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

would not befit him, on the eve of marriage, to be a brother to slaves. He wishes, too, that I should adopt him and give him my arms. That is very excellent triple mead!”

“Take another drink of it.”

“I will, I will. They don’t sell such mead as that behind tavern-signs.”

“You did not ask, perhaps, the name of the lady whom Bogun wants to marry?”

“Well, my dear sir, what do I care about her name? I know only that when I put horns on Bogun, she will be Madame Deer. In my youthful years I was a fellow of no ordinary beauty. Only let me tell you how I carried off the palm of martyrdom in Galáts. You see that hole in my forehead? It is enough for me to say that the eunuchs in the harem of the local pasha made it.”

“But you said the bullet of a robber made it.”

“Did I? Then I told the truth; for every Turk is a robber, as God is my aid!”

Further conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Zatsvilikhovski.

“Well, my dear lieutenant,” said the old man, “the boats are ready, you have trusty men for attendants; you can start, in God’s name, this moment, if you like. And here are the letters.”

“Then I’ll tell my people to be off for the shore at once.”

“But where are you going?” asked Zagloba.

“To Kudák.”

“It will be hot for you there.”

The lieutenant did not hear his prophecy, for he went out of the room into the court, where the Cossacks with horses were almost ready for the road.

“To horse and to the shore!” commanded Pan Yan. “Put the horses on the boats, and wait for me.”

Meanwhile the old man said to Zagloba: “I hear that you court the Cossack colonels, and drink with them.”

“For the public good, most worthy standard-bearer.”

“You have a nimble mind, but inclining rather to disgrace. You wish to bring the Cossacks to your side in their cups, so they may befriend you in case they win.”

“Even if that were true, having been a martyr to the Turks, I do not wish to become one to the Cossacks; and there is nothing wonderful in that, for two mushrooms would spoil the best soup. And as to disgrace, I ask no one to drink it with me⁠—I drink it alone; and God grant that it taste no worse than this mead. Merit, like oil, must come to the top.”

At that moment Skshetuski returned. “The men have started already,” said he.

Zatsvilikhovski poured out a measure. “Here is to a pleasant journey!”

“And a return in health!” added Zagloba.

“You will have an easy journey, for the water is tremendous.”

“Sit down, gentlemen, and drink the rest. It is not a large vessel.”

They sat down and drank.

“You will see a curious country,” said Zatsvilikhovski. “Greet Pan Grodzitski in Kudák for me. Ah, that is a soldier! He lives at the end of the world, far from the eyes of the hetman, and he maintains such order that God grant its like might be in the whole Commonwealth. I know Kudák and the Cataracts well. Years ago I used to travel there, and there is gloom on the soul when one thinks of what is past and gone; but now⁠—”

Here the standard-bearer rested his milk-white head on his hand, and fell into deep thought. A moment of silence followed, broken only by the tramp of horses heard at the gate; for the rest of Skshetuski’s men were going to the boats at the shore.

“My God!” said Zatsvilikhovski, starting from his meditation; “and there were better times formerly, though in the midst of turmoil. I remember Khotím, twenty-seven years ago, as if it were today! When the hussars under Lyubomirski moved to attack the janissaries, then the Cossacks in the trenches threw up their caps and shouted to Sahaidachny, till the earth trembled, ‘Let us die with the Poles!’ And what do we see today? Today the lower country, which should be the first bulwark of Christendom, lets Tartars into the boundaries of the Commonwealth, to fall upon them when they are returning with booty. It is still worse; for Hmelnitski allies himself directly with Tartars, with whom he will murder Christians.”

“Let us drink by reason of this sorrow!” said Zagloba. “What triple mead this is!”

“God grant me the grave as soon as possible!” said the old man, continuing. “Mutual crimes will be washed out in blood, but not blood of atonement, for here brother will murder brother. Who are in the lower country? Russians. Who in the army of Prince Yeremi? Russians. Who in the retinues of the magnates? Russians. And are there few of them in the king’s camp? And I myself⁠—who am I? Oh, unhappy Ukraine! pagans of the Crimea will put the chain upon thy neck, and thou wilt pull the oar in the galley of the Turk!”

“Grieve not so, worthy standard-bearer,” said Pan Yan; “if you do, tears will come to our eyes. A fair sun may shine upon us yet!”

In fact, the sun was going down that very moment, and its last rays fell with a red gleam on the white hair of the old man. In the town the bells began to ring “Ave Maria” and “Praise to God.”

They left the house. Skshetuski went to the Polish church, Zatsvilikhovski to the Russian, and Zagloba to Dopula’s at the Bell-ringers’ Corner.

It was dark when they met again at the shore by the landing. Skshetuski’s men were sitting already in the boats. The ferrymen were still carrying in packages. The cold wind blew from the neighboring point where the river entered the Dnieper, and the night gave no promise of being very pleasant. By the light of the fire burning on the bank, the water of the river looked bloody, and seemed to be running with immeasurable speed somewhere into the unknown gloom.

“Well, happy journey to you!” said the old man, pressing the lieutenant’s hand heartily; “but be careful of yourself!”

“I will neglect nothing. God grant us