But one more scene, and I have finished.
The Tsar’s anger against Mazeppa did not end with the victory of
Pultowa. Mazeppa had escaped into the territory of the Sultan, and the
Tsar actually sent a mission into Turkey offering an immense sum for the
surrender of his person, alive.
Now in this matter, as in my pursuit of Mazeppa on the battle-field, I
played the Tsar false; for, in spite of all I had suffered from the old
fox during the long years of our rivalry, I could not see him brought
living into the hands of this most ruthless, most savage, most
relentless of enemies, Piotr Alexeyevitch.
Therefore, breathing hatred and vengeance against my old rival, I
besought the Tsar to allow me to be of the mission, and easily obtained
his consent.
With me went a certain young Kotchubey, a deadly enemy of Mazeppa, and
another, Kozlof, who loved him no better.
We found Mazeppa in the old ruined mansion of a Pasha, lent to him by
the Sultan, who indignantly refused to listen to the offer of the Tsar.
Then we of the Tsar’s embassy took counsel together. ‘If the Sultan will
not let us have the rascal, we must persuade Mazeppa,’ said Kozlof,
‘that the Tsar will restore to him his favour and the office of Hetman
in return for certain secrets concerning the Swedish King which it is
necessary that the Tsar should know.’
I made a show of applauding this suggestion.
‘But who shall persuade him?’ I laughed. ‘I think he will suspect thee,
Kozlof, and certainly Kotchubey. He and I have been life-long enemies,
true, but I complimented him on his fighting at Pultowa, while smiting
at him, and it may be that he will believe in my good will.’
Thus I was allowed to undertake the mission.
I found Mazeppa old and broken down. He shed tears when he found it was
I that had come.
‘Thou wert like God to me on the battle-field, Chelminsky,’ he said.
‘This mission can be to no evil end, since thou art of it.’
‘Mazeppa,’ I said, ‘God knows why I befriend thee, unless it be that I
remember too well the old days, before thy turning against me. It may be
that my Vera has softened my heart----’
At her name Mazeppa wept and crossed himself.
‘That is a saint!’ he said. ‘Lord forgive me, I would have done her ill!
Thou hadst the best of me there, Chelminsky, and so much the happier am
I to-day! Dost know that, if it had been any but thou, I should have
killed thee three times?’ he added. ‘Therefore think not too ill of me.’
‘And why, then, was I spared,’ said I, with a laugh, ‘since thou hast
never lacked of thy will for fastidiousness?’
‘Well,’ he said, ‘I will tell thee: I have called thee fool and
browbeaten thee, ay, and all but ruined and murdered thee. Nay, I have
from time to time hated thee with all my soul; yet, throughout I have
after a fashion liked thee too well to destroy thee, and in the end I
have always remembered that we two fought those three at Ivan Casimir’s
Court, and how thou didst ride after me when they stripped and bound me,
curse them!’
‘Then here I repay you with a last service,’ I said. ‘Be not deceived by
my companions, Mazeppa; our mission is to bring you alive to the Tsar.
They will persuade you, as I am now supposed to be persuading you, that
Peter will restore to you your office, if you will reveal certain
secrets as to the King of Sweden. Do not be persuaded.’
‘Am I a fool, Chelminsky?’ he laughed. ‘Thou hast called me fox many
times; be sure I have not changed my skin.’
Then, but a day later, Mazeppa lay dead within the Pasha’s mansion, and
Kozlof threw a phial into the stove in my presence.
‘The old devil would not believe my tale,’ he said, ‘but threatened to
spit me with his sword: that was last night. Some of the stuff from this
phial made a rare flavour to his sauce this morning! If the Tsar has
failed in his vengeance Kotchubey has not, neither have I.’
‘What have you done, Kozlof?’ said I, aghast. ‘Have you murdered him in
cold blood?’
‘Call it what you like!’ he laughed. ‘He betrayed Kotchubey’s sister and
executed her parents, and my father was beheaded by his orders.’
But the people say that Mazeppa died of a broken heart.
His body was brought to Galatz on the Danube, where he was buried--like
a true Cossack--within earshot of the rush of a great river. His bones
might not lie beside the Dnieper, beloved of Cossacks, because of his
treachery towards his Russian master, who became henceforward absolute
lord of all the Cossacks’ territory.
‘What shall I say of Mazeppa,’ I asked my Vera, ‘that shall end my
record both kindly and yet consistently?’ For it was Vera who bade me
write the tale of our friendship and rivalry, our hatred and our
reconciliation.
‘I would have you write,’ she laughed, ‘that Mazeppa was very plausible,
yet very transparent; hated by most men, adored by many women; that he
was brave and also cowardly; impassioned and fascinating, yet mean and
repulsive; he was half man and half devil. The Tsar Peter is also both
devil and man, but he is great. Mazeppa was only great while men did not
discern how small he was. Say,’ Vera ended, ‘as you are fond of saying,
that “he was a fox.”’
THE END
_Spottiswoode & Co. Ltd., Printers, New-street Square, London_
[Illustration: colophon]