best feelings which throng into the hearts of men whose spirits have
been tried by sorrow, by hard labour, by valour, and by every possible
misfortune; or of men, who, if even unacquainted with hardships,
anticipate them in their pure pearl-like souls, and afford promise of
perpetual joy to the old parents who gave them life.
Meanwhile, the enemy's army was already emerging from the town,
drums were beating, trumpets sounding, and the officers, surrounded
by numberless servants, were already riding out of the gate, their
hands haughtily resting on their hips. The stout colonel was giving
his orders. Now, they briskly attacked the Cossacks' encampment,
threatening, aiming their guns, rolling their eyes, and glittering in
their brass armour. As soon as the Cossacks saw they had come within
gunshot, they sent all at once a volley of bullets, and without any
interruption poured forth shot after shot from their long barrelled
guns. Far away, in all the surrounding fields and pastures, did the
thundering crash resound, forming a continuous roar; smoke spread over
all the field, and the Zaporoghians went on firing without ever pausing
to take breath; the rear-ranks did nothing but load the guns, which
they passed to the foremost ranks; and the enemy marvelled, and could
not understand how the Cossacks managed to shoot without loading their
guns. Already the denseness of the smoke prevented them from seeing how
one here, another there, fell in the ranks; but the Poles felt that the
volleys of bullets were thick, and that the fight would prove serious;
and as they drew back to get out of the smoke, and looked at their
ranks, many were those whom they found missing; while the Cossacks had
not lost more than some two or three men out of every hundred. And
still the Cossacks went on firing, giving not a moment of respite. Even
the foreign engineer marvelled at their tactics, which he had never
witnessed before, and said, before all who stood near him, "They are
clever fellows, these Zaporoghians! that is a way of fighting which
ought to be followed in other countries!" and he advised that no time
should be lost in turning the cannon against their encampment. Heavy
was the roar of the wide-throated iron guns; far did the ground tremble
and resound; and smoke, still more dense, spread over all the field.
In the squares and streets of cities far and near, could the smell of
powder be perceived. But the gunners had taken their aim at too great
an elevation, and too high did the red-hot balls fly; after giving a
fearful whizz in the air, they flew over the heads of the Zaporoghians
and buried themselves deep in the ground, tearing up and tossing the
black earth high in the air. The French engineer tore his hair at
seeing such want of skill, and began to point the cannons himself,
without taking heed of the Cossacks' bullets, which flew unceasingly.
Tarass saw at once that evil was in store for two of the koorens, and
shouted at the top of his voice: "Quickly away out of the camp, and
on horseback every one of you!" But hardly would the Cossacks have had
the time to do either, had not Ostap rushed into the very midst of the
enemy; he tore the matches out of the hands of six of the gunners, but
he failed to do the same to the remaining four, being driven back by
the Poles. Meanwhile, the French engineer took the match with his own
hand, to fire the biggest of the cannons, the like of which none of the
Cossacks had ever seen before. Fearfully did its wide mouth gape, and a
thousand deaths seemed to look out of it. And as it went off, and the
three others followed it, while the dull resounding ground re-echoed
their roar--much harm did they accomplish! More than one Cossack shall
be bewailed by his old mother, who shall beat her withered bosom with
her bony hands; more than one woman shall be widowed in Glookhov,
Nemeerov, Chernigov, and other towns! Poor widows will every day run to
the market, stop every passer-by, to have a peep at his face, to see if
he be not the one dearest above all; but many Cossacks shall pass the
city, and yet the one dearest above all, shall not be among them.
Half of the Nezamaikovskoï kooren seemed never to have been there! As
hail strikes down a whole corn field, where every ear is heavy as a
full weighing ducat, so were they stricken down and laid on the ground.
How infuriate grew the Cossacks! how all of them rushed forward! how
did the blood boil in the heart of Ivookoobenko, the koorennoï ataman,
when he saw that the best part of his kooren was no more! He took
the remainder of his Cossacks, threw himself with them into the very
midst of the battle; in his fury, hacked to pieces the first whom he
reached, threw many off their horses, spearing both riders and horses,
cut his way to the gunners, and had already taken one of the guns--but
there he beholds the ataman of the Omanskoï kooren busily engaged
about the cannons, and that Stephen Gooska has already taken the big
one. Kookoobenko left them to do their business there, and led his
Cossacks into another crowd of enemies; wherever the Nezamaikovskoï
kooren has passed, a street is opened there, wherever they have turned
there is a lane![39] Everywhere the ranks of the foe were seen to grow
thinner, and Poles were seen falling like sheaves of corn! Next to the
waggons fought Vovtoozenko; in front of them Cherivichenko; farther off
Degtiarenko, and still farther, the koorennoï Vertykhoist. Two officers
had Degtiarenko picked up on his spear, a third proved to be more
obstinate. Stalwart and strong was the Polish officer, rich was his
armour, and no fewer than fifty servants had he brought in his train.
Strongly did he attack Degtiarenko; he had already brought him down on
the ground, and brandishing his sword over his head, crying: "None of
you, Cossack dogs, no, not one, will ever dare to confront me!"
"Not so, there are some left still," said Mossy Sheelo, stepping
forward. A strong Cossack was he; more than once had he been ataman in
sea campaigns, and many had been the sufferings he had endured. He had
been made prisoner by the Turks near Trebizond, and all his Cossacks
had been brought prisoners on the Turkish galleys, with their hands
and feet fettered in iron chains; whole weeks they had had no millet
for food, and nothing but disgusting sea-water for drink. All this
had the poor prisoners endured rather than forfeit the faith of their
fathers. Not so their ataman, Mossy Sheelo; he trampled the holy faith
under foot, put the accursed turban on his sinful head, acquired the
confidence of the Pacha, was made gaoler in the galley, and overseer of
the prisoners. Greatly were the poor prisoners aggrieved by this; for
they knew that no tyranny can be heavier and more bitter than that of
a man who has betrayed his faith and passed over to the persecutors.
So it proved; Mossy Sheelo put them all into new triple chains, bound
them with hard ropes, which cut through to their white bones. At his
hands every one of them received strokes and blows. But when the Turks,
glad to have acquired so good a servant, and unmindful of their law,
all got drunk, Sheelo brought all the sixty-four keys, and gave them
to the prisoners that they might unlock their fetters, throw them into
the sea, and take in their stead sabres, with which to cut the Turks
in pieces. Much booty did the Cossacks take then, with glory did they
return home, and long afterwards did the musicians sing the praises
of Mossy Sheelo. He might have been elected Koschevoï, but he was a
strange Cossack; at one time he did such deeds as the wisest could
never have planned, at others, he seemed possessed by madness. So he
spent everything in drinking and feasting, went in debt to every one
in the Ssiecha, and at last betook himself to robbing; one night he
stole from another kooren a complete Cossack's equipment, and pawned it
to the brandy-shop. For so base a deed he was tied to the pillory in
the market, and a bludgeon placed beside him, in order that every one,
according to his strength, might give him a blow; but not one was found
among the Zaporoghians to raise the bludgeon against him, so highly did
they value his past services. Such was the Cossack Mossy Sheelo.
"Yes, there are still some to beat you dogs!" exclaimed he, attacking
the officer. Then how they fought! Both had their breastplates and
shoulder-pieces bent by the weight of their blows. The cursed Pole cut
through his foe's coat of mail, and his blade penetrated to the very
flesh; the Cossack's mail-coat was reddened with blood, but Sheelo paid
no attention to it; down went his sinewy arm (heavy was that mighty
arm!), and its blow stunned his foe, and Sheelo went on hacking and
hewing to pieces his insensible foe. "Do not hack him thus, Cossack;
'twere better to turn round!" The Cossack did not turn round, and on
the spot one of the dead officer's servants plunged his knife into
Sheelo's throat. Sheelo turned, and would have caught his murderer, but
he was already lost in the smoke. From every quarter the guns were now
firing. Sheelo staggered, and felt that his wound was mortal; he fell
on the ground, put his hand on his wound, and turning to his comrades,
said: "Fare ye well, gentlemen brother-comrades! May the orthodox
Russian country for ever last, and may its glory endure for ever!" And
he closed his weakened eyes, and away flew the Cossack's soul out of
his hard body. Meantime Zadorojni led his Cossacks into the fight;
the koorennoï ataman Vertykhoist was breaking the enemy's ranks, and
Balaban was advancing.
"How now, gentlemen!" said Tarass, summoning the atamans of the
koorens, "is there still powder in the horns? is not the Cossack's
strength yet faint? do not the Cossacks give way?"
"There is still powder in the horns, father; the Cossacks' strength is
not yet faint; the Cossacks do not yet give way."
Vigorously did the Cossacks attack; they broke through all the ranks.
The diminutive colonel ordered the retreat to be beaten, and eight
coloured standards to be hoisted, in order to gather together the Poles
dispersed far away over all the field. The Poles rushed towards the
standards; but they had not time to rally before Kookoobenko again
fell into their very centre with the Cossacks of his kooren, and went
straight at the stout colonel; the colonel could not stand his attack,
turned his horse and fled at its utmost speed; and Kookoobenko chased
him over all the field, giving him no time to join his regiment. Seeing
this from one of the koorens on the flank, Stephen Gooska joined in the
pursuit, his arkan in hand, his head bent down to his horse's neck, and
choosing his time, threw the arkan suddenly round the colonel's throat;
deep red grew the colonel's face, with both hands he seized the cord,
endeavouring to break it; but a strong blow had already sent a spear
through his body, and there he remained nailed to the spot. But Gooska,
too, must meet his fate! Hardly had the Cossacks had time to look back,
when they saw Stephen Gooska pierced with four spears. The poor fellow
had only time to say: "Let all our enemies perish, and may the Russian
land exult for ever!" when he breathed his last. The Cossacks looked
back, and there, on the one side is Metelitza, treating the Poles with
blows, first one and then another; there, on the other side, the ataman
Revelichki falls on with his kooren; there, near the waggons, the foe
is driven back and beaten down by Zakrootygooba; and farther off, the
third Pissarenko has put to flight a whole crowd; and still farther,
round the remotest waggons, the fight is still hotter, and they fight
on the very waggons.
"Gentlemen," cried the Ataman Tarass, riding in front, "is there still
powder in the horns? is the Cossack's strength still strong? have not
the Cossacks already given way?"
"There is still powder in the horns, father! still is the Cossack's
strength entire, nor have the Cossacks yet given way!"
Bovdug fell down from his waggon; a bullet had struck him just beneath
his heart; but the old man gathered up his strength and said, "I do not
regret leaving the world; may God grant such a death to you all; and
to the last may the Russian land be glorious!" and Bovdug's soul flew
up to heaven to tell old men, long since departed, that Russians know
how to fight, and still better, that Russians know how to die for their
holy faith!
Soon after him, the koorennoï ataman Balaban fell also. Three deadly
wounds from spear, from bullet, and from sabre, had fallen to his lot.
He had been one of the bravest Cossacks; many times had he led the
Cossacks over sea; but most glorious of all had been his campaign to
the Anatolian coast. Many sequins had they then taken, much costly
Turkish goods, stuffs, and ornaments. But grief was in store for them
on their return; they fell in, poor fellows, with Turkish cannon. As
the ship fired her broadside, half of their boats went wheeling round
and upset, and many Cossacks were drowned in the sea; but the boats did
not sink, thanks to the bundles of reeds tied to their edges. Balaban
fled at the utmost speed of his oars, took his stand straight under the
sun, so as not to be seen by the Turkish ship. All night long after
this did the Cossacks bale out the water from the boats with their
scoops and caps, and mend the rent planks; of their Cossack trowsers
they made sails, caught the wind, and escaped from the swiftest of all
the Turkish ships. And not only did they safely return to the Ssiecha,
but brought a gold embroidered dress to the abbot of the monastery of
Kieff, and a plate of pure silver for the church of the Ssiecha. And
long afterwards was the Cossacks' feat the theme of the musician's
praises. But Balaban bent down his head, and feeling the approach
of death, slowly said, "It seems to me, gentlemen brothers, that my
death is a good death! Seven have I cut down with my sword, nine have
I pierced with my spear, many have I trampled under my steed's feet,
and so many have I hit with my bullets, that I cannot recollect their
number. So then, may the Russian land flourish for ever!" and away his
soul took its flight.
Cossacks, Cossacks! do not let the best flower of your army be taken
from you! Already is Kookoobenko surrounded; already seven men are all
that remain of the Nezamaikovskoï kooren, already they are nearly
overpowered, and bloody are Kookoobenko's garments! Tarass himself,
seeing his danger, hastened to his rescue. But the Cossacks were too
late; a spear had already gone deep beneath his heart, before the foes
who surrounded him were driven away. Slowly he drooped on the Cossacks
who caught him in their arms, and his young blood streamed forth,
like costly wine which careless servants bringing in a crystal flask
from the cellar, and slipping at the entrance, have spilled on the
ground; the precious flask is broken to pieces, the wine flows over the
floor, and the master comes running and tearing his hair; he who had
preserved that wine for the best occasion of his life, in order that
if in his old days he ever happened to meet a comrade of his youth, he
might remember with him bygone times, when different and better were
the joys of men! Kookoobenko looked around him, and said, "Thank God,
comrades, that I happen to die beneath your eyes! May those after us
live better than we have done, and may everlasting felicity be the lot
of the Christ-beloved Russian land!" And away flew the young soul.
Angels raised it in their hands, and carried it to Heaven. "Sit down on
my right hand, Kookoobenko," will Christ say to him, "thou didst not
betray thy comrades, didst no dishonest deed, didst not forsake a man
in distress, and didst preserve and defend my faith!"
All were grieved by Kookoobenko's death; thinner and thinner grew the
Cossacks' ranks, yet still they kept their ground.
"How now, gentlemen?" cried Tarass to the remaining koorens, "is there
still powder in the horns? are not the sabres grown blunt? is not the
Cossack's strength tired? are not the Cossacks giving way?"
"There is still powder enough, father! the sabres are still good! the
Cossacks' strength fails not, nor have they given way!"
And again the Cossacks rushed on, as if they had sustained no loss. Of
the koorennoï atamans, three alone remained alive. Crimson streams of
blood flowed in every direction, and the corpses of Cossacks and foes
were piled in heaps. Tarass looked up to the sky, and behold, long
lines of birds of prey were already there! A glorious feast will be
theirs!
And now, behold, Metelitza is pierced by a spear! and there falls the
head of the second Pissarenko, rolling and quivering its eyelids; there
falls heavily Okhrim Gooska, brought down and hewn into four pieces.
"'Tis well!" said Tarass, and waved his handkerchief. Ostap understood
the signal, and darting out of his ambuscade, furiously attacked the
cavalry. The Poles could not withstand his impetuous attack, gave way;
and were driven straight towards the spot where the ground was strewn
with broken spears and stakes. The horses stumbled and fell at every
step, and their riders were thrown over their heads. Just then, the
Korsoonskoï kooren which stood behind the remotest waggons, seeing the
enemy within gunshot, sent them a volley of musketry.
The Poles lost all presence of mind--the Cossacks regained courage.
"The victory is ours!" shouted the Zaporoghians on all sides; the
trumpets sounded; the victory banner was hoisted. Everywhere the
discomfited Poles were to be seen flying and concealing themselves.
"_Not_ yet! the victory is not yet ours!" said Tarass, looking towards
the town gate; and truly did he say so. The gate was thrown open, and
out flew the hussar regiment, the choicest of all the Polish cavalry.
All the riders were mounted on chestnut steeds, all equally fine. In
front rode a knight, the finest and most spirited of them all; black
curls waved from beneath his brass helmet; a costly scarf, embroidered
by the fairest beauty, fluttered round his arm. Tarass was astounded
at recognising in him Andrew! Meanwhile, Andrew, entirely given up to
the heat and excitement of the battle, and fervently anxious to deserve
the token tied upon his arm, flew like a young greyhound, the finest,
swiftest, and youngest of all the pack; the experienced huntsman has
hallooed to, and there it flies, its legs stretched in a straight line
through the air, its body drawn a little on one side, puffing up the
snow, and in the heat of its race, ten times outstripping the hare.
Old Tarass remained standing and watching how he cleared his way,
drove back those before him, cutting and hewing on each side. Tarass
could refrain no longer, and exclaimed, "How? thine own comrades? thy
brothers? devil's son, dost thou hew them?" But Andrew saw not who
was before him, whether his comrades or others. He saw nothing but
ringlets, long, long ringlets, a bosom white as a swan's, a snow-like
neck and shoulders, and all that is created for frantic kisses.
"Children! lure him to the wood, lure him towards me!" shouted Tarass.
Immediately some thirty Cossacks started for the purpose. Pulling their
tall caps over their brows, they rode at the utmost speed of their
horses to cut their way to the hussars. They attacked the foremost
in flank, confused their ranks, cut them off from those behind, and
wounded some of them; Golokopytenko struck Andrew on the back with his
sabre, and then, all betook themselves to flight at the utmost speed
of their horses. How incensed was Andrew! how intensely did his young
blood boil in all his veins! Striking his sharp spurs into the sides
of his horse, he set off at full speed in pursuit of the Cossacks,
without looking back, and without seeing that not more than twenty men
followed him; the Cossacks continued to ride at full gallop, and turned
straight towards the wood. Andrew had already reached Golokopytenko,
when a strong arm seized his bridle. Andrew turned round; Tarass stood
before him! A shudder ran through all his body and he turned pale.
Like a schoolboy, who, after having unwittingly offended his comrade,
and received a stroke on the head with his ruler, fires up at once,
furiously rushes from his bench, darts after his terrified comrade,
wishes to tear him to pieces, then suddenly encounters the master,
entering the schoolroom; at once the frantic impulse is calmed, and the
powerless fury vanishes. Even so, in one instant did Andrew's wrath
vanish, as if he had never felt it. And he saw before him nothing but
the terrific figure of his father.
"Well, what are we to do now?" said Tarass, looking him full in the
face. But Andrew could find nothing to answer, and remained with his
eyes cast down upon the ground.
"Well, son, of what avail were thy Poles to thee?"
Andrew continued speechless.
"To betray--to betray thy faith? to betray thy brothers? Well, dismount
from thy horse!"
Obedient as a child, he dismounted, and, unconscious of what he did,
remained standing before Tarass.
"Stand, and do not move! I gave thee life: I kill thee!" said Tarass;
and, falling back a step, he took his gun from his shoulder. Andrew was
deadly pale; his lips moved slowly, muttering some name; but it was
not the name of his country, nor that of his mother or brother: it was
the name of the beautiful Polish girl. Tarass fired. As an ear of corn
cut down by the sickle--as a young lamb when it feels the deadly steel
beneath its heart, so did he droop his head, and fell on the grass
without uttering a word.
The slayer of his son stood and gazed long upon the breathless corpse.
Even in death he was still beautiful; his manly face, but a minute
before full of power and fascination, irresistible for women, still
showed marvellous beauty; his black eyebrows seemed, like mourning
velvet, to heighten the pallor of his features. "What a Cossack he
might have been!" said Tarass; "so tall his stature, so black his
eyebrows, with the countenance of a gentleman, and an arm strong in
battle. He perished, and perished ignominiously, like a vile dog!"
"Father! what hast thou done? Didst thou kill him?" cried Ostap, who
had ridden to the spot by this time.
Tarass nodded his head.
Ostap looked steadfastly into the eyes of the dead. He pitied the fate
of his brother, and said, "Well, father, let us bury him decently, that
the foe may not insult his corpse, and that it may not be torn to
pieces by birds of prey."
"Others will bury him without us," answered Tarass. "There will be
mourners and waiters enough!"
For a few seconds he considered: was the corpse to be left a prey to
wolves, or was it to be spared on account of Andrew's knightly valour,
which the brave should ever respect, it signifies not in whom it may be
found? But see! there comes Golokopytenko galloping towards him. "Woe
to us, Ataman! the Poles grow stronger; new reinforcements have come to
them."
Hardly had Golokopytenko done speaking, when Yovtoozenko came riding
up, at full speed. "Woe to us, Ataman! new forces come unceasingly!"
Hardly had Vovtoozenko done speaking, when Pissarenko runs up on foot.
"Where art thou, father? the Cossacks are seeking for thee. Already
is the koorennoï ataman Nevelichki killed; Zadorojni is killed;
Cherevichenko killed too! but the Cossacks keep their stand, and will
not die before looking into thy face; they wish that thou shouldst see
them at the hour of death!"