"He might not have found her in that crowd of unfortunates, for twelve thousand people were cut to pieces there," said Volodyovski.
"Oh, you don"t know him! I would swear that he knew she was in Bar. It cannot be but he has saved her from slaughter and taken her somewhere."
"You do not give us much consolation; for in Skshetuski"s place, I should rather have her perish than fall into his scoundrelly hands."
"The other is no consolation; for if she has perished, she was disgraced."
"Desperation!" exclaimed Volodyovski.
"Desperation!" repeated Pan Longin.
Zagloba pulled his beard; at last he burst out: "May the mange devour the whole race of curs! May the Pagans twist bow-strings out of their entrails! G.o.d created all nations, but the devil created these sons of Sodom. May barrenness strike the trash!"
"I did not know that sweet lady," said Volodyovski, gloomily, "but I would that misfortune met me rather than her."
"Once in my life I saw her," said Pan Longin; "but when I think of her, life is a burden of regret."
"You describe your own feelings," said Zagloba; "but what do you think of me, who loved her like a father, and rescued her from that misery,--what do you think of me?"
"And what do you think of Pan Yan?" asked Volodyovski.
The knights were in despair and sank into silence. Zagloba came to himself first.
"Is there no help?" he asked.
"If there is no help, it is our duty to take vengeance," said Volodyovski.
"Oh, if G.o.d would only give a general battle!" sighed Pan Longin. "It is said that the Tartars have already crossed the river, and formed a camp in the steppe."
"We cannot leave her," said Zagloba, "the poor thing, without undertaking something for her rescue. I have battered my old bones around the world enough already; it would be better for me now to lie somewhere in a baker"s shop quietly, for warmth"s sake! But for her I would go again even to Stamboul; I would put on a peasant"s coat again and take a lute, on which I cannot look without disgust."
"You are fertile in stratagems; think of something," said Podbipienta.
"A great many plans have gone through my head already. If Prince Dominik had half as many, Hmelnitski would be disembowelled and hanging by the legs on a gibbet. I have already spoken of this to Skshetuski, but you can say nothing to him at present. Sorrow has seared him, and drags him down more than sickness. You see to it that his reason is not disturbed. It often happens that from great grief the mind, like wine, changes until it is completely soured."
"Yes, yes!" answered Pan Longin.
Volodyovski started up impatiently, and asked: "What are your plans then?"
"My plans? Well, first we must find out whether she--poor dear, may the angels guard her from every evil!--is alive yet; and this we can do in two ways,--either we shall find among the Prince"s Cossacks trusty and sure men, who will undertake to escape to the Cossacks, mingle among Bogun"s men, and find out something from them--"
"I have Russian dragoons," interrupted Volodyovski, "I will find such men."
"Wait a moment!--or catch an informant from those scoundrels who took Bar; maybe they know something. They all look at Bogun as at a rainbow, because his devilish daring pleases them; they sing songs about him,--may their throats rot!--and one talks to another about what he did and what he didn"t do. If he has carried off our unfortunate lady, then it is not hidden from them."
"Well, we can send men to inquire, and to catch an informant also,"
remarked Podbipienta.
"You have struck the point. If we discover that she is alive, that is the chief thing. Now, since you wish sincerely to help Pan Yan, put yourself under my orders, for I have most experience. We will disguise ourselves as peasants, and try to find out where he has concealed her, and once we know that, my head for it, we shall get her. I and Pan Yan risk most, for Bogun knows us, and if he should catch us, our own mothers wouldn"t recognize us afterward, but he hasn"t seen either of you."
"He has seen me," said Podbipienta, "but that is nothing."
"Maybe too the Lord will give him into our hands," said Volodyovski.
"Well, I don"t want to look at him," said Zagloba; "may the hangman look at him! We must begin carefully, so as not to spoil the whole undertaking. It cannot be that he alone knows of her concealment, and I a.s.sure you, gentlemen, that it is safer to inquire of some one else."
"Maybe too the men whom we send out will discover. If the prince only permits, I will select trusty men, and send them even to-morrow."
"The prince will permit it; but that they will discover anything, I doubt. Listen, gentlemen! another method occurs to me,--instead of sending out people or seizing informants, to disguise ourselves as peasants and start without delay."
"Oh, that is impossible!" cried Volodyovski.
"Why impossible?"
"Don"t you know military service? When a body of troops is mustered _nemine excepto_, it is sacred. Even if his father and mother were dying, a soldier would not ask leave of absence, for before battle this would be the greatest deed of disgrace which a soldier could commit.
After a general engagement, when the enemy is defeated it is permissible, but not before. And consider, Skshetuski at first wanted to rush off, fly away, and rescue her, but he did nothing of the kind.
He has a reputation, the prince is fond of him; and he made no request, for he knows his duty. Ours is public duty, and this is a private matter. I do not know how it is in some other land, though I think it is the same everywhere; but with the prince our voevoda it is an unheard of thing to ask leave before a battle, especially for officers!
Though Skshetuski"s soul were rent, he would not go with such a proposition to the prince."
"He is a Roman and a rigorist, I know," said Zagloba; "but if some one should give the prince a hint, maybe he would grant permission of his own instance, to Skshetuski and to you."
"That would not enter his mind. The prince has the whole Commonwealth on his mind. Do you think that now, when there is a rush of the most important affairs, affecting the whole nation, he would take up any private question? And even if he should give a permission unasked, which is unlikely, as G.o.d is in heaven, no one of us would leave the camp at present; for we too owe our first service to our unhappy country, not to ourselves."
"I am aware of that. I am acquainted with service from of old; therefore I told you that this method pa.s.sed through my head, but I did not say that it stayed there. Besides, to tell the truth, while the power of the rabble stands untouched we could not do much; but when they are defeated and hunted down,--when their only thought will be to save their own throats,--we can go among them boldly and get information more easily. Oh, if the rest of the army would only come up at once! If it does not, we shall surely die of weariness at this Cholganski Kamen. If our prince had the command, we should be moving now; but Prince Dominik, it is evident, stops often for refreshments, since he is not here yet."
"He is expected in three days."
"G.o.d grant as soon as possible! But Konyetspolski will be here to-day?"
"Yes."
At that moment the door opened, and Skshetuski entered. His features seemed as if chiselled out of stone by pain, such calm and cold came from them. It was strange to look on that young face, as severe and dignified as though a smile had never appeared on it; and it would have been easy to imagine that if death were to strike it there would be little change. Skshetuski"s beard had grown half-way to his breast, in which beard, among hairs black as the raven"s wing, here and there were winding silver threads. His comrades and trusty friends guessed at his suffering, for he did not exhibit it. He was self-possessed, apparently calm, and almost more diligent, in his military service than usual, and entirely occupied with the impending war.
"We have been speaking of your misfortune, which is at the same time our own," said Zagloba; "for G.o.d is our witness that we can console ourselves with nothing. This, however, would be a barren sentiment if we were to aid you only in shedding tears; therefore we have determined to shed blood also,--to rescue the unfortunate lady, if she still walks upon the earth."
"G.o.d reward you!" said Skshetuski.
"We will go with you even to Hmelnitski"s camp," said Volodyovski.
"G.o.d reward you!" repeated Skshetuski.
"We know that you have sworn to seek her, living or dead; therefore we are ready, even to-day."
Skshetuski, having seated himself on a bench, fixed his eyes on the ground and made no answer. At last anger got control of Zagloba. "Does he intend to give her up?" thought he. "If he does, G.o.d be with him! I see there is neither grat.i.tude nor memory in the world. But men will be found yet to rescue her, or I shall have to yield my last breath."
Silence reigned in the room, interrupted only by the sighs of Pan Longin. Meanwhile little Volodyovski approached Skshetuski and shook him by the shoulder.
"Where are you from now?" asked he.