The army passed Konstantinoff and halted at Rosolovtsi; for the prince
calculated that when Koritski and Osinski would receive news of the
taking of Polónnoe, they would retreat to Rosolovtsi, and if the enemy
should pursue them he would fall in among all the forces of the prince
as into a trap, and thus meet with sure defeat. That forecast was
justified in great part. The troops occupied their positions, and
remained in silent readiness for the fight. Smaller and larger
scouting-parties were sent in every direction from the camp. The
prince, with a number of regiments, took his position in the village
and waited. Toward evening Vershul's Tartars brought news that infantry
was approaching from the direction of Konstantinoff. Hearing this, the
prince went out before the door of his quarters, surrounded by
officers, and with them a number of the principal attendants, to look
upon the arrival. Meanwhile the regiments, announcing themselves by
sound of trumpet, halted before the village; and two colonels hastened,
panting and with all speed, to the prince to offer him their service.
These were Osinski and Koritski. When they saw Vishnyevetski with a
magnificent suite of knights, they were greatly confused, uncertain of
their reception, and bowing profoundly, they waited in silence for what
he would say.
"The wheel of fortune turns and brings down the haughty," said the
prince. "You did not wish to come at our request, but now you come at
your own desire."
"Your Highness," said Osinski, with firmness, "we wished with all our
souls to serve with you, but the order was definite. Let him who issued
it answer for it. We beg pardon; though we are innocent, for as
soldiers we were obliged to obey and be silent."
"Then Prince Dominik has withdrawn the order?" asked the prince.
"The order is not withdrawn," said Osinski, "but it is no longer
binding, since the only salvation and refuge for our forces is with
you, under whose command we wish henceforth to live and serve and die."
These words, full of manly power, and the form of Osinski produced the
very best impression on the prince and the officers; for he was a
famous soldier, and though still young, not more than forty years of
age, was full of warlike experience which he had acquired in foreign
armies. Every military eye rested on him with pleasure. Tall, straight
as a reed, with yellow mustaches brushed upward and a Swedish beard, he
recalled completely by his uniform and stature the colonels of the
Thirty Years' War. Koritski, a Tartar by origin, resembled him in
nothing. Low in stature and dumpy, he had a gloomy look, and his
appearance was strange in a foreign uniform, not befitting his Oriental
features. He led a picked German regiment, and had a reputation for
bravery as well as moroseness, and the iron rigor with which he held
his soldiers.
"We wait the commands of your Highness," said Osinski.
"I thank you for your decision, and I accept your services. I know that
a soldier must obey; and if I sent for you, it was because I was
unaware of the order. Not only shall we pass henceforth good and evil
times together, but I hope that you will be pleased with your new
service."
"If you are pleased with us and with our officers."
"Very good!" said the prince. "Is the enemy far behind you?"
"Scouting-parties are near, but the main force may arrive here
to-morrow."
"Very well, we have time then. Order your regiments to march across the
square; let me look at them, so I may know what kind of soldiers you
bring me, and if much can be done with them."
The colonels returned to their regiments, and soon after were marching
at the head of them into the camp. Soldiers of the picked regiments of
the prince hurried out like ants to look at their new comrades. The
royal dragoons, under Captain Giza, marched in front with heavy Swedish
helmets and lofty crests. They rode Podolian horses, but matched and
well fed. These men, fresh and rested, with bright and glittering
uniforms, had a splendid appearance in comparison with the emaciated
regiments of the prince, in tattered uniforms, faded from rain and sun.
After these followed Osinski with his regiment, and in the rear
Koritski. A murmur of applause was heard among the prince's cavalry at
the sight of the deep German ranks. Their collars red, on their
shoulders shining muskets, they marched thirty in a rank, with the step
of a single man, strong and thundering. Tall, sturdy fellows all of
them,--old soldiers who had been in more than one country and in more
than one battle, for the most part veterans of the Thirty Years' War,
skilled, disciplined, and experienced.
When they marched up to the prince, Osinski cried, "Halt!" and the
regiment stood as if foot-bound to the earth; the officers raised their
staffs, the standard-bearer raised his standard, and waving it three
times, lowered it before the prince. "Vorwärts!" commanded Osinski,
"Vorwärts!" repeated the officers, and the regiments advanced again. In
the same way but in almost better form, did Koritski present his
troops. At the sight of all this the soldiers' hearts were rejoiced;
and Yeremi, judge beyond judges, put his hands on his hips with
delight, looked, and smiled,--for infantry was just what he wanted, and
he was sure that it would be difficult for him to find better in the
whole world. He felt increased in power, and hoped to accomplish great
things in war. The suite began to speak of different military topics
and of the various kinds of soldiers to be seen in the world.
"The Zaporojian infantry is good, especially behind intrenchments,"
said Sleshinski; "but these are better, for they are better drilled."
"Of course a great deal better!" said Migurski.
"But they are heavy men," said Vershul. "If I had to do it, I should
undertake to tire them out with my Tartars in two days, so that on the
third I could slaughter them like sheep."
"What are you talking about? The Germans are good soldiers."
To this Pan Longin Podbipienta answered in his singing Lithuanian
voice: "How God in his mercy has endowed different nations with
different virtues! As I hear, there is no cavalry in the world better
than ours, and again neither our infantry nor the Hungarian can be
compared with the German."
"Because God is just," remarked Zagloba. "For instance, he gave you a
great fortune, a big sword, and a heavy hand, but small wit."
"Zagloba has fastened on him like a horse-leech," said Pan Yan,
smiling.
But Podbipienta contracted his eyes and spoke with the mildness usual
to him: "An outrage to hear! And he gave you too long a tongue."
"If you maintain that God did ill in giving me what I have, then you
will go to hell with your virtue, for you wish to oppose his will."
"Oh, who can out-talk you? You talk and talk."
"Do you know how a man is different from an animal?"
"How?"
"By reason and speech."
"Oh, he has given it to him, he has given it to him!" said Mokrski.
"If you don't understand why in Poland there is better cavalry and
among the Germans better infantry, I will explain it to you."
"Why is it? why is it?" asked several voices.
"This is why: When the Lord God created the horse he brought him before
men, so that they should praise his works. And on the bank stood a
German, for the Germans are always pushing themselves everywhere. The
Lord God showed the horse to the German, and asked: 'What is this?'
'Pferd!' answered the German. 'What!' exclaimed the Creator; 'do you
say "Pfe!" to my work? But you will never ride on this creature, you
lubber!--or if you do, you will ride like a fool.' Having said this,
the Lord made a present of the horse to the Pole. This is why the
Polish cavalry is the best. Then the Germans began to hurry after the
Lord on foot and to beg forgiveness of him, and that is why the Germans
have become the best infantry."
"You have calculated everything very cleverly," said Podbipienta.
Further conversation was interrupted by new guests, who hurried up with
the tidings that approaching the camp were forces which could not be
Cossacks, for they were not from Konstantinoff, but from an entirely
different direction,--from the river Zbruch. Two hours later those
troops came on with such a thundering of trumpets and drums that the
prince became angry and sent an order to them to be quiet, for the
enemy was in the neighborhood. It turned out that they were followers
of Samuel Lashch, commander of the royal vanguard, an officer of the
king, for the rest a celebrated adventurer, wrongdoer, turbulent,
quarrelsome, but a great soldier. He led eight hundred men of the same
stamp as himself,--part nobles, part Cossacks, all of whom deserved
hanging according to sound justice. But Yeremi was not afraid of the
insubordination of these warriors, trusting that in his hands they
would turn into obedient lambs, and make up in bravery and daring for
their other defects.
It was a lucky evening. On the previous day the prince, weighed down by
the expected departure of the voevoda of Kieff, had determined to defer
the war till the arrival of reinforcements, and to retreat to some
quiet place for a time. To-day he was again at the head of nearly
twelve thousand men; and although Krívonos had five times that number,
still since the greater part of the rebel forces was formed of the
rabble, the two armies might be considered of equal strength. Now the
prince had no thought of rest. Shutting himself up with Lashch, the
voevoda of Kieff, Zatsvilikhovski, Makhnitski, and Osinski, he held a
council on the conduct of the war. It was determined to give Krívonos
battle on the morrow, and if he did not appear himself, to go in search
of him.
It was already dark night; but since the recent rains, so annoying to
the soldiers at Makhnovka, the weather had continued to be splendid. On
the dark vault of the heavens glittered swarms of golden stars. The
moon appeared on high and whitened all the roofs of Rosolovtsi.
No one in the camp thought of sleeping. All were conjecturing about
to-morrow's battle, and preparing for it; chatting in ordinary fashion,
singing, and promising themselves great pleasure. The officers and the
most distinguished attendants, all in excellent humor, gathered around
a great fire, and passed the time with their cups.
"Tell us further," said they to Zagloba; "when you were crossing the
Dnieper, what did you do, and how did you reach Bar?"
Zagloba emptied a quart cup of mead, and said,--
"'Sed jam nox humida c[oe]lo præcipitat
Suadentque sidera cadentia somnos,
Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros,
Incipiam ...'
Gentlemen, if I should begin to tell all in detail, ten nights would
not suffice, and surely mead would be required; for an old throat, like
an old wagon, needs lubrication. It is enough if I tell you that I went
to Korsún, to the camp of Hmelnitski himself with the princess, and
took her out of that hell in safety."
"Jesus, Mary! Did you enchant them?" cried Zatsvilikhovski.
"It is true that I enchanted them," said Zagloba, "for I learned that
hellish art when I was still in youthful years from a witch in Asia,
who, having fallen in love with me, divulged all the secret tricks of
her black art. But I could not enchant much, for it was trick against
trick. Around Hmelnitski are swarms of soothsayers and wizards, who
have brought so many devils into his service that he uses them to work
as he would peasants. When he goes to sleep, a devil has to pull his
boots off; when his clothes are dusty, a devil beats them with his
tail; when he is drunk, Hmelnitski gives this or that devil a box on
the snout, saying, 'You don't do your work well.'"
The pious Pan Longin crossed himself, and said: "With them the power of
hell; with us the power of heaven."
"I was afraid the black fellows would betray me to Hmelnitski,--tell
who I was, and whom I was conducting; but I conjured them into silence
with certain words. I was afraid too that Hmelnitski would know me, for
I had met him in Chigirin a year before, twice at Dopula's. There were
also other colonels whom I knew; but my stomach had fallen in, my beard
had grown to my waist, my hair to my shoulders, my disguise had changed
the rest, no one recognized me."
"Then you saw Hmelnitski himself, and spoke with him?"
"Did I see Hmelnitski? Just as I see you. More than that; he sent me as
a spy into Podolia to distribute his manifestoes among the peasants on
the road. He gave me a baton as a safeguard against the Tartars, so
that from Korsún I went everywhere in safety. Peasants or men from
below met me. I put the staff under their noses, and said, 'Smell this,
children, and go to the devil!' Then I ordered them everywhere to give
me plenty to eat and drink, and they did; and wagons, too, for which I
was glad; and I was always looking after my poor princess, lest she
might give out after such great fatigues and terror. I tell you,
gentlemen, that before we arrived at Bar she had recovered to such a
degree that there were few people in Bar who didn't gaze at her. There
are many pretty girls in that place, for the nobles have assembled
there from distant regions, but in comparison with her they are as owls
to a jay. The people admire her, and you would if you could see her."
"It must be they couldn't help it," said little Pan Volodyovski.
"But why did you go to Bar?" asked Migurski.
"Because I said to myself, I will not stop till I come to a safe place.
I had no confidence in small castles, thinking that the rebellion might
reach them. But if it should go to Bar, it would break its teeth there.
Pan Andrei Pototski has built up strong walls, and cares as much for
Hmelnitski as I do for an empty glass. Do you think that I did badly in
going so far from the conflagration? If I had not, that Bogun would
surely have pursued; and if he had caught up, I tell you he would have
made tidbits of me for the dogs. You don't know him, but I do. May the
devil fly away with him! I shall have no peace till they hang the man.
God grant him that happy end--amen! And surely there is no one with
whom he has such an account as with me. Brrr! When I think of it a
chill passes over me; so that now I am forced to use stimulants, though
by nature I am opposed to drink."
"What do you say?" interrupted Podbipienta. "Why, my dear brother, you
take up liquid like a well-sweep."
"Don't look into the well, my dear man, for you will see nothing wise
at the bottom. But a truce to this! Travelling then with the baton and
manifestoes of Hmelnitski, I met no great hindrances. When I came to
Vinnitsa, I found there the troops of Pan Aksak, now present in this
camp; but I had not put off my minstrel skin yet, for I feared the
peasantry. But I got rid of the manifestoes. There is a saddler there
called Suhak, a Zaporojian spy, who was sending intelligence to
Hmelnitski. Through this fellow I sent off the manifestoes; but I wrote
such sentences on the backs of them that Hmelnitski will surely order
the saddler to be flayed when he reads them. But right under the very
walls of Bar such a thing happened to me that I came very near being
lost at the shore of refuge."
"How was that? How?"
"I met some drunken soldiers, wild fellows, who heard how I called the
princess, 'Your Ladyship,' for I was not so careful then, being near
our own people. And they began: 'What sort of minstrel is that? What
sort of a lad is it whom he calls "Your Ladyship"?' Then they looked at
the princess, and saw she was as beautiful as a picture. 'Bring her
nearer to us,' said they. I pushed her behind me into the corner, and
to the sabre--"
"That is a wonder," said Volodyovski,--"that you, dressed as a
minstrel, had a sabre at your side."
"That I had a sabre? And who told you that I had a sabre? I had not;
but I grabbed a soldier's sabre that lay on the table,--for it was in a
public house at Shipintsi, I stretched out two of my assailants in the
twinkle of an eye. The others rushed on me. I cried, 'Stop, you
dogs, for I am a noble!' Next moment they called out, 'Stop! stop!
Scouts are coming!' It appeared that they were not scouts, but Pani
Slavoshevska with an escort, whom her son was conducting, with fifty
horsemen,--young fellows. These stopped my enemies. I went to the lady
with my story, and roused her feelings so that she opened the
floodgates of her eyes. She took the princess into her carriage, and we
entered Bar. But do you think this is the end? No!"
Suddenly Sleshinski interrupted the narrative. "But, look! is that the
dawn? What is it?"
"Oh, it cannot be the dawn," said Skshetuski. "Too early."
"It is toward Konstantinoff."
"Yes. Don't you see it is brighter?"
"As I live, a fire!"
At these words the faces of all became serious. They forgot the
narrative and sprang to their feet.
"Fire! Fire!" repeated several voices.
"That is Krívonos who has come from Polónnoe."
"Krívonos with all his forces."
"The advance guard must have set fire to the town or the neighboring
villages."
Meanwhile the trumpets sounded the alarm in low notes. Just then old
Zatsvilikhovski appeared suddenly among the knights. "Gentlemen," said
he, "scouts have come with news. The enemy is in sight! We move at
once. To your posts! to your posts!"
The officers hurried with all speed to their regiments. The attendants
put out the fires, and in a few moments darkness reigned in the camp.
But in the distance from the direction of Konstantinoff the heavens
reddened each moment more intensely and over a broader space. In this
gleam the stars grew paler and paler. Again the trumpets sounded low.
"To horse!" was heard through the mouthpiece. Indistinct masses of men
and horses began to move. Amid the silence were heard the tramp of
horses, the measured step of infantry, and finally the dull thump of
Vurtsel's cannon; from moment to moment the clatter of muskets or the
voices of command were heard. There was something threatening and
ominous in that night march, in those voices, murmurs, clatter of
steel, the gleam of armor and swords. The regiments descended to the
Konstantinoff road, and moved over it toward the conflagration like a
great dragon or serpent making its way through the darkness. But the
luxuriant July night was drawing to a close. In Rosolovtsi the cocks
began to crow, answering one another through the whole town. Five miles
of road divided Rosolovtsi from Konstantinoff, so that before the army
on its slow march had passed half the interval dawn rose behind the
brightness of the conflagration, pale as if frightened, and filled the
air more and more with light, winning from the darkness forests, woods,
groves, the whole line of the highway and the troops marching upon it.
It was possible to distinguish clearly the people, the horses, and the
close ranks of infantry. The cool morning breeze rose and quivered
among the flags above the heads of the knights.
Vershul's Tartars marched in front, behind them Ponyatovski's Cossacks,
then the dragoons, Vurtsel's artillery, the infantry and hussars last.
Zagloba rode near Skshetuski; but he was somewhat uneasy in the saddle,
and it was apparent that alarm was seizing him, in view of the
approaching battle.
"Listen a moment!" said he to Skshetuski, in a low whisper as if he
feared some one might overhear him.
"What do you say?"
"Will the hussars strike first?"
"You say that you are an old soldier, and you don't know that hussars
are reserved to decide the battle at the moment when the enemy is
straining his utmost power?"
"I know that, I know that, but I wanted to be sure."
A moment of silence ensued. Then Zagloba lowered his voice still more,
and inquired further: "Is this Krívonos with all his forces?"
"Yes."
"How many men is he leading?"
"Sixty thousand, counting the mob."
"Oh, the devil take him!" said Zagloba.
Pan Yan smiled under his mustache.
"Don't think that I am afraid," whispered Zagloba. "But I have short
breath, and don't like a crowd, for it is hot, and as soon as it is hot
I can do nothing. I like to take care of myself in single combat. Not
the head, but the hands win in this place. Here I am a fool in
comparison with Podbipienta. I have on my stomach here those two
hundred ducats which the prince gave me; but believe me I would rather
have my stomach somewhere else. Tfu! tfu! I don't like these great
battles. May the plague bruise!"
"Nothing will happen to you. Take courage!"
"Courage? That is all I am afraid of. I fear that bravery will overcome
prudence in me. I am too excitable. Besides, I have had a bad omen:
when we sat by the fire two stars fell. Who knows, maybe one of them is
mine."
"For your good deeds God will reward you and keep you in health."
"Well, if only he doesn't reward me too soon."
"Why didn't you stay in the camp?"
"I thought it would be safer with the army."
"It is. You will see that there is no great trouble. We are accustomed
to this fighting, and custom is second nature. But here is the Sluch
and Vishovati Stav already."
In fact the waters of Vishovati Stav, divided from the Sluch by a long
dam, glittered in the distance. The army halted at once along the whole
line.
"Is this the place so soon?" asked Zagloba.
"The prince will put the army in line," said Skshetuski.
"I don't like a throng; I tell you, I don't like a throng."
"Hussars on the right wing!" was the command which came from the prince
to Pan Yan.
It was broad daylight. The fire had grown pale in the light of the
rising sun, whose golden rays were reflected on the points of the
lances, and it appeared as though above the hussars a thousand lights
were gleaming. After its lines were arranged, the army concealed itself
no longer, and began to sing in one voice, "Hail, O ye gates of
salvation!" The mighty song resounded over the dewy grass, struck the
pine grove, and sent back by the echo, rose to the sky. Then the shore
on the other side of the dam grew black with crowds of Cossacks. As far
as the eye could reach regiment followed regiment,--mounted Zaporojians
armed with long lances, infantry with muskets, and waves of peasants
armed with scythes, flails, and forks. Behind them was to be seen, as
if in fog, an immense camp or movable town. The creaking of thousands
of wagons and the neighing of horses reached the ears of the prince's
soldiers. But the Cossacks marched without their usual tumult, without
howling, and halted on the other side of the dam. The two opposing
forces looked at each other for some time in silence.
Zagloba, keeping all the time close to Skshetuski, looked on that sea
of people and muttered,--
"Lord, why hast thou created so many ruffians? Hmelnitski must be there
with his mob and their vermin. Isn't that an outbreak, tell me? They
will cover us with their caps. Ah! in the old time it was so pleasant
in the Ukraine! They are rolling on, rolling on! God grant that the
devils may roll you in hell, and all that is coming on us! May the
glanders devour you!"
"Don't swear. To-day is Sunday."
"True, it is Sunday. Better think of God. 'Pater noster, qui
es in c[oe]lis'--No respect to be looked for from these
scoundrels--'Sanctificetur nomen tuum'--What is going to be done on
that dam?--'Adveniat regnum tuum'--The breath is already stopped in my
body--'Fiat voluntas tua'--God choke you, you Hamans! But look! what is
that?"
A division formed of a few hundred men separated from the dark mass and
pushed forward without order toward the dam.
"That is a skirmishing-party," said Skshetuski. "Our men will go out to
them directly."
"Has the battle begun, then, already?"
"As God is in heaven!"
"May the devil take them!" Here the ill-humor of Zagloba was beyond
measure. "And you are looking at it as a theatre in carnival time!"
cried he, in disgust at Skshetuski; "just as if your own skin were not
in peril."
"I told you that we are used to it."
"And you will go to the skirmish too, of course?"
"It is not very becoming for knights of picked regiments to fight duels
with such enemies. No one does that who stands on dignity; but in these
times no one thinks of dignity."
"Our men are marching already!" cried Zagloba, seeing the red line of
Volodyovski's dragoons moving at a trot toward the dam.
They were followed by a number of volunteers from each regiment. Among
others went the red Vershul, Kushel, Ponyatovski, the two Karvichi, and
Pan Longin Podbipienta from the hussars. The distance between the two
divisions began to diminish rapidly.
"You will see something," said Skshetuski to Zagloba, "Look especially
at Volodyovski and Podbipienta. They are splendid fighters. Do you see
them?"
"Yes."
"Well, look at them! You will have something to enjoy."