Prince Yeremi heard of the slaying of Bogun with notable indifference,
especially when he learned that there were men outside his regiments
who were ready at any moment to testify that Volodyovski had been
challenged. If the affair had not happened just before the announcement
of Yan Kazimir's election, if the struggle of the candidates had been
still going on, the opponents of Yeremi and at their head the
chancellor would certainly not have failed to forge weapons against him
out of this event, in spite of all witnesses and testimony. But after
Prince Karl's withdrawal, men's minds were occupied with other things,
and it was easy to foresee that the whole affair would be drowned in
oblivion. Hmelnitski, it is true, might raise it to show what new
injuries he was enduring every day; but Yeremi justly hoped that Prince
Kazimir in sending his answer would order it to be stated from himself
how the envoy had perished, and Hmelnitski would not dare to doubt the
truth of the prince's words.
Yeremi was anxious only that no political disturbance should rise
through his soldiers. On the other hand he was glad, on Skshetuski's
account, of what had happened, for the finding of Kurtsevichovna was
really much more likely now. It was possible to find her, to rescue or
ransom her; and the prince would surely not spare the outlay, no matter
how great, if only he could save his favorite knight from suffering and
restore his happiness.
Volodyovski went to the prince in great apprehension; for though in
general he had little timidity, still he feared as he did fire every
frown of the voevoda's brow. What was his astonishment then and joy
when the prince, after he had heard the report and meditated awhile on
what had happened, took a costly ring from his finger and said,--
"I praise your moderation for not attacking him first, for a great and
harmful uproar might have arisen at the Diet from that. But if the
princess shall be found, Skshetuski will be indebted to you for life.
Reports reach me, Volodyovski, that as others are unable to keep their
tongues behind their lips, you are unable to keep your sabre in its
scabbard, for which punishment is due you. But since you took the part
of a friend and sustained the reputation of our regiments with such a
famous hero, take this ring, so as to have some memento of this day. I
knew that you were a good soldier and famous at the sword, but this is
like a master of masters."
"He!" said Zagloba. "He would cut the devil's horns off at the third
round. If your Highness should ever have my head cut off, then I ask
that no one else cut it but him, for at least I should go to the other
world straightway. He cut Bogun in two in the breast, and then passed
twice through his wits."
The prince was fond of knightly affairs and good soldiers; he smiled
therefore with pleasure and asked: "Have you ever found your match at
the sabre?"
"Skshetuski hacked me a little once, but I paid him back the time your
Highness put us both behind the bars. Among others Pan Podbipienta
might meet me, for he has power beyond human; and Kushel almost, if he
had better eyes."
"Don't believe him, your Highness! no man can stand before him."
"And Bogun fought long?"
"I had grievous work. He knew how to throw the sabre from the right to
the left hand."
"Bogun told me himself," interrupted Zagloba, "that he fought with the
Kurtsevichi whole days for practice, and I saw myself how he did the
same with others in Chigirin."
"Do you know what you would better do, Volodyovski?" said the prince,
with pretended seriousness; "go to Zamost, challenge Hmelnitski, and
with one blow free the Commonwealth from all its defeats and
anxieties."
"I will go at your Highness's order, if Hmelnitski wishes to meet me,"
answered Volodyovski.
To which the prince answered: "We are joking, and the world is
perishing! But you, gentlemen, must really go to Zamost. I have news
from the Cossack camp that the moment Prince Kazimir's election is
declared, Hmelnitski will raise the siege and withdraw to Russia, which
he will do from real or simulated affection for the king, or because
his power might more easily be broken at Zamost. Therefore you must go
and tell Skshetuski what has happened, so that he may set out to look
for the princess. Tell him to choose from my squadrons with the
starosta of Valets as many soldiers as may be necessary for the
expedition. Besides, I shall send him permission by you and give him a
letter, for his happiness is very near my heart."
"Your Highness, you are a father to us all; therefore we desire to
remain in faithful service to you while we live."
"I am not sure that my service will not soon be a hungry one," said the
prince, "if all my fortune beyond the Dnieper is lost; but while it
lasts, what is mine is yours."
"Oh," cried Volodyovski, "our poor fortunes will always be at the
disposal of your Highness."
"And mine with the rest," added Zagloba.
"That is not necessary yet," answered the prince, kindly. "I still
entertain the hope that if I lose everything the Commonwealth will at
least remember my children."
Speaking thus, the prince seemed to have a moment of second sight. The
Commonwealth in fact a few years later gave to his only son the best it
had,--that is, the crown; but at that time the gigantic fortune of
Yeremi was really shattered.
"Well, we got out of it," said Zagloba, when both had left the prince.
"Pan Michael, you may be sure of promotion. But let us see the ring.
Upon my word, it is worth about one hundred ducats, for the stone is
very beautiful. Ask any Armenian in the bazaar to-morrow. For such an
amount we might swim in eating and drinking and other delights. What do
you think, Pan Michael? The soldier's maxim is: 'To-day I live,
to-morrow decay;' and the sense of it is this,--that it isn't worth
while to think of to-morrow. Short is the life of man, Pan Michael. The
great thing is this, that henceforth the prince will carry you in his
heart. He would give ten times as much to make a present of Bogun to
Skshetuski, and you have done it. You may expect great favors, believe
me! Are the villages few that the prince has given to knights for life,
or made presents of outright? What is such a ring as this? Surely some
income will fall to you, and to wind up, the prince will give you one
of his relatives in marriage."
Pan Michael jumped up. "How do you know that--"
"That what?"
"I wanted to say, what have you got in your head? How could such a
thing take place?"
"But does it not take place? Are you not a noble, or are not all nobles
equal? Are the distant relatives, male and female, of every magnate
among the nobles few in number? These relatives he gives in marriage to
his most important men. Very likely Sufchinski of Senchy married some
distant relative of the Vishnyevetskis. Though some of us serve, we are
all brothers, Pan Michael,--all brothers, since we are all descended in
common from Japhet, and the whole difference is in fortune and offices
to which each may arrive. There are likely enough in some other
countries considerable differences between nobles, but they are mangy
nobles. I understand differences between dogs; there are, for instance,
pointers, and there are hounds of various kinds. But consider,
Pan Michael, it cannot be so among nobles; for then we should be
dog-brothers, not nobles,--which disgrace to such an honorable order
Thou wilt not permit, O Lord!"
"You speak truly," said Volodyovski; "but then the Vishnyevetskis are
kingly stock, almost."
"Ah, Pan Michael, just as if you are not eligible to the throne! I,
first of all, would vote for you, if I should make up my mind like Pan
Sigismond Skarshevski, who swears that he will vote for himself unless
he is ruined at dice. Everything, thank God, with us is obtained by
free vote; our poverty, not our birth, stands in the way."
"That's the case precisely," sighed Pan Michael.
"What's to be done? We are plundered to the last, and we shall be lost
if the Commonwealth doesn't provide some income for us," said Zagloba,
"and we shall perish miserably. What wonder is it if a man, though by
nature abstemious, should like to get drunk under such oppressions? Let
us go, Pan Michael, and drink a glass of small beer; we shall comfort
ourselves even a little."
Thus conversing, they reached the old town and entered a wine-shop,
before which a number of attendants were holding the shubas and burkas
of nobles who were drinking inside. Having seated themselves before a
table, they ordered a decanter and began to take counsel as to what
they should do now, after the killing of Bogun.
"If Hmelnitski should leave Zamost and peace follow, then the princess
is ours," said Zagloba.
"We must go to Skshetuski at once, and not let him off till he finds
the girl."
"True, we will go at once; but now there is no way of getting to
Zamost."
"That's all the same, if only God will favor us later."
Zagloba raised his glass. "He will, he will," said he. "Do you know,
Pan Michael, what I'll tell you?"
"What is it?"
"Bogun is killed."
Volodyovski looked at him with astonishment. "Yes; who should know that
better than I?"
"May your hands be holy! you know and I know. I saw how you fought; you
are now before my eyes, and still I must repeat it to myself
continually, for at times it seems as though I had only some kind of a
dream. What a care has been removed! what a knot your sabre cut! May
the bullets strike you! for God knows, this is too great to be told.
No, I cannot restrain myself; let me press you once again, Pan Michael.
If you will believe, when I made your acquaintance I thought to myself:
'There is a little whipper-snapper.' A nice whipper-snapper, to slash
Bogun in this fashion! Bogun is gone; no trace, no ashes of him,--slain
to death for the ages of ages; amen!"
Here Zagloba began to hug and kiss Volodyovski, and Pan Michael was
moved to tears as if sorry for Bogun. At last, however, he freed
himself from Zagloba's embraces and said: "We were not present at his
death, and he is hard to kill. Suppose he recovers?"
"Oh, in God's name, what are you talking about?" said Zagloba. "I
should be ready to go to-morrow to Lipki and arrange the nicest funeral
for him, just after his death."
"Why should you go? You wouldn't finish a wounded man. After the sabre,
whoever does not yield his breath at once is likely to pull through. A
sabre is not a bullet."
"He cannot recover. He was already in the death-agony when we left. No
chance of recovery! I examined his wounds myself. Let him rest, for you
cut him open like a hare. We must go to Skshetuski at once and comfort
him, or he may die of gnawing grief."
"Or he will become a monk; he told me so himself."
"What wonder? I should do the same in his place. I do not know a more
honorable knight, and a more unhappy one I do not know. The Lord visits
him grievously."
"Leave off," said Volodyovski, a little drunk, "for I am not able to
stop my tears."
"Neither am I," added Zagloba; "such an honorable knight, and such a
soldier! But the princess--you do not know her; such a darling!"
Here Zagloba began to howl in a low bass, for he really loved the
princess; and Pan Michael accompanied him in a higher key, and they
drank wine mixed with tears. Then, dropping their heads on their
breasts, they sat for a time gloomily, till Zagloba struck his fist on
the table.
"Pan Michael, why do we weep? Bogun is killed!"
"True," said Volodyovski.
"We ought rather to rejoice. We are fools now if we don't find her."
"Let us go," said Volodyovski, rising.
"Let us drink," corrected Zagloba. "God grant us to hold their children
at the christening, and all because we slew Bogun."
"Served him right!" finished Volodyovski, not noticing that Zagloba was
already sharing with him the merit of killing Bogun.