
"What! to-morrow? We will order the horses to be saddled at daylightto-day."
Joy seized the hearts of all. At one moment could be heard cries ofgratitude to heaven, at another the joyful rubbing of hands; then newquestions put to Jendzian, to which he answered with his usualdeliberation.
"May the bullets strike you!" cried Zagloba; "what a servant Skshetuskihas in you!"
"Well, what of it?" asked Jendzian.
"He will cover you with gold."
"I think too that I shall not be without a reward, though I serve mymaster out of faithfulness."
"What did you do with Bogun?" asked Volodyovski.
"This, my master, was for me the greatest torment, that he lay sickagain, and I could not put a knife into him, for my master would blameme for that. Such was my luck! What had I to do? He had told me all hehad to tell, had given me all he had to give, so to my head for wit.'Why,' say I to myself, 'should such a villain walk through the world?He imprisons a lady, and struck me in Chigirin. Better that he shouldnot be, and let the hangman light his way. For,' I thought to myself,'if he gets well, he will be after us with his Cossacks.' Not thinkinglong then, I went to Pan Rogovski, the commandant, who is in Vlodavawith his squadron, and I told him that it was Bogun, the worst of therebels. They must have hanged him before this time."
Having said this, Jendzian laughed stupidly enough, and looked on theaudience as if waiting for applause; but how astonished was he whenanswered by silence! After some time Zagloba muttered, "No more ofthis!" but on the contrary Volodyovski kept silent, and Pan Longinbegan to click with his tongue, shake his head, and at last he said,--
"You have acted ignobly,--what is called ignobly!"
"How so, my master?" asked the astonished Jendzian; "should I havestabbed him?"
"And that would have been ugly, and this ugly. I know not which isbetter, to be a murderer or a Judas."
"What do you say, my master? Is it to be a Judas to give up a rebel whois an enemy of the king and the whole Commonwealth?"
"True, but still the deed is ignoble. What did you say the name of thatcommandant is?"
"Pan Rogovski. They said his name was Jakob."
"Ah, that's the same man!" muttered the Lithuanian. "A relative of PanLashch, and an enemy of Skshetuski."
But this remark was not heard, for Zagloba began,--
"Gentlemen, there is no reason for delay. God has so arranged throughthis youth, and has so directed, that we shall seek her under betterconditions than hitherto. Praise be to God! We must leave in themorning. The prince has gone away already, but we must start withouthis permission, for there is no time to wait. Volodyovski will go; Iwith him, and Jendzian; but you, Pan Longin, would better stay, foryour stature and your simplicity of soul might betray us."
"No, brother; I'll go too," said the Lithuanian.
"For her safety you must stay at home. Whoever has seen you will notforget you for a lifetime. We have the baton, it is true, but theywould not believe you, even with the baton. You suffocated Pulyan insight of Krivonos's whole rabble; and since such a pillar has stoodbefore them, they would recognize it. You cannot go with us. Youwouldn't find three heads there, and the one you have wouldn't help usmuch; you would ruin the undertaking."
"Sad," said the Lithuanian.
"Sad or not sad, you must stay. When we go to lift birds' nests out ofthe trees we will take you, but not this time."
"Disgusting to hear you!"
"Let me kiss you, for joy is in my heart. But stay! one thing more,gentlemen. This affair is of the greatest importance,--a secret. Let itnot be known among the soldiers, and go from them to the peasants. Nota word to any man!"
"Not to the prince?"
"The prince is not here."
"But to Skshetuski, if he comes?"
"To him especially not a word, for he would race after us at once. Hewill have time enough to be glad; and God guard us from a newdisappointment!--then he would lose his mind. Word of honor,gentlemen!"
"Word of honor," said Podbipienta.
"Word, word!"
"And now let us thank God."
Having said this, Zagloba knelt first, after him the others, and theyprayed long and fervently.