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

or the end of either the Poles or the Cossacks would surely come, for Father Hmelnitski and Yeremi were to meet. The whole country was as if on fire. All were rushing to arms and marching to the north to join Hmelnitski. From the lower Dniester, Burlai was advancing with his entire force; and along the road every regiment was in motion from garrisons, quarters, and pastures, for the order had come to all. They marched then in hundreds, in squadrons, in thousands; and at their flank rolled on like a river the mob, armed with flails, forks, knives, and pikes. Horseboys and herdsmen left their herds, settlers their lands, beekeepers their bees, wild fishermen their reeds by the Dnieper, 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 army Hmelnitski, like an ominous storm, crushing by the way with his mighty hand castles, great and small, and killing all who were left from the previous defeats.

Having passed Bar, full of gloomy reminiscences for the princess, our travellers took the highroad leading through Latichi and Ploskiri to Tarnopol, and farther to Lvoff. Now, they met more frequently, at one time regular tabors of wagons, at another detachments of Cossack infantry and cavalry; now parties of peasants; now countless herds of cattle surrounded with clouds of dust, and driven on as food for the Cossack and the Tartar armies. The road became dangerous, for they were asked continually what they wanted, whence they came, and where they were going. Zagloba showed the Cossack companies Burlai’s baton, and said⁠—

“We are sent from Burlai; we are taking Bogun’s wife.”

At sight of the baton of the terrible colonel, the Cossacks generally opened the way the more readily, since everyone understood that if Bogun was alive he must be near the forces of the commanders in the neighborhood of Zbaraj or Konstantinoff. But it was far more difficult for the travellers to pass the mob with its wild parties of herdsmen, ignorant, drunk, and having almost no idea of the ensigns given by colonels for a safe conduct. Had it not been for Helena, these half-savage people would have taken Zagloba, Volodyovski, and Jendzian for their own⁠—in fact they did so even as it was; but Helena attracted universal attention by her sex and unusual beauty, hence the dangers 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 the unapproachable steeds of Burlai alone saved them from too grievous adventure, and the journey so favorable at the beginning grew more difficult each day. Helena, although brave by nature, began to fail in health from continual alarm and sleeplessness, and looked in truth like a captive dragged against her will into the tent of an enemy. Zagloba exerted himself savagely, and was continually inventing new stratagems which the little knight put into practice at once; both of them consoled the princess as best they could.

“We have only to pass the swarm which is now in front,” said Volodyovski, “and reach Zbaraj, before Hmelnitski with the Tartars fills the region about.”

They learned on the road that the commanders had concentrated at Zbaraj, and intended to defend themselves there. They went to that place, expecting justly that Prince Yeremi would come to the commanders with his division, since a part of his forces (and that a considerable one) had its permanent post at Zbaraj. The swarms grew thinner on the road, for the country occupied by the squadrons of the Crown began only fifty miles beyond. The Cossack parties did not dare therefore to push on farther; they preferred to wait, at a safe distance, the arrival of Burlai from one and Hmelnitski from the other side.

“Only fifty miles now! only fifty miles!” repeated Zagloba, rubbing his hands. “If we could but reach the first Polish squadrons, we might go to Zbaraj in safety.”

But Volodyovski determined to supply himself with fresh horses at Ploskiri, for those which he had bought at Barek were already useless, and it was necessary to spare Burlai’s steeds for a black hour. This precaution became imperative, since news came that Hmelnitski was already at Konstantinoff, and the Khan with all his hordes was moving from Pilavtsi.

“Jendzian and I will remain here with the princess near the town, for it is better not to show ourselves on the marketplace,” said the little knight to Zagloba, when they came to a deserted house about two furlongs from the town, “and you go and inquire if there are horses for sale 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 the saddle-girths a little, so that the horses might rest; then he conducted Helena into the house, begging her to strengthen herself with some wine and with sleep.

“I should like to pass those fifty miles before daybreak tomorrow,” said he; “then we shall all rest.”

But he had scarcely brought the wineskin and food when there was a clatter in front of the house. The little knight looked out through the window.

“Zagloba has already returned,” said he; “it is evident that he has found 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. He didn’t lose it even in saving the skin of wine⁠—which Zagloba carried off nevertheless⁠—but he seized the princess with all haste, took her out, put her on the saddle, gave a last look to see if the girths were drawn, and cried, “Forward!”

The hoofs clattered, and soon horses and riders had vanished in the darkness like a party in a