Meanwhile Zagloba clapped his side, took a flask, poured gorailka on his palm, and began to rub her temples. Then he put the flask to her lips; this acted evidently, for before the men returned with water, she had opened her eyes and began to catch for air, coughing meanwhile, for the gorailka had burned the roof of her mouth and her throat. In a few moments she had recovered completely.
Pan Michael, not regarding the presence of officers and soldiers, pressed her to his bosom, and covered her hands with kisses, saying, “Oh, my love, the soul came near leaving me! Has nothing hurt? Does nothing pain you?”
“Nothing is the matter,” said Basia. “Aha! I remember now that it grew dark in my eyes, for my horse slipped. But is the battle over?”
“It is. Azba Bey is killed. We will go home at once, for I am afraid that fatigue may overcome you.”
“I feel no fatigue whatever.” Then, looking quickly at those present, she distended her nostrils, and said, “But do not think, gentlemen, that I fled through fear. Oho! I did not even dream of it. As I love Michael, I galloped ahead of them only for sport, and then I fired my pistols.”
“A horse was struck by those shots, and we took one robber alive,” put in Mellehovich.
“And what?” asked Basia. “Such an accident may happen anyone in galloping, is it not true? No experience will save one from that, for a horse will slip sometimes. Ha! it is well that you watched me, gentlemen, for I might have lain here a long time.”
“Pan Mellehovich saw you first, and first saved you; for we were galloping behind him,” said Volodyovski.
Basia, hearing this, turned to Mellehovich and reached her hand to him. “I thank you for good offices.”
He made no answer, only pressed the hand to his mouth, and then embraced with submission her feet, like a peasant.
Meanwhile more of the squadron assembled at the edge of the cleft; Pan Michael simply gave orders to Mellehovich to form a circle around the few robbers who had hidden from pursuit, and then started for Hreptyoff. On the road Basia saw the field of battle once more from the height. The bodies of men and horses lay in places in piles, in places singly. Through the blue sky flocks of ravens were approaching more and more numerously, with great cawing, and coming down at a distance, waited till the soldiers, still going about on the plain, should depart.
“Here are the soldiers’ gravediggers!” said Zagloba, pointing at the birds with his sabre; “let us only go away, and wolves will come too, with their orchestra, and will ring with their teeth over these dead men. This is a notable victory, though gained over such a vile enemy; for that Azba has ravaged here and there for a number of years. Commandants have hunted him like a wolf, always in vain, till at last he met Michael, and the black hour came on him.”
“Is Azba Bey killed?”
“Mellehovich overtook him first; and I tell you if he did not cut him over the ear! The sabre went to his teeth.”
“Mellehovich is a good soldier,” said Basia. Here she turned to Zagloba, “And have you done much?”
“I did not chirp like a cricket, nor jump like a flea, for I leave such amusement to insects. But if I did not, men did not look for me among moss, like mushrooms; no one pulled my nose, and no one touched my face.”
“I do not like you!” said Basia, pouting, and reaching involuntarily to her nose, which was red.
And he looked at her, smiled, and muttered, without ceasing to joke, “You fought valiantly, you fled valiantly, you went valiantly heels over head; and now, from pain in your bones, you will put away kasha so valiantly that we shall be forced to take care of you, lest the sparrows eat you up with your valor, for they are very fond of kasha.”
“You are talking in that way so that Michael may not take me on another expedition. I know you perfectly!”
“But, but I will ask him to take you nutting always, for you are skilful, and do not break branches under you. My God, that is gratitude to me! And who persuaded Michael to let you go? I. I reproach myself now severely, especially since you pay me so for my devotion. Wait! you will cut stalks now on the square at Hreptyoff with a wooden sword! Here is an expedition for you! Another woman would hug the old man; but this scolding Satan frightens me first, and threatens me afterward.”
Basia, without hesitating long, embraced Zagloba. He was greatly delighted, and said, “Well, well! I must confess that you helped somewhat to the victory of today; for the soldiers, since each wished to exhibit himself, fought with terrible fury.”
“As true as I live,” cried Pan Mushalski, “a man is not sorry to die when such eyes are upon him.”
“Vivat our lady!” cried Pan Nyenashinyets.
“Vivat!” cried a hundred voices.
“God give her health!”
Here Zagloba inclined toward her and muttered, “After faintness!”
And they rode forward joyously, shouting, certain of a feast in the evening. The weather became wonderful. The trumpeters played in the squadrons, the drummers beat their drums, and all entered Hreptyoff with an uproar.
XXVIII
Beyond every expectation, the Volodyovskis found guests at the fortalice. Pan Bogush had come; he had determined to fix his residence at Hreptyoff for some months, so as to treat through Mellehovich with the Tartar captains Aleksandrovich, Moravski, Tvorovski, Krychinski, and others, either of the Lithuanian or Ukraine Tartars, who had gone to the service of the Sultan. Pan Bogush was accompanied also by old Pan Novoveski and his daughter Eva, and by Pani Boski, a sedate person, with her daughter, Panna Zosia, who was young yet, and very beautiful. The sight of ladies in the Wilderness and in wild Hreptyoff delighted, but still more
