With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz (big ebook reader .txt) 📕

to lay hands on. But don’t be angry with me because I did not deliver in Rozlogi the letter which you wrote in Kudák. That rascal, Bogun, took it from me, and had it not been for that fat noble I should have lost my life.”

“I know, I know. It is not your fault. That fat noble is in the camp. He has told me everything just as it was. He has also stolen from Bogun the lady, who is in good health and living at Bar.”

“Praise be to God for that! I knew too that Bogun didn’t get her. Then of course the wedding is not far away?”

“It is not. From here we shall go by orders to Tarnopol, and from there to Bar.”

“Thanks be to God on high! He will surely hang himself, that Bogun; but a witch has already foretold him that he will never get her of whom he is thinking, and that a Pole will have her. That Pole is surely you.”

“How do you know this?”

“I heard it. I must tell you everything in order, and do you dress, my master, for they are cooking breakfast for you. When I was going in the boat from Kudák we were a long time sailing, for it was against the current, and besides the boat got injured, and we had to repair it. We were going on then, going on, my master, going on⁠—”

“Go on! go on!” interrupted Skshetuski, impatiently.

“And we came to Chigirin; and what happened to me there you know already.”

“I do.”

“I was lying there in the stable without a sight of God’s world. And then Hmelnitski came immediately after the departure of Bogun, with a tremendous Zaporojian force. And as the Grand Hetman had previously punished a great many Chigirin people for their love to the Zaporojians, many of them were killed and wounded. Therefore the Cossacks thought that I was from Chigirin. They didn’t kill me, but gave me necessary provisions and care, and didn’t let the Tartars take me, though they let them do everything else. When I came to myself I began to think what I was to do. Those rascals by this time had gone to Korsún and defeated the hetmans. Oh, my master, what my eyes saw is not to be described. They concealed nothing from me, knew no shame, because they took me for one of themselves. I was thinking whether to flee or not, but I saw it would be safer to remain until a better opportunity should offer itself. When they began to bring in from the battlefield at Korsún cloths, silver, plate, precious stones, oh, my master, my heart nearly burst, and my eyes almost came out of my head. Such robbers!⁠—they sold six silver spoons for a thaler, and later for a quart of vudka; a golden button or brooch or a hat cockade you might buy with a pint. Then I thought to myself: ‘Why should I sit idle? Let me make something. With God’s help I will return some time to the Jendzians at Podlesia, where my parents are living. I will give this to them, for they have a lawsuit with the Yavorskis, which has been going on now for fifty years, and they have nothing to continue it with.’ I bought then so much stuff of every kind that it took two horses to carry it. This was the consolation of my sorrows, for I was terribly grieved on your account.”

“Oh, Jendzian, you are always the same; you must have profit out of everything.”

“What is the harm, if God has blessed me? I do not steal; and if you gave me a purse for the road to Rozlogi, here it is. I ought to return it, for I didn’t go to Rozlogi.”

Saying this, the young fellow unbuckled his belt, took out the purse, and placed it before the knight. Skshetuski smiled and said⁠—

“Since you had such good luck, you are surely richer than I; but keep the purse.”

“I thank you very humbly. I have collected a little, with God’s favor. My father and mother will be glad, and my grandfather, who is now ninety years old. But they will continue their lawsuit with the Yavorskis till the last penny, and send them out with packs on their backs. You will also be the gainer, for I shall not mention that belt you promised me in Kudák, though it suited me well.”

“Yes, for you have already reminded me! Oh, such a son of a ⸻! A regular insatiable wolf! I don’t know where that belt is; but if I promised, I will give you, if not that one, another.”

“I thank you, my master,” said he, embracing Skshetuski’s knees.

“No need of that! Go on; tell what happened!”

“The Lord then sent me some profit among the robbers. But I was tormented from not knowing what had happened to you, and lest Bogun had carried off the lady; till they brought me word that he was lying in Cherkasi barely alive, wounded by the prince’s men. I went to Cherkasi, since, as you are aware, I know how to make plasters and dress wounds. The Cossacks knew that I could do this. Well, Donyéts, a colonel, sent me to Cherkasi, and went with me himself to nurse that robber. There a burden fell from my heart, for I heard that our young lady had escaped with that noble. I went then to Bogun. I was thinking, ‘Will he know me or not?’ But he was lying in a fever, and at first didn’t know me. Later on he knew me, and said, ‘You were going with a letter to Rozlogi?’ ‘Yes,’ I answered. Then he said again, ‘I struck you in Chigirin?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Then you serve Pan Skshetuski?’ ‘I am serving no one now,’ I replied. ‘I had more evil than good in that service, therefore I chose to go to the Cossacks for freedom; and I am nursing you now for