But when Pan Adam arrived, Pani Volodyovski was just preparing to go with the rest of the people and the tabor to Kamenyets, for it was necessary to leave Hreptyoff, in view of the invasion. Basia was grieved to leave that wooden fortalice, in which she had experienced many evils, it is true, but in which the happiest part of her life had been passed, with her husband, among loving hearts, famous soldiers. She was going now, at her own request, to Kamenyets, to unknown fortunes and dangers involved in the siege. But since she had a brave heart, she did not yield to sorrow, but watched the preparations carefully, guarding the soldiers and the tabor. In this she was aided by Zagloba, who in every necessity surpassed all in understanding, together with Pan Mushalski, the incomparable bowman, who was besides a soldier of valiant hand and uncommon experience.
All were delighted at the arrival of Pan Adam, though they knew at once, from the face of the knight, that he had not freed Eva or the sweet Zosia from Pagan captivity. Basia bewailed the fate of the two ladies with bitter tears, for they were to be looked on as lost. Sold, it was unknown to whom, they might be taken from the markets of Stambul to Asia Minor, to islands under Turkish rule, or to Egypt, and be confined there in harems; hence it was not only impossible to ransom them, but even to learn where they were.
Basia wept; the wise Pan Zagloba wept; so did Pan Mushalski, the incomparable bowman. Pan Adam alone had dry eyes, for tears had failed him already. But when he told how he had gone down to Tykich near the Danube, had cut to pieces the Lithuanian Tartars almost at the side of the horde and the Sultan, and had seized Azya, the evil enemy, the two old men rattled their sabres, and said—
“Give him hither! Here, in Hreptyoff, should he die.”
“Not in Hreptyoff,” said Pan Adam. “Rashkoff is the place of his punishment, that is the place where he should die; and the sergeant here found a torment for him which was not easy.”
He described then the death which Azya had died, and they listened with terror, but without pity.
“That the Lord God pursues crime is known,” said Zagloba at last; “but it is a wonder that the Devil protects his servants so poorly.”
Basia sighed piously, raised her eyes, and after a short meditation answered—
“He does, for he lacks strength to stand against the might of God.”
“Oh, you have said it,” remarked Pan Mushalski, “for if, which God forfend, the Devil were mightier than the Lord, all justice, and with it the Commonwealth, would vanish.”
“I am not afraid of the Turks—first, because they are such sons, and secondly, they are children of Belial,” answered Zagloba.
All were silent for a while. Pan Adam sat on the bench with his palms on his knees, looking at the floor with glassy eyes.
“It must have been some consolation,” said Pan Mushalski, turning to him; “it is a great solace to accomplish a proper vengeance.”
“Tell us, has it consoled you really? Do you feel better now?” asked Basia, with a voice full of pity.
The giant was silent for a time, as if struggling with his own thoughts; at last he said, as if in great wonderment, and so quietly that he was almost whispering—
“Imagine to yourself, as God is dear to me, I thought that I should feel better if I were to destroy him. I saw him on the stake, I saw him when his eye was bored out, I said to myself that I felt better; but it is not true, not true.”
Here Pan Adam embraced his hapless head with his hands, and said through his set teeth—
“It was better for him on the stake, better with the auger in his eye, better with fire on his hands, than for me with that which is sitting within me, which is thinking and remembering within me. Death is my one consolation; death, death, that is the truth.”
Hearing this, Basia’s valiant and soldier heart rose quickly, and putting her hands on the head of the unfortunate man, she said—
“God grant it to you at Kamenyets; for you say truly, it is the one consolation.”
He closed his eyes then, and began to repeat—
“Oh, that is true, that is true; God repay you!”
That same afternoon they all started for Kamenyets.
Basia, after she had passed the gate, looked around long and long at that fortalice, gleaming in the light of the evening; at last, signing herself with the holy cross, she said—
“God grant that it come to us to return to thee, dear Hreptyoff, with Michael! God grant that nothing worse be waiting for us!”
And two tears rolled down her rosy face. A peculiar strange grief pressed all hearts; and they moved forward in silence. Meanwhile darkness came.
They went slowly toward Kamenyets, for the tabor advanced slowly. In it went wagons, herds of horses, bullocks, buffaloes, camels; army servants watched over the herds. Some of the servants and soldiers had married in Hreptyoff, hence there was not a lack of women in the tabor. There were as many troops as under Pan Adam, and besides, two hundred Hungarian infantry, which body the little knight had equipped at his own cost, and had trained. Basia was their patron; and Kalushevski, a good officer, led them. There were no real Hungarians in that infantry, which was called Hungarian only because it had a Hungarian uniform. The noncommissioned officers were “veterans,” soldiers of the dragoons; but the ranks were composed of robber bands which had been sentenced to the rope. Life was granted the men on condition that they would serve in the infantry, and with loyalty and bravery efface their past sins. There were not wanting among them also volunteers who had left their ravines, meadows, and similar robber haunts, preferring to join the service of the “Little Falcon” of
