CHAPTER LVI.
The horses were given barely time to rest, and the return was begunwith such speed that when the moon had risen on the steppe the partywas already in the neighborhood of Studenka, beyond the Valadinka.Volodyovski rode in front, looking carefully on every side. Next cameZagloba at the side of Helena; and Jendzian closed the procession,driving the pack animals and two saddle-horses, which he had not failedto take from Horpyna's stable. Zagloba's mouth was not closed; and intruth he had something to tell the princess, who shut up in the wildravine knew nothing of what was passing in the world. He told her howthey had looked for her at first; how Skshetuski, without knowing ofthe duel, had sought Bogun as far as Pereyaslav; how finally Jendziangained the secret of her concealment from the ataman and brought it toZbaraj.
"Merciful God!" said Helena, raising her beautiful pale face to themoon; "then Pan Skshetuski went beyond the Dnieper for me?"
"To Pereyaslav, as I tell you. And surely he would have come with usnow, but we had no time to send for him as we wished to hurry to youraid at once. He knows nothing as yet of your safety, and offers prayersfor your soul every day; but have no sorrow for him now. Let him suffera while longer since such a reward is awaiting him."
"And I thought that all had forgotten me, and I was only imploring theLord for death."
"Not only did we not forget you, but all the time our single thoughtwas how to come to your aid. Wonders we planned. I was drying my brain,and so was Skshetuski; but that was to be expected. This knight too whois riding in front of us spared neither toil nor sword."
"May God reward him!"
"It is clear that you both have that which makes people cleave to you;but in truth you owe Volodyovski gratitude, for as I said we cut upBogun like a pike."
"In Rozlogi, Pan Skshetuski spoke much of Volodyovski as of his bestfriend."
"And justly. He has a great soul in a little body. This moment he issomehow dull. It is evident that your beauty has stunned him; but wait,let him only grow used to it and he will come to himself. Oh! he and Iworked wonders at the election."
"Then there is a new king?"
"Poor girl! In this cursed wilderness you don't know that Yan Kazimirwas elected last autumn and has been reigning eight months. There willbe a great war this time with the rabble. God grant us good fortune,for Yeremi has been set aside and others appointed who are altogetherunfitted."
"And will Pan Skshetuski go to the war?"
"He is a true soldier, and I don't think you can stop him. He and I arealike! When powder entices, nothing can restrain us. Oh, we gave it tothe ruffians in grand fashion last year! The whole night would be shortwere I to tell you all as it happened. We shall be sure to go, but witha light heart now. The main thing is that we have found you, poor girl,without whom life was a burden to us."
The princess inclined her sweet face to Zagloba. "I know not why youlove me, but it is sure that you do not love me more than I do you."
Zagloba began to puff with satisfaction. "Then you love me?"
"As I live, I do."
"God reward you, for my old age will be lighter. Women pursue me yet,as was the case in Warsaw more than once during the election.Volodyovski is witness of that. But I don't care for love, and in spiteof my hot blood, I am content with the feeling of a father."
Silence followed; but the horses began to snort violently, one afteranother,--a favorable omen.
"Good health, good health!" said the travellers.
The night was clear; the moon rose higher and higher in the sky, whichwas filled with twinkling stars, that became weaker and paler. Thetired horses lessened their speed, and weariness seized the travellers.Volodyovski reined in his horse first.
"The dawn is not distant," said he; "it is time to rest."
"It is," said Zagloba. "I am so sleepy that my horse seems to have twoheads."
But before resting, Jendzian prepared supper. He made a fire, removedthe saddle-bags from a horse, and took out provisions which he hadobtained from Burlai in Yampol, such as corn bread, cold meat, andWallachian wine. At the sight of these two leather bags, well filledout with liquid which gave forth a pleasant sound, Zagloba forgot hissleep; the others also fell to eating and drinking with a good will.There was abundance for all; and when they were satisfied, Zaglobawiped his mouth and said,--
"Till death I shall not cease to repeat, 'Wondrous are the judgments ofGod!' Now, my young lady, you are free; and here we sit comforted underthe sky, drinking Burlai's wine. I will not say that Hungarian wouldnot be better, for this smells of the skin, but on the road it willpass."
"There is one thing at which I cannot wonder sufficiently," saidHelena,--"that Horpyna consented so easily to give me up to you."
Zagloba looked at Volodyovski, then at Jendzian, and blinked rapidly.
"She consented, for she had to. There is nothing to hide, for it is noshame that we rubbed out both Cheremis and the witch."
"How?" asked the princess, with fright.
"Didn't you hear the shots?"
"I heard them, but thought Cheremis was firing."
"It was not Cheremis, but this young fellow here, who shot the witchthrough and through. The devil sits in him, we don't dispute that. Buthe could not act otherwise; for the witch--whether it was because sheknew something, or was stubborn--insisted on going with us. It wasdifficult to permit that, for she would have seen at once that we werenot going to Kieff. He shot her, and I killed Cheremis,--a real Africanmonster,--and I think that God will not count it ill of me. There mustbe a universal disgust of him in even the regions below. Just beforeleaving the ravine I went ahead and pulled the bodies aside a little,so that you might not be frightened at them or take it as a bad omen."
"In these terrible times I have seen too many dead persons who werekindred of mine to be frightened at the sight of slain bodies," saidthe princess; "still I should prefer not to have blood shed, so thatGod might not punish us for it."
"It was not a knightly deed," said Volodyovski, harshly. "I would notput my hand to it."
"What is the use of thinking over it," said Jendzian, "when it couldnot be avoided? If we had destroyed some good person I should notspeak; but an enemy of God may be killed; and I myself saw how thatwitch entered into fellowship with devils. It is not for her that I amsorry."
"And why is Pan Jendzian sorry?" asked the princess.
"Because money is buried there, of which Bogun told me; but yougentlemen were so urgent that I had no time to dig it up, though I knowwell where it is, near the mill. My heart was cut also at having toleave so much property of every kind in that room where you, my lady,lived."
"Just see what a servant you are going to have!" said Zagloba to theprincess. "With the exception of his master, there is no one, not thedevil himself, from whom he would not strip skin to make a coat-collarfor himself."
"With God's help, Jendzian will not complain of my ingratitude,"answered Helena.
"I thank you humbly," said he, kissing her hand.
During this time Volodyovski sat with a sullen look, drinking winequietly from the skin, till his unusual silence attracted Zagloba'sattention.
"Ah, Pan Michael," said he, "you have given us scarcely a word." Herethe old man turned to Helena. "I have not told you that your beauty hasdeprived him of reason and speech."
"You would better take a nap before daylight," was the little knight'sreply; and he began to move his mustaches like a rabbit trying to gaincourage.
But the old noble was right. The beauty of the princess had kept thelittle knight in a sort of continual ecstasy. He looked at her, lookedagain, and in his mind he asked: "Can it be that such a woman movesupon the earth?"
He had seen much beauty in his day. Beautiful were the Princesses Annaand Barbara Zbaraska, and Anusia Borzobogata, charming beyondexpression. Panna Jukovkna, to whom Roztvorovski was paying court, hadmany a charm, and so had Vershulovna and Skoropadska and Bohovitnianka;but none of these could compare with tha
t marvellous flower of thesteppe. In presence of the others Volodyovski was vivacious, full ofspeech; but now, when he looked on those velvet eyes, sweet andlanguishing, on the silken lashes, the shade of which fell on thepupils, on the arrowy form, on the bosom lightly moved by the breath,on the bloom of the lips,--when Volodyovski looked at all this, hesimply forgot the tongue in his mouth; and what was worse, he seemedawkward, stupid, and above all diminutive,--so small as to beridiculous. "She is a princess, and I am a little boy," thought he, inbitterness; and he would have rejoiced could some giant have issuedfrom the darkness by chance, for then poor Pan Michael would have shownthat he was not so small as he seemed. He was irritated also becauseZagloba, evidently glad that his daughter was so attractive, coughedevery little while, quizzed, and winked fearfully. And each instant shewas more beautiful, as calm and sweet she sat before the fire, shone onby the rosy flame and the white moon.
"Confess, Pan Michael," said Zagloba, early next day, when they foundthemselves alone for a moment, "that there is not such another girl inthe Commonwealth. If you show me another such, I will let you call meidiot and give me a drubbing."
"I do not deny," said the little knight, "that she is dainty and rare,such as I have not seen till this hour; for even those forms ofgoddesses cut from marble which seem alive, and which we saw in theKazanovski palace, are not to be compared with her. I do not wonderthat the best men are risking their lives for her, for she is worthit."
"Well, well," said Zagloba, "as God lives, you cannot tell when she isbetter, morning or evening, for she always moves in beauty, like arose. I have told you that I was once of extraordinary beauty myself,but I should have been forced to yield to her, though some say sheresembles me as one cup does another."
"Go to the devil!" cried the little knight.
"Don't be angry, Pan Michael, for you are bad enough to the eyealready. You gaze on her as a goat on a head of cabbage. One mightswear that longing has seized you; but the sausage is not for the dog."
"Tfu!" cried Volodyovski. "Are you not ashamed, being an old man, totalk such nonsense?"
"And why are you frowning?"
"Because you think we have passed all danger, like a bird in the air,and are entirely safe; but now careful deliberation is needed, so thatwhen we have escaped one evil we may avoid another. There is a terribleroad before us yet, and God knows what may happen, for these regions towhich we are going must be already on fire."
"When I stole her from Bogun out of Rozlogi it was worse, for there waspursuit in the rear and rebellion in front; still I passed through thewhole Ukraine as through a flame, and went to Bar. And why is the headon my shoulders? At the worst, it is not far to Kamenyets."
"True; but it is not far for the Turks and Tartars, either."
"Oh, what stuff do you tell me?"
"I tell you the truth, and say that it is worth thinking over. It isbetter to avoid Kamenyets and move on towards Bar; for the Cossackswill respect the baton. With the rabble we can get on; but if theTartars see us, all is lost. I know them of old, and I could fleebefore a Tartar party with the birds and the wolves; but if we were tomeet them I could be of no service."
"Then let us go through Bar or around Bar; let the plague take thelimes and cherries of Kamenyets. You don't know that Jendzian took abaton from Burlai. We can go everywhere among the Cossacks singing. Wehave passed the worst of the Wilderness; we shall enter a settledcountry. We must think of stopping here and there at a farm about thetime of evening milking, for such a place is more proper andcomfortable for the princess. But it seems to me, Pan Michael, that youlook at things in too sombre a light. Just think that three men likeus--without flattery to you or me--should not be able to make our wayin the steppe! We'll join our stratagems to your sabre; and now for it!Nothing better can be done. Jendzian has Burlai's baton; and that isthe main thing, for Burlai commands all Podolia at present, and if weare once beyond Bar, Lantskoronski is there, with the squadrons of theCrown. On, Pan Michael, let us lose no time!"
And in fact they lost no time, but tore on through the steppes towardthe north and the west as fast as their horses could go. On the heightsof Mogileff they entered a more settled land, so that in the evening itwas not difficult anywhere to find farms or villages in which to spendthe night; but the ruddy dawn always found them on horseback and on theroad. Fortunately the summer was dry,--warm days, with dewy nights, andin the early morning the whole steppe was silvered as with frost. Thewind dried the waters, the rivers decreased, and they crossed withoutdifficulty.
Going for some time along and above Lozova, they stopped for a somewhatlonger rest than usual in Shargorod, where there was a Cossack regimentnot belonging to Burlai's command. There they found messengers fromBurlai, and among them Kuna, a sotnik (captain), whom they had seen inYampol at the feast with Burlai. He was somewhat surprised that theywere not going through Bratslav, Raigorod, and Skvira to Kieff; but nosuspicion remained in his mind, especially when Zagloba explained tohim that they had not taken that road from fear of the Tartars, whowere about to march from the direction of the Dnieper. Kuna told themthen that Burlai had sent him to proclaim the campaign, and that hehimself was ready to come at any moment, with all the forces at Yampoland the Budjak-Tartars to Shargorod, whence they would advanceimmediately.
Couriers had come from Hmelnitski to Burlai with news that war hadbegun, and with orders to lead all the regiments to Volynia. Burlai hadlong wished to move on Bar, and was merely awaiting the Tartarreinforcements, for somehow it had begun to go badly at Bar for therebellion. Lantskoronski, the Polish commander, had cut up considerablebands there, captured the place, and put a garrison in the castle.Several thousand Cossacks had been killed. Burlai wished to avengethese and recapture the castle; but Kuna said that the final orders ofHmelnitski to march on Volynia prevented these plans, and Bar would notbe besieged unless the Tartars should insist on it.
"Well, Pan Michael," said Zagloba the next day, "Bar is before us andwe might hide the princess there a second time; but the devil take it,I have no more trust in Bar, or any other fortress, since theseruffians have more cannon than the armies of the Crown. This, however,troubles me somewhat, that clouds are gathering around."
"Not only are clouds gathering," answered the knight, "but a storm isrolling up behind, namely the Tartars; and if Burlai should come upwith us he would be greatly astonished that we are not going to Kieff,but in the opposite direction."
"He would be ready to show us another road. May the devil show himfirst the straightest road to his own kingdom! Let us make anagreement, Pan Michael. I will explain everything to the Cossacks, butlet your wit work against the Tartars."
"It is easier for you to manage the ruffians who take us for theirown," answered Volodyovski. "Against the Tartars there is but onehelp,--to flee with all swiftness, to slip out of the snare while thereis time. We must buy good horses on the road wherever we can, so as tohave fresh ones at any moment."
"Pan Longin's purse will suffice for that, and if it does not we willtake Burlai's money from Jendzian. But now forward!"
And they pushed on still more hurriedly, till foam covered the sides ofthe ponies and fell like snow-flakes on the green steppe. After theyhad passed Derla and Ladava, Volodyovski bought new horses in Barek,without leaving the old ones; for those which they had as a gift fromBurlai were of rare breed, and they kept them attached by the bridle,and drove on, making shorter stops and night-rests. Every one was ingood health, and Helena in excellent spirits. Though wearied with theroad, she felt that every day gave her new strength. In the ravine shehad passed a secluded life and scarcely left her gilded room, notwishing to meet the shameless Horpyna and listen to her talk andpersuasion; now the fresh breeze of the steppe brought back her health.The roses bloomed on her face, the sun darkened her complexion, but hereyes gained brightness; and when at times the wind blew the hair overher forehead, you would have said she was some gypsy, the mostwonderful soothsayer, or that a gypsy queen was travelling in the widesteppe,
--flowers springing up before her, knights following behind.
Volodyovski grew accustomed to her beauty by degrees, as the journeybrought them together, so that finally he became used to her; then heregained his speech and cheerfulness, and often while riding at herside told of Lubni, and especially of his friendship for Pan Yan,thinking she heard this with gladness; at times he even teased her,saying: "I am Bogun's friend and am taking you to him."
Then she would fold her hands as if in great dread, and say in a sweetvoice: "Oh, cruel knight, better kill me at once than do that!"
"Impossible, I must take you!" answered the stern knight.
"Strike!" said she, closing her eyes and stretching her neck to him.
Then the ants began to travel along the back of the little knight."That girl goes to the head like wine!" thought he; "but I cannot drinkthis wine, for it is another's." The honest Pan Michael then shookhimself and urged his horse forward. When he plunged into the grasslike a sea-mew into water, the ants fell from him; he turned all hisattention to the journey. Was it safe, were they going well, or was anyadventure approaching them from any side? He straightened himself inthe stirrups, raised his yellow mustaches over the waving grass,looked, sniffed, listened like a Tartar when he is prowling in the wildfields through the grass of the steppe.
Zagloba too was in the best of spirits. "It is easier for us to escapenow," said he, "than when on the Kagamlik we had to sneak off on footlike dogs, with our tongues hanging out. My tongue at that time was sodried up in my mouth that I could have planed a tree with it, but now,thanks be to God, I have something to sleep on in the evening, andsomething to wet my throat with from time to time."
"Do you remember how you carried me over the water?"
"God grant us to wait! you'll have something to carry in your arms;I'll bet Skshetuski's head on that."
"Ho! ho!" laughed Jendzian.
"Desist, I beg you," whispered the princess, blushing and dropping hereyes.
Thus they conversed over the steppe, to shorten the time. Finally,beyond Barek and Yeltushkoff they entered a country recently gnawed bythe teeth of war. There bands of armed ruffians raged; there also, notlong before, Lantskoronski burned and slew, for it was only a few dayssince he had withdrawn to Zbaraj. Our travellers learned also from thepeople of the town that Hmelnitski and the Khan had set out with alltheir forces against the Poles, or rather against the commanders whoseforces were in mutiny and refused to serve except under the command ofPrince Yeremi. In this connection it was generally prophesied thatdestruction or the end of either the Poles or the Cossacks would surelycome, for Father Hmelnitski and Yeremi were to meet. The whole countrywas as if on fire. All were rushing to arms and marching to the northto join Hmelnitski. From the lower Dniester, Burlai was advancing withhis entire force; and along the road every regiment was in motion fromgarrisons, quarters, and pastures, for the order had come to all. Theymarched then in hundreds, in squadrons, in thousands; and at theirflank rolled on like a river the mob, armed with flails, forks, knives,and pikes. Horseboys and herdsmen left their herds, settlers theirlands, bee-keepers their bees, wild fishermen their reeds by theDnieper, hunters the woods. Hamlets, villages, and towns were deserted.In three provinces there remained at home but old women and children,for even the young women had gone with the men against the Poles.Simultaneously from the east approached with his entire main armyHmelnitski, like an ominous storm, crushing by the way with his mightyhand castles, great and small, and killing all who were left from theprevious defeats.
Having passed Bar, full of gloomy reminiscences for the princess, ourtravellers took the high-road leading through Latichi and Ploskiri toTarnopol, and farther to Lvoff. Now, they met more frequently, at onetime regular tabors of wagons, at another detachments of Cossackinfantry and cavalry; now parties of peasants; now countless herds ofcattle surrounded with clouds of dust, and driven on as food for theCossack and the Tartar armies. The road became dangerous, for they wereasked continually what they wanted, whence they came, and where theywere going. Zagloba showed the Cossack companies Burlai's baton, andsaid,--
"We are sent from Burlai; we are taking Bogun's wife."
At sight of the baton of the terrible colonel, the Cossacks generallyopened the way the more readily, since every one understood that ifBogun was alive he must be near the forces of the commanders in theneighborhood of Zbaraj or Konstantinoff. But it was far more difficultfor the travellers to pass the mob with its wild parties of herdsmen,ignorant, drunk, and having almost no idea of the ensigns given bycolonels for a safe conduct. Had it not been for Helena, thesehalf-savage people would have taken Zagloba, Volodyovski, and Jendzianfor their own,--in fact they did so even as it was; but Helenaattracted universal attention by her sex and unusual beauty, hence thedangers had to be overcome with the greatest care.
At one time Zagloba showed the baton, at another Volodyovski his teeth,and more than one corpse fell behind them. A number of times theunapproachable steeds of Burlai alone saved them from too grievousadventure, and the journey so favorable at the beginning grew moredifficult each day. Helena, although brave by nature, began to fail inhealth from continual alarm and sleeplessness, and looked in truth likea captive dragged against her will into the tent of an enemy. Zaglobaexerted himself savagely, and was continually inventing new stratagemswhich the little knight put into practice at once; both of themconsoled the princess as best they could.
"We have only to pass the swarm which is now in front," saidVolodyovski, "and reach Zbaraj, before Hmelnitski with the Tartarsfills the region about."
They learned on the road that the commanders had concentrated atZbaraj, and intended to defend themselves there. They went to thatplace, expecting justly that Prince Yeremi would come to the commanderswith his division, since a part of his forces (and that a considerableone) had its permanent post at Zbaraj. The swarms grew thinner on theroad, for the country occupied by the squadrons of the Crown began onlyfifty miles beyond. The Cossack parties did not dare therefore to pushon farther; they preferred to wait, at a safe distance, the arrival ofBurlai from one and Hmelnitski from the other side.
"Only fifty miles now! only fifty miles!" repeated Zagloba, rubbing hishands. "If we could but reach the first Polish squadrons, we might goto Zbaraj in safety."
But Volodyovski determined to supply himself with fresh horses atPloskiri, for those which he had bought at Barek were already useless,and it was necessary to spare Burlai's steeds for a black hour. Thisprecaution became imperative, since news came that Hmelnitski wasalready at Konstantinoff, and the Khan with all his hordes was movingfrom Pilavtsi.
"Jendzian and I will remain here with the princess near the town, forit is better not to show ourselves on the market-place," said thelittle knight to Zagloba, when they came to a deserted house about twofurlongs from the town, "and you go and inquire if there are horses forsale or exchange. It is evening now, but we will travel all night."
"I'll return soon," said Zagloba.
He went to the town. Volodyovski told Jendzian to let out thesaddle-girths a little, so that the horses might rest; then heconducted Helena into the house, begging her to strengthen herself withsome wine and with sleep.
"I should like to pass those fifty miles before daybreak to-morrow,"said he; "then we shall all rest."
But he had scarcely brought the wine-skin and food when there was aclatter in front of the house. The little knight looked out through thewindow.
"Zagloba has already returned," said he; "it is evident that he hasfound no horses."
The door opened that moment, and Zagloba appeared in it, pale, blue,sweating, puffing. "To horse!" he cried.
Volodyovski was too experienced a soldier to lose time on inquiries. Hedidn't lose it even in saving the skin of wine,--which Zagloba carriedoff nevertheless,--but he seized the princess with all haste, took herout, put her on the saddle, gave a last look to see if the girths weredrawn, and cried, "Forward!"
The hoofs clattered, and soon horses an
d riders had vanished in thedarkness like a party in a dream. They flew on a long time withoutrest, till at last nearly five miles of road separated them fromPloskiri. Before the rising of the moon darkness became so dense thatevery pursuit was impossible. Volodyovski drew near Zagloba, andasked,--
"What was the matter?"
"Wait, Pan Michael, wait! I am terribly blown. I came near losing theuse of my legs. Uf!"
"But what was the matter?"
"The devil in his own person,--the devil or a dragon! If you cut onehead off him, another will grow."
"But speak plainly!"
"I saw Bogun on the market-square."
"Are you mad?"
"I saw him on the square, as I live, and with him five or six men, forI nearly lost the use of my legs. They held torches for him, and Ithought, 'Some devil is standing in our road.' I lost all hope of asuccessful end to our undertaking. Can this imp of hell be immortal, orwhat? Don't speak of him to Helena. Oh, for God's sake, you slew him;Jendzian gave him up! That wasn't enough; he is alive now, free, andstands in the way. Oh, my God, my God! I tell you, Pan Michael, that Iwould rather see a ghost in a graveyard than him. And what devilishluck that I am the first to meet him everywhere! It's luck to cram downa dog's throat. Are there no other people in the world? Let others meethim. No! always I, and I."
"But did he see you?"
"If he had seen me, Pan Michael, you wouldn't be looking at me now.That alone was wanting."
"It would be important to know whether he is chasing after us, or isgoing to Valadinka to Horpyna with the intention of seizing us on theroad."
"It seems to me that he is going to Valadinka."
"It must be so. Then we shall go on in one direction and he in theopposite; now there are five miles and more between us, and soon therewill be twenty-five. Before he hears about us on the road, and returns,we shall be not only in Zbaraj, but in Jolkvi."
"Your speech, Pan Michael, thank God! is like a plaster to me. But tellme how it can be that he is free, when Jendzian gave him into the handsof the commandant of Vlodava?"
"Oh, he simply ran away!"
"The head of a commandant like that should be struck off. Jendzian!Jendzian!"
"What do you wish, my master?" asked the youth, reining in his horse.
"To whom did you deliver Bogun?"
"To Pan Rogovski."
"And who is this Pan Rogovski?"
"He is a great knight, a colonel of an armored regiment of the king."
"There it is for you!" said Volodyovski, snapping his fingers. "Don'tyou remember what Pan Longin told about Skshetuski's enmity withRogovski? He is a relative of Pan Lashch, on account of whose disgracehe has a hatred for Skshetuski."
"I understand, I understand!" shouted Zagloba. "He is the one who musthave let Bogun out through spite. But that is a capital offence, andsmells of death. I'll be the first to report it."
"If God lets me meet him," muttered Volodyovski, "we shall be sure notto go to a tribunal."
Jendzian did not know yet what the trouble was, for after his answer hepushed forward again to the princess.
They were riding slowly. The moon had risen; the mists, which sinceevening had settled upon the land, fell away, and the night becameclear. Volodyovski was sunk in meditation. Zagloba was digesting forsome time yet the remnants of his astonishment; at last he said,--
"Bogun would have given it to Jendzian now if he had caught him."
"Tell him the news; let him be afraid too, and I'll go immediately tothe princess," answered the little knight.
"Here, Jendzian!"
"Well, what is it?" asked the youth, reining in his horse again.
Zagloba came up with him. He was silent for a while, waiting forVolodyovski and the princess to ride far enough away. At last he asked:"Do you know what has happened?"
"No."
"Pan Rogovski set Bogun at liberty. I saw him in Ploskiri."
"In Ploskiri? To-day?" asked Jendzian.
"Yes. Why don't you drop from the saddle?"
The rays of the moon fell straight on the round face of the youth, andZagloba saw on it not terror, but, to his utmost astonishment, thatexpression of stern, almost brutal stubbornness which Jendzian had whenhe killed Horpyna.
"Well, are you not afraid of Bogun?"
"My master," answered the youth, "if Pan Rogovski has let him go, thenI must seek revenge on him again myself for the wrong done me and theinsult. I do not forgive him, for I took an oath; and if we were notconducting the lady, I should turn back on the road at once. Let whatbelongs to me be mine."
"I am glad not to have offended this young fellow."
They spurred their horses, and soon came up with the princess andVolodyovski. In an hour they turned through the Medvedovka and entereda forest extending from the very bank of the river in two black wallsalong the road.
"I know the neighborhood well," said Zagloba. "There will soon be anend to this forest; after it is about a mile and a quarter of levelland, and then another forest still larger extending to Matchin. Godgrant us to find Polish squadrons there!"
"It is high time that rescue came," muttered Volodyovski.
They rode awhile in silence over a road clearly lighted by the rays ofthe moon.
"Two wolves have run across," said Helena, suddenly.
"Yes," said Volodyovski, "and here is a third."
The gray shadow shot across a little more than a hundred rods in frontof the horses.
"There is a fourth," said the princess.
"No, that is a deer. Look,--two, three!"
"What the devil!" cried Zagloba. "Deer chasing wolves! The world, Isee, is overturned."
"Let us go a little faster," cried Volodyovski, with a voice of alarm."Jendzian, come this way and go ahead with the lady!"
They shot on; but Zagloba bent forward as they rode to Volodyovski'sear, and inquired: "Pan Michael, what tidings?"
"Evil!" answered the little knight. "You have seen wild beasts rushingfrom their lairs and escaping in the night."
"But what does that mean?"
"It means that they are frightened."
"Who frightens them?"
"Troops, Cossack or Tartar, are coming toward us from the right hand."
"But it may be our squadrons?"
"Impossible, for the beasts are fleeing from the east, from Pilavtsi.Doubtless, then, the Tartars are marching in a wide body."
"Let us flee, Pan Michael, in God's name!"
"There is no help. Oh, if the princess were not here, we could go quitenear them; but with her the passage will be very difficult if they seteyes on us."
"Have the fear of God, Pan Michael. Shall we turn to the woods and runafter the wolves, or what?"
"Impossible; for though the enemy would not reach us at once, theywould deluge the country in front of us, and then how should weescape?"
"May brimstone thunderbolts shake them! This alone was wanting to us.Oh, Pan Michael, are you not mistaken? You know wolves follow an army;they do not run before it."
"Those at the flanks follow the army and gather in from every side, butthose in front get frightened. Look! on the right, between the trees,there is a fire."
"Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews!"
"Silence! Is there much more of this forest?"
"We shall be at the end in a moment."
"And then a field?"
"Yes, O Jesus!"
"No noise! Beyond the field there is another forest?"
"Extending to Matchin."
"We shall be all right if they don't overtake us in this field. If wereach the second forest in safety, we are at home. Let us go togetherthen. Luckily the princess and Jendzian are on Burlai's horses."
They put spurs to the horses, and joined the princess and Jendzian.
"What fire is that on the right?" asked the princess.
"There is no use in hiding it from you; that may be Tartars."
"Jesus, Mary!"
"Have no fear. My neck for it, w
e shall escape them, and our squadronsare in Matchin."
"For God's sake, let us be off!" said Jendzian.
They were silent, and sped on like ghosts. The trees began to growthinner; they were reaching the end of the forest, and the fire wassomewhat dimmer too. Suddenly Helena turned to Volodyovski.
"Swear to me, gentlemen," said she, "that I shall not go alive intotheir hands."
"You will not," said Volodyovski, "while I am alive."
They had barely passed the end and come into an open field about a milein width, and on the other side of it another line of forest stooddark. That bald space of earth open on every side was all silvered overfrom the rays of the moon. All things were as visible on it as in thedaytime.
"This is the worst piece of road," whispered Volodyovski to Zagloba;"for if they are in Chorni Ostroff, they will pass between theseforests."
Zagloba gave no answer; he only pressed the horse with his heels.
They had run to the middle of the field, the opposite forest wasgrowing nearer each moment and more distinct, when suddenly the littleknight stretched out his hand to the east. "Look!" said he to Zagloba;"do you see?"
"Some kind of branches and thicket in the distance."
"Those branches are moving. Now on, on, push on! for they see us beyonda doubt."
The wind whistled past the ears of the fleeing; the forest of salvationdrew nearer each instant.
All at once out of that dark mass approaching from the right side ofthe field flew on as it were the roar of sea waves, and the next momentone great shout rent the air.
"They see us!" bellowed Zagloba. "Dogs, ruffians, devils, wolves,scoundrels!"
The forest was so near that the fugitives almost felt its cold, austerebreath; but also the cloud of Tartars became each moment more clearlyoutlined, and from the dark body of it long arms began to push out likethe horns of some gigantic monster, and approached the fugitives withinconceivable rapidity. The trained ear of Volodyotski alreadydistinguished clearly: "Allah! Allah!"
"My horse has stumbled!" shouted Zagloba.
"That is nothing!" cried Volodyovski
But through his head that moment there flew like thunderbolts thequestions: "What will happen if the horses do not hold out? What willhappen if one of them falls?" They were valiant Tartar steeds of ironendurance, but they had come already from Ploskiri, resting but littleon that wild flight from the town to the first forest. They might, itis true, take the led horses, but they too were tired. "What is to bedone?" thought Volodyovski; and his heart throbbed with alarm,--perhapsfor the first time in his life,--not for himself, but for Helena, whomduring that long journey he had come to love as his own sister. And heknew too that the Tartars when they had once begun pursuit would notrelinquish it very soon. "Let them keep on, they will not catch her,"said he, setting his teeth.
"My horse has stumbled!" cried Zagloba a second time.
"That is nothing!" answered Volodyovski again.
They were now in the forest, darkness around them; but single Tartarhorsemen were not farther than a few hundred yards behind. But thelittle knight knew now what to do.
"Jendzian," cried he, "turn with the lady to the first path leading outof the highway."
"Good, my master!"
The little knight turned to Zagloba. "Pistol in hand!" At the sametime, seizing the bridle of Zagloba's horse, he began to restrain hiscourse.
"What are you doing?" cried the noble.
"Nothing! Hold in your horse!"
The distance between them and Jendzian, who had escaped with Helena,increased every moment. At last he came with her to a point where thehighway turned rather sharply toward Zbaraj, and straight ahead lay anarrow forest-trail half hidden by branches. Jendzian rushed into it,and in a twinkle the two had disappeared in the thicket and the gloom.
Meanwhile Volodyovski had stopped his own horse and Zagloba's.
"In the name of God's mercy, what are you doing?" roared Zagloba.
"We delay the pursuit. There is no other salvation for the princess."
"We shall perish!"
"Let us perish. Stop here right by the side of the road,--right here!"
Both stood close under the trees in the darkness; presently the mightythumping of Tartar horses approached and roared like a storm till thewhole forest was filled with it.
"It has come!" said Zagloba, raising the skin of wine to his mouth. Hedrank and drank, then shook himself. "In the name of the Father, Son,and Holy Ghost," coughed he. "I am ready for death."
"This minute! this minute!" cried Volodyovski. "Three of them areriding in advance; that is what I wanted."
In fact three horsemen appeared on the clear road, mounted evidently onthe best horses,--"wolf-hunters," so called in the Ukraine, for theycame up with wolves in the chase,--and two or three hundred yardsbehind them a few hundred others, and still farther a whole densethrong of the horde.
When the first three came in front of the ambush two shots weredischarged; then Volodyovski sprang like a panther into the middle ofthe road, and before Zagloba had time to think what was done the thirdTartar was on the ground.
"Forward!" shouted the little knight.
Zagloba did not let the order be repeated, and they rushed over theroad like a pair of wolves hunted by a pack of angry dogs. That momentthe other Tartars hastened to the corpses, and seeing that those huntedwolves could bite to death they curbed their horses a little, waitingfor their comrades.
"As you see, I knew that I should stop them," said Volodyovski.
But although the fugitives gained a few hundred steps, the interruptionin the chase did not last long. Only the Tartars pressed on in a largercrowd, not pushing forward singly.
The horses of the fugitives were wearied by the long road, and theirspeed slackened, especially that of Zagloba's horse, which bearing sucha considerable burden stumbled once and twice. What there was left ofthe old man's hair stood on end at the thought that he should fall.
"Pan Michael, dearest Pan Michael, do not abandon me!" cried he, indespair.
"Oh, be of good heart!" answered the little knight.
"May the wolves tear this hor--"
He had not finished this sentence when the first arrow hissed near hisear, and after it others began to hiss and whistle and sing as if theywere horseflies and bees. One passed so near that its head almostgrazed Zagloba's ear.
Volodyovski turned and again fired twice from his pistol at thepursuers.
Zagloba's horse stumbled now so heavily that his nostrils were almostburied in the earth.
"By the living God, my horse is dying!" shouted he, in a heart-rendingvoice.
"From the saddle to the woods!" thundered Volodyovski.
Having given this order, he stopped his own horse, sprang off, and amoment later he and Zagloba vanished in the darkness. But this movementdid not escape the slanting eyes of the Tartars, and several tens ofthem springing from their horses also gave chase. The branches tore thecap from Zagloba's head, beat him on the face and caught his coat, butputting his feet behind his belt he made off as if he were thirty yearsof age. Sometimes he fell, but he was up again and off quicker thanever, puffing like a bellows. At last he fell into a deep hole, andfelt that he could not crawl out again, for his strength had failed himcompletely.
"Where are you?" called Volodyovski, in a low voice.
"Down here! It's all over with me,--save me, Pan Michael."
Volodyovski sprang without hesitation to the hole and clapped his handon Zagloba's mouth: "Be silent! perhaps they will pass us! We willdefend ourselves anyhow."
By that time the Tartars came up. Some of them did in fact pass thehole, thinking that the fugitives had gone farther; others went slowly,examining the trees and looking around on every side. The knights heldthe breath in their breasts.
"Let some one fall in here," thought Zagloba, in despair; "I'll fall onhim."
Just then sparks scattered on every side; the Tartars began to strikefire. By the flash their
wild faces could be seen, with their puffedcheeks and lips sticking out, blowing the lighted tinder. For a timethey kept going around a few tens of steps from the hole likeill-omened forest phantoms, drawing nearer and nearer.
But at the last moment wonderful sounds of some sort, murmurs, andconfused cries began to come from the highway and to rouse theslumbering depths. The Tartars stopped striking fire, and stood as ifrooted to the earth. Volodyovski's hand was biting into the shoulder ofZagloba.
The cries increased, and suddenly red lights burst forth, and with themwas heard a salvo of musketry,--once, twice, three times,--followed byshouts of "Allah!" the clatter of sabres, the neighing of horses,tramping, and confused uproar. A battle was raging on the road.
"Ours, ours!" shouted Volodyovski.
"Slay! kill! strike! cut! slaughter!" bellowed Zagloba.
A second later a number of Tartars rushed past the hole in the wildestdisorder, and vanished in the direction of their party. Volodyovski didnot restrain himself; he sprang after them, and pressed on in thethicket and darkness.
Zagloba remained at the bottom of the hole. He tried to crawl up, butcould not. All his bones were aching, and he was barely able to standon his feet.
"Ah, scoundrels!" said he, looking around on every side, "you havefled; it is a pity some one of you did not stay,-- I should havecompany in this hole, and I would show him where pepper grows! Oh,pagan trash, they are cutting you up like beasts this minute! Oh, forGod's sake, the uproar is increasing every moment! I wish that Yeremihimself were here; he would warm you. You are shouting, 'Allah! Allah!'The wolves will shout 'Allah!' over your carrion pretty soon. But thatPan Michael should leave me here alone! Well, nothing wonderful; he iseager, for he is young. After this last adventure I would follow himanywhere, for he is not a friend to leave one in distress. He is awasp! In one minute he stung three! If at least I had that wine-skinwith me! But those devils have surely taken it, or the horses havetrampled it. Besides insects are devouring me in this ditch! What'sthat?"
The shouts and discharges of musketry began to recede in the directionof the field and the first forest.
"Ah, ah!" thought Zagloba, "they are on their necks. Oh, dog-brothers,you could not hold out! Praise be to God in the highest!"
The shouts receded farther and farther.
"They ride lustily," muttered he. "But I see that I shall have to sitin this ditch. It only remains now for the wolves to eat me. Bogun tobegin with, then the Tartars, and wolves at the end! God grant a staketo Bogun and madness to the wolves! Our men will take care of theTartars not in the worst fashion. Pan Michael! Pan Michael!"
Silence gave answer to Zagloba; only the pines murmured, and from afarcame the sounds fainter and fainter.
"Shall I lie down to sleep here, or what? May the devil take it! PanMichael!"
But Zagloba's patience had a long trial yet, for dawn was in the skywhen the clatter of hoofs was heard again on the road and lights shonein the forest.
"Pan Michael, I am here!"
"Crawl out."
"But I cannot."
Volodyovski with a torch in his hand stood over the hole, and givinghis hand to Zagloba, said: "Well, the Tartars are gone; we drove themto the other forest."
"But who came up?"
"Kushel and Roztvorovski, with two thousand horse. My dragoons are withthem too."
"Were there many of the Pagans?"
"A couple of thousand."
"Praise be to God! Give me something to drink, for I am faint."
Two hours later Zagloba, having eaten and drunk what he needed; wassitting on a comfortable saddle in the midst of Volodyovski's dragoons,and at his side rode the little knight, who said,--
"Do not worry; for though we shall not come to Zbaraj in company withthe princess, it would have been worse if she had fallen into the handsof the heathen."
"But perhaps Jendzian will come back yet to Zbaraj."
"He will not. The highway will be occupied; the party which we droveback will return soon and follow us. Besides Burlai may appear at anymoment before Jendzian could come in. Hmelnitski and the Khan aremarching on the other side from Konstantinoff."
"Oh, for God's sake! Then he will fall into a trap with the princess."
"Jendzian has wit enough to spring through between Zbaraj andKonstantinoff in time, and not let the regiments of Hmelnitski nor theparties of the Khan catch him. You see I have great confidence in hissuccess."
"God grant it!"
"He is a cunning lad, just like a fox. You have no lack of stratagem,but he is more cunning. We split our heads a great deal over plans torescue the girl, but in the end our hands dropped, and through him thewhole has been directed. He'll slip out this time like a snake, for itis a question of his own life. Have confidence,--for God, who saved herso many times, is over her now; and remember that in Zbaraj you bade mehave confidence when Zakhar came."
Zagloba was strengthened somewhat by these words of Pan Michael, andthen fell into deep thought.
"Pan Michael," he said after a time, "have you asked Kushel whatSkshetuski is doing?"
"He is in Zbaraj, and well; he came from Prince Koretski's withZatsvilikhovski."
"But what shall we tell him?"
"Ah, there is the rub!"
"Does he think yet that the girl was killed in Kieff?"
"He does."
"Have you told Kushel or any one else where we are coming from?"
"I have not, for I thought it better to take counsel first."
"I should prefer to say nothing of the whole affair. If the girl shouldfall again into Cossack or Tartar hands (which God forbid!), it wouldbe a new torture, just as if some one were to tear open all hiswounds."
"I'll give my head that Jendzian takes her through."
"I should gladly give my own to have him do so; but misfortune ragesnow in the world like a pestilence. Better be silent, and leaveeverything to the will of God."
"So let it be. But will not Podbipienta give the secret to Skshetuski?"
"Don't you know him? He gave his word of honor, which for thatLithuanian is sacred."
Here Kushel joined them. They rode on together, talking, by the firstrays of the rising sun, of public affairs, of the arrival at Zbaraj ofthe commanders in consequence of Yeremi's wishes, of the impendingarrival of the prince himself, and the inevitable and awful strugglewith the whole power of Hmelnitski.