“I should be glad to fall at Michael’s side,” said Basia; “but still I have reason, and know that when a thing is not possible, it is not possible. Finally, it is Michael’s will, and not mine. This year he went on an expedition under Pan Sobieski. Did I insist on going with him? No. Well, if I am not prevented now from going to Hreptyoff with Michael, in case a great war comes, send me wherever you like.”
“His grace, Pan Zagloba, will take you to Podlyasye to Pan Yan’s wife,” said the little knight; “there indeed the Turk will not reach you.”
“Pan Zagloba! Pan Zagloba!” answered the old noble, mocking him. “Am I a captain of home guards? Do not entrust your wives to Pan Zagloba, thinking that he is old, for he may turn out altogether different. Secondly, do you think that in case of war with the Turk, I shall go behind the stove in Podlyasye, and watch the roast meat lest it burn? I may be good for something else. I mount my horse from a bench, I confess; but when once in the saddle, I will gallop on the enemy as well as any young man. Neither sand nor sawdust is sprinkling out of me yet, glory be to God! I shall not go on a raid against Tartars, nor watch in the Wilderness, for I am not a scout; but in a general attack keep near me, if you can, and you will see splendid things.”
“Do you wish to take the field again?”
“Do you not think that I wish to seal a famous life with a glorious death, after so many years of service? And what better could happen to me? Did you know Pan Dzevyantkevich? He, it is true, did not seem more than a hundred and forty years old, but he was a hundred and forty-two, and was still in service.”
“He was not so old.”
“He was. May I never move from this bench if he wasn’t! I am going to a great war, and that’s the end of it! But now I am going with you to Hreptyoff, for I love Basia.”
Basia sprang up with radiant face and began to hug Zagloba, and he raised his head higher and higher, repeating, “Tighter, tighter!”
Pan Michael pondered over everything for a time yet and said at last: “It is impossible for us all to go together, since the place is a pure wilderness, and we should not find a bit of roof over our heads. I will go first, choose a place for a square, build a good enclosure with houses for the soldiers, and sheds for the officers’ horses, which, being of finer stock, might suffer from change of climate; I will dig wells, open the roads, and clear the ravines from robber ruffians. That done, I’ll send you a proper escort, and you will come. You will wait, perhaps, three weeks here.”
Basia wished to protest; but Zagloba, seeing the justice of Pan Michael’s words, said, “What is wise, is wise! Basia, we will stay here together and keep house, and our affair will not be a bad one. We must also make ready good supplies in some fashion, for, of course, you do not know that meads and wines never keep so well as in caves.”
XXIII
Volodyovski kept his word; in three weeks he finished the buildings and sent a notable escort—one hundred Lithuanian Tartars from the squadron of Pan Lantskoronski and one hundred of Linkhauz’s dragoons, who were led by Pan Snitko, of the escutcheon Hidden Moon. The Tartars were led by Capt. Azya Mellehovich, who was descended from Lithuanian Tartars—a very young man, for he had barely reached twenty and some years. He brought a letter which the little knight had written, as follows, to his wife:—
“Baska, beloved of my heart! You may come now, for without you it is as if without bread; and if I do not wither away before you are here, I shall kiss your rosy face off. I am not stingy in sending men and experienced officers; but give priority in all to Pan Snitko, and admit him to our society, for he is bene natus (wellborn), an inheritor of land, and an officer. As to Mellehovich, he is a good soldier, but God knows who he is. He could not become an officer in any squadron but the Tartar, for it would be easier elsewhere for any man to fling low birth at him. I embrace you with all my strength; I kiss your hands and feet. I have built a fortalice with one hundred circular openings. We have immense chimneys. For you and me there are several rooms in a house apart. There is an odor of rosin everywhere, and such legions of crickets that when they begin to chirp in the evening the dogs start up from sleep. If we had a little pea-straw, they might be got rid of quickly; perhaps you will have some placed in the wagons. There was no glass to be had, so we put membrane in the windows; but Pan Byaloglovski has a glazier in his command among the dragoons. You can get glass in Kamenyets from the Armenians; but, for God’s sake! let it be handled with care to avoid breaking. I have had
