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

already,” said Zagloba to Volodyovski and Podbipienta, while sitting in Skshetuski’s quarters⁠—“an evident miracle, I say, in permitting me to wrest her from the grasp of those dogs and to guard her the whole way. Let us hope that he will be merciful to her and to us once more. If she is only living! Something whispers to me that Bogun has carried her away; for just think, the informants tell us that after Pulyan he has become the second in command⁠—may the devils command him!⁠—therefore he must have been present at the taking of Bar.”

“He might not have found her in that crowd of unfortunates, for twelve thousand people were cut to pieces there,” said Volodyovski.

“Oh, you don’t know him! I would swear that he knew she was in Bar. It cannot be but he has saved her from slaughter and taken her somewhere.”

“You do not give us much consolation; for in Skshetuski’s place, I should rather have her perish than fall into his scoundrelly hands.”

“The other is no consolation; for if she has perished, she was disgraced.”

“Desperation!” exclaimed Volodyovski.

“Desperation!” repeated Pan Longin.

Zagloba pulled his beard; at last he burst out: “May the mange devour the whole race of curs! May the Pagans twist bowstrings out of their entrails! God created all nations, but the devil created these sons of Sodom. May barrenness strike the trash!”

“I did not know that sweet lady,” said Volodyovski, gloomily, “but I would that misfortune met me rather than her.”

“Once in my life I saw her,” said Pan Longin; “but when I think of her, life is a burden of regret.”

“You describe your own feelings,” said Zagloba; “but what do you think of me, who loved her like a father, and rescued her from that misery⁠—what do you think of me?”

“And what do you think of Pan Yan?” asked Volodyovski.

The knights were in despair and sank into silence. Zagloba came to himself first.

“Is there no help?” he asked.

“If there is no help, it is our duty to take vengeance,” said Volodyovski.

“Oh, if God would only give a general battle!” sighed Pan Longin. “It is said that the Tartars have already crossed the river, and formed a camp in the steppe.”

“We cannot leave her,” said Zagloba, “the poor thing, without undertaking something for her rescue. I have battered my old bones around the world enough already; it would be better for me now to lie somewhere in a baker’s shop quietly, for warmth’s sake! But for her I would go again even to Stamboul; I would put on a peasant’s coat again and take a lute, on which I cannot look without disgust.”

“You are fertile in stratagems; think of something,” said Podbipienta.

“A great many plans have gone through my head already. If Prince Dominik had half as many, Hmelnitski would be disembowelled and hanging by the legs on a gibbet. I have already spoken of this to Skshetuski, but you can say nothing to him at present. Sorrow has seared him, and drags him down more than sickness. You see to it that his reason is not disturbed. It often happens that from great grief the mind, like wine, changes until it is completely soured.”

“Yes, yes!” answered Pan Longin.

Volodyovski started up impatiently, and asked: “What are your plans then?”

“My plans? Well, first we must find out whether she⁠—poor dear, may the angels guard her from every evil!⁠—is alive yet; and this we can do in two ways⁠—either we shall find among the Prince’s Cossacks trusty and sure men, who will undertake to escape to the Cossacks, mingle among Bogun’s men, and find out something from them⁠—”

“I have Russian dragoons,” interrupted Volodyovski, “I will find such men.”

“Wait a moment!⁠—or catch an informant from those scoundrels who took Bar; maybe they know something. They all look at Bogun as at a rainbow, because his devilish daring pleases them; they sing songs about him⁠—may their throats rot!⁠—and one talks to another about what he did and what he didn’t do. If he has carried off our unfortunate lady, then it is not hidden from them.”

“Well, we can send men to inquire, and to catch an informant also,” remarked Podbipienta.

“You have struck the point. If we discover that she is alive, that is the chief thing. Now, since you wish sincerely to help Pan Yan, put yourself under my orders, for I have most experience. We will disguise ourselves as peasants, and try to find out where he has concealed her, and once we know that, my head for it, we shall get her. I and Pan Yan risk most, for Bogun knows us, and if he should catch us, our own mothers wouldn’t recognize us afterward, but he hasn’t seen either of you.”

“He has seen me,” said Podbipienta, “but that is nothing.”

“Maybe too the Lord will give him into our hands,” said Volodyovski.

“Well, I don’t want to look at him,” said Zagloba; “may the hangman look at him! We must begin carefully, so as not to spoil the whole undertaking. It cannot be that he alone knows of her concealment, and I assure you, gentlemen, that it is safer to inquire of someone else.”

“Maybe too the men whom we send out will discover. If the prince only permits, I will select trusty men, and send them even tomorrow.”

“The prince will permit it; but that they will discover anything, I doubt. Listen, gentlemen! another method occurs to me⁠—instead of sending out people or seizing informants, to disguise ourselves as peasants and start without delay.”

“Oh, that is impossible!” cried Volodyovski.

“Why impossible?”

“Don’t you know military service? When a body of troops is mustered nemine excepto, it is sacred. Even if his father and mother were dying, a soldier would not ask leave of absence, for before battle this would be the greatest deed of disgrace which a soldier could commit. After a general engagement, when the enemy is defeated it is permissible, but not before. And consider, Skshetuski at first wanted to rush off, fly away, and rescue her,