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

He sat and sat. The evening was advancing. The Tartars arranged themselves for the night, made a fire, cooked pieces of horseflesh, and having satisfied their hunger, lay down on the ground.

But before an hour had passed they sprang to their feet again. From a distance came a noise like the sound made by a great number of cavalry when moving on a hurried march.

The Tartars fastened as quickly as possible a white cloth on a pole, and renewed the fire vigorously, so that it might be seen from a distance that they were messengers of peace.

The tramp and snorting of horses, the clatter of sabres, came nearer and nearer; and soon there appeared on the road a division of cavalry, which surrounded the Tartars at once.

A short parley followed. The Tartars pointed to a figure sitting on the rising ground⁠—which was perfectly visible, for the light of the moon fell on it⁠—and said they were escorting an envoy, but from whom he could tell best himself.

The leader of the division went with some of his companions to the rising ground, but had scarcely come up and looked into the face of the sitting man, when he opened his arms and cried⁠—

“Skshetuski! By the living God, it is Skshetuski!”

The lieutenant did not move.

“But, Lieutenant, don’t you know me? I am Bykhovets. What is the matter with you?”

The lieutenant was silent.

“Rouse yourself, for God’s sake! Here, comrade, come to your mind!”

This was really Pan Bykhovets, who was marching in the vanguard of all Vishnyevetski’s forces.

Other regiments came up. News of the discovery of Pan Yan spread like lightning in the regiments, therefore all hurried to greet their favorite comrade. Little Volodyovski, the two Sleshinskis, Dzik, Orpishevski, Migurski, Yakubovich, Lents, Pan Longin Podbipienta, and a number of other officers ran as fast as they could to the eminence. But they spoke in vain to him, called him by name, pulled him by the shoulders, tried to raise him up. Skshetuski looked on them with wide-open eyes, and recognized no man; or rather, on the contrary, he seemed to recognize them, but was completely indifferent to them. Then those who knew of his love for Helena⁠—and indeed all knew that⁠—remembered what place they were in; looking on the black ruins and the gray ashes, they understood all.

“He has lost his mind from grief,” said one.

“Despair has disturbed his mind.”

“Take him to the priest; when he sees him perhaps he will come to himself.”

Pan Longin wrung his hands. All surrounded the lieutenant and looked at him with sympathy. Some wiped away their tears, others sighed sadly; till suddenly a lofty figure appeared, and approaching quietly, placed his hands upon the lieutenant’s head. This was the priest, Mukhovetski.

All were silent and knelt down as if waiting for a miracle; but the priest performed no miracle. Holding his hands on Pan Yan’s head, he raised his eyes to the heavens, which were filled with the light of the moon, and began to pray aloud.

“ ‘Pater noster, qui es in cœlis! sanctificetur nomen tuum, adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua⁠—’ ” Here he stopped, and after a while repeated more loudly and solemnly: “ ‘Fiat voluntas tua!’ ” A deep silence reigned. “ ‘Fiat voluntas tua!’ ” repeated the priest for the third time.

From the mouth of Skshetuski came a voice of measureless pain, but also of resignation: “ ‘Sicut in cœlo, et in terra!’ ” Then the knight threw himself sobbing on the ground.

To explain what had taken place in Rozlogi, we must return to that night when Pan Yan sent Jendzian from Kudák with a letter to the old princess. The letter contained an earnest request to take Helena and seek with all haste the protection of Prince Yeremi at Lubni, since war might begin at any moment.

Jendzian, taking his place in the boat which Pan Grodzitski sent from Kudák for powder, made his way with slow advance, for they went up the river. At Kremenchug he met the forces sailing under command of Krechovski and Barabash, despatched by the hetmans against Hmelnitski. Jendzian had a meeting with Barabash, whom he informed of the possible danger to Pan Yan on his journey to the Saitch; therefore he begged the old colonel not to fail in making urgent demand for the envoy when he met Hmelnitski. After this he moved on.

They arrived in Chigirin at daylight. They were surrounded at once by a guard of Cossacks inquiring who they were. They answered that they were going from Kudák with a letter from Grodzitski to the hetmans. Notwithstanding this, the chief of the boat and Jendzian were summoned to answer the colonel.

“What colonel?” asked the chief.

“Loboda,” replied the essauls of the guard. “The Grand Hetman has ordered him to detain and examine everyone coming from the Saitch to Chigirin.”

They went. Jendzian walked on boldly, for he expected no harm since he was sent by authority of the hetman.

They were taken to the neighborhood of Bell-ringers’ Corner, to the house of Pan Jelenski, where Colonel Loboda’s quarters were. But they were informed that the colonel having set out at daybreak for Cherkasi, the lieutenant-colonel occupied his place. They waited rather long; at last the door opened, and the expected lieutenant-colonel appeared in the room. At the sight of him Jendzian’s knees trembled under him. It was Bogun.

The hetman’s power extended really to Chigirin; but since Loboda and Bogun had not yet gone over to Hmelnitski, but adhered publicly to the Commonwealth, the Grand Hetman had appointed them to Chigirin, and ordered them to maintain guard.

Bogun took his place at the table and began to question the newly arrived.

The chief of the boat, who brought a letter from Grodzitski, answered for himself and Jendzian. On examination of the letter, the young lieutenant-colonel began to inquire carefully what was to be heard in Kudák, and it was evident that he had a great desire to know why Grodzitski had sent men