Of course I took part in Mazeppa’s perfidy, and shared in its reward,
freedom and the favour of the Tsar, and presently profitable employment
under another Hetman.
We remained in Moscow a little while, and during that period I heard
that the Hetman Doroshenko, our late master, had been attacked in his
citadel by a large force of Tsar’s Cossacks; that he had been captured
and sent into exile. In that exile he died.
That Mazeppa was guilty of contributing in any way to his capture I will
not expressly declare. Let each man think as he will upon such matters.
The Tsar Alexis was greatly impressed by Mazeppa, treating him with
marked favour and kindness. He took little notice of me, regarding me as
a mere hanger-on or attendant of my companion, and Mazeppa’s manner,
under the sun of the Tsar’s regard, grew different towards me. He spoke
to me, from this time, with condescension and hauteur, rousing my
resentment at times almost to quarrelling point, though we always ended
in reconciliation.
And when I consider the surprising scheme, which at this time took root
and began to grow in Mazeppa’s brain--a scheme of ambition and
presumption indeed, even though he eventually brought one half of it to
pass, I am not surprised that he walked head-in-air.
The Tsar Alexis was, as I say, most gracious towards his new Cossack
convert. He saw in him, I doubt not, indications of certain qualities
which might be turned to the advantage of the State. Mazeppa was a plant
to be watered by Tsarish favour and counsel in order that it might one
day grow so great and so strong that it should give support to those who
desired to lean upon it. Now I discovered without intent the ambitious
ideas of my friend, and this by means of a quarrel with him which
ended--instead of in his overthrow or mine--in amazement and surprise on
my part so great that the quarrel died in the birth, for simple lack in
me either of tongue power or arm power to continue it.
We quarrelled because of his new manner towards me.
‘Come, Mazeppa,’ I said angrily--some word of mine having been
slightingly turned aside by him--‘enough of your new manner. I know
nothing in you which should justify this new assumption of superiority
over me, unless it be that you are a better traitor.’
‘Bah! traitor!’ said Mazeppa with scorn. ‘Must you for ever be a fool,
Chelminsky? Shall we not do the best for our own country? What matters
who is Hetman or whether a man dies, or a hundred men, if we are
learning meanwhile what is wisdom and what is folly?’
‘I am not a reader of riddles,’ said I, ‘but this I know and will say,
that you shall treat me as an equal, for your equal I am, or it maybe
that swords will be drawn, and it shall be shown that you have a
superior.’
‘See here, Chelminsky,’ said Mazeppa in his friendliest manner; ‘put up
your sword, or rather do not dream of drawing it against me who am your
best friend. You are my equal in most things, I admit, and maybe my
superior in some. But in one matter, at any rate, I have you at
advantage, for my eyes see further than yours into the coming time,
which, I must tell you, if we so desire it, shall be pregnant with good
things for us: for you and me that is, and through us for the Cossack
nation.’
‘Oh, indeed!’ I laughed; ‘forgive me for my ignorance; I knew thee not
for a prophet until this day!’
‘Prophecy goes mainly by the gathering and the placing together of
little atoms of knowledge. When one has collected together a pile of
such atoms he may stand upon the top and prophesy. Now I know that the
Tsar has--for no merit of my own, but because he sees in me an
instrument--I know, I say, that the Tsar has set a favourable eye upon
me. I know also that Russia is large and full of latent force, but that
Poland is small and proud and disinclined to make profitable bargains
with our people. She is afraid of Russia. She has just applied to the
Turk for aid against the Tsar. We should know that! but the Moslems are
not to be trusted: see how they cheated the Poles in the wars of
Hmelnisky and your father! As men have been they shall be; they will
cheat again. Russia is the strong man armed and the best friend for us,
by which I mean that with her we may make the best bargain. Now the Tsar
desires that I--and of course yourself--shall return as Russian
Cossacks. Samoilovitch is the Russian Hetman, and to his service we
shall go. Can you now prophesy with me, or shall I say more?’
‘I do not see that we are any farther advanced than when we began to
speak,’ said I. ‘We have, very treacherously, exchanged our allegiance
from Pole to Russian; that I knew before. What else have you shown that
I know not? You are a poor prophet so far, Mazeppa.’
‘Well, then, I will show more. The Tsar somewhat distrusts Samoilovitch.
In any case the Hetman cannot live--or govern--for ever. One day, sooner
or later--it may be sooner than one supposes--there will be required a
new Hetman, and he will be a nominee of the Tsar.’
‘But he will not be a foolish, callow youth of thy age,’ I said,
laughing scornfully. ‘Is this thy prophecy? Be sure, my friend, the next
Hetman will not be named Mazeppa!’
‘Either that or Chelminsky,’ he replied, quite seriously. ‘That will
depend. Mark you, there is no need of haste in these changes. In five
years, in ten maybe, we shall be so much older and wiser. The Tsar, be
assured, does not speak so directly of these matters as I now speak with
you, but he allows his meaning to appear. As confidential secretary to
Samoilovitch I shall soon learn much, says the Tsar, that it is
important for him to know. The Tsar values the friendship and the
allegiance of the Cossacks. They might, at emergency, bring him fifty
thousand lances, or more. He would have me sit and watch and bide my
time. It was the Tsar who said the Hetman cannot live for ever.’
All this certainly gave colour to Mazeppa’s hints. The surprise of the
communication took my breath away. I had never so much as dreamed of the
possibility of Mazeppa attaining one day to the Hetmanship of the
Cossacks, nor had I cherished so foolish an ambition for myself: the
idea of such a thing had never occurred to me. I sat and gazed at
Mazeppa, too amazed to speak.
‘I see that I have surprised you,’ he said. ‘I have thought very deeply
upon this matter, and I have persuaded myself that from the Tsar’s point
of view I may indeed become a useful instrument for his ends. Kings are
not guided by philanthropy in their imperial schemes, but by expediency.
In me Alexis sees an agent suited, as he thinks, for his purposes;
therefore he will employ me. I take no credit, excepting that I have
discerned as quickly as he has discerned that there is a kernel to the
Cossack nut, and that it may be cracked by teeth that seem weak.’
‘I wager,’ said I, ‘that in this matter the Tsar did not mention my
name, though you mention it!’
‘Well, he did not,’ said Mazeppa. ‘He cannot deal in such matters with
more than one. He would scarcely say, “One of you two, whichever prove
the worthier, shall serve me in this matter and be rewarded in such and
such a manner.” The Tsar speaks by hints, mentioning no names. I think I
do not lack in friendliness towards you, my friend, in confiding all
this to you. You shall go with me to Samoilovitch, and under him we
shall rise side by side; which shall rise the higher in the end matters
little so long as the two highest places are ours!’
In short, Mazeppa easily talked me over to his views, rousing my
ambition and quieting my compunctions in the matter of the transfer of
allegiance from Pole to Russian.
And I was duly presented to the Tsar, who spoke kindly and regarded me
with interest, as though Mazeppa had said good words for me, which, as a
matter of fact, Mazeppa declared that he had done.
And at the Court of Alexis Romanof we lived for a month, learning many
things concerning Russian life and customs, and here I soon perceived
that Mazeppa’s ambitions did not end where his first homily had ended.
There was a young princess, by name Sophia, whose heart seemed of the
softest. This was the daughter of the Tsar, young and moderately
fair--so it was said, though I did not see her at this time, for she
lived in great seclusion, as became, according to the traditions of the
Russian Court, the daughters of the House-Royal. But Mazeppa--to my
amazement--informed me that he had seen her, not once, but many times.
‘In the name of Heaven, how and why and when were you so favoured?’
asked I.
‘As to _how_, first, then,’ Mazeppa laughed. ‘The god of love has fought
for me; one of the maidens of the Court is very friendly with me. I have
walked many times in the garden at Preobrajensky with her, and there the
Princess sometimes takes the air. As to _when_, I may say that I have
been honoured with sight of her Highness six times, and have spoken with
her four times. As to _why_--must I tell thee, Chelminsky?’
‘As you will,’ I laughed. ‘Tell me if it pleases you, that the Tsar will
beg of his new Hetman the favour of becoming his son-in-law, and----’
Mazeppa interrupted me with a laugh.
‘Come, Chelminsky,’ he exclaimed, ‘you make progress! Do not move too
fast! No, the Tsar knows not that we have met. She herself--well, she
smiles sweetly and talks shyly--there it ends to-day. But there will be
a to-morrow. A Hetman is a Hetman and the brother of kings. A Hetman of
Cossacks might do worse for his people than marry a daughter of the
Tsar, and--who knows?--the Tsar might do worse for his than choose such
a son-in-law!’