“On the road?” said Zagloba; and a great weight fell from his breast. He breathed like a bellows, and gained courage at once.
“Pan Michael,” whispered he, “did I not say that they would not cut our heads off?”
Meanwhile they had reached the courtyard. Night had fallen completely. In places red torches were burning or lanterns gleaming, throwing an uncertain light on groups of soldiers, horse and foot, of various arms. The whole court was crowded with troops. Clearly they were ready to march, for a great movement was manifest on all sides. Here and there in the darkness gleamed lances and gun-barrels; horses’ hoofs clattered on the pavement; single horsemen hurried between the squadrons—undoubtedly officers giving commands.
Kovalski stopped the convoy and the prisoners before an enormous wagon drawn by four horses, and having a box made as it were of ladders.
“Take your places, gentlemen,” said he.
“Someone is sitting there already,” said Zagloba, clambering up. “But our packs?”
“They are under the straw,” said Kovalski; “hurry, hurry!”
“But who are sitting here?” asked Zagloba, looking at dark figures stretched on the straw.
“Mirski, Stankyevich, Oskyerko,” answered voices.
“Volodyovski, Yan and Stanislav Skshetuski, and Zagloba,” answered our knights.
“With the forehead, with the forehead!”
“With the forehead! We are travelling in honorable company. And whither are they taking us, do you know, gentlemen?”
“You are going to Birji,” said Kovalski.
When he said this, he gave the command. A convoy of fifty dragoons surrounded the wagon and moved on. The prisoners began to converse in a low voice.
“They will give us to the Swedes,” said Mirski; “I expected that.”
“I would rather sit among enemies than traitors,” answered Stankyevich.
“And I would rather have a bullet in my forehead,” said Volodyovski, “than sit with folded arms during such an unfortunate war.”
“Do not blaspheme, Michael,” answered Zagloba, “for from the wagon, should a convenient moment come, you may give a plunge, and from Birji also; but it is hard to escape with a bullet in the forehead. I foresaw that that traitor would not dare to put bullets in our heads.”
“Is there a thing which Radzivill does not dare to do?” asked Mirski. “It is clear that you have come from afar and know him not. On whomsoever he has sworn vengeance, that man is as good as in the grave; and I remember no instance of his forgiving anyone the slightest offence.”
“But still he did not dare to raise hands on me!” answered Zagloba. “Who knows if you have not to thank me for your lives?”
“And how?”
“Because the Khan loves me wonderfully, for I discovered a conspiracy against his life when I was a captive in the Crimea. And our gracious king, Yan Kazimir, loves me too. Radzivill, the son of a such a one, did not wish to break with two such potentates; for they might reach him, even in Lithuania.”
“Ah! what are you saying? He hates the king as the devil does holy water, and would be still more envenomed against you did he know you to be a confidant of the king,” observed Stankyevich.
“I think this,” said Oskyerko. “To avoid odium the hetman would not stain himself with our blood, but I could swear that this officer is bearing an order to the Swedes in Birji to shoot us on the spot.”
“Oi!” exclaimed Zagloba.
They were silent for a moment; meanwhile the wagon had rolled into the square of Kyedani. The town was sleeping, there were no lights in the windows, only the dogs before the houses snapped angrily at the passing party.
“Well,” said Zagloba, “we have gained time anyhow, and perhaps a chance will serve us, and some stratagem may come to my head.” Here he turned to the old colonels: “Gentlemen, you know me little, but ask my comrades about the hot places in which I have been, and from which I have always escaped. Tell me, what kind of officer is this who commands the convoy? Could he be persuaded not to adhere to a traitor, but take the side of his country and join us?”
“That is Roh Kovalski of the Korab Kovalskis,” answered Oskyerko.
“I know him. You might as well persuade his horse as him; for as God is bountiful I know not which is more stupid.”
“But why did they make him officer?”
“He carried the banner with Myeleshko’s dragoons; for this no wit is needed. But he was made officer because his fist pleased the prince; for he breaks horseshoes, wrestles with tame bears, and the man has not yet been discovered whom he cannot bring to the earth.”
“Has he such strength?”
“That he has such strength is true; but were his superior to order him to batter down a wall with his head he would fall to battering it without a moment’s delay. He is ordered to take us to Birji, and he will take us, even if the earth had to sink.”
“ ’Pon my word,” said Zagloba, who listened to this conversation with great attention, “he is a resolute fellow.”
“Yes, but with him resolution consists in stupidity alone. When he has time, and is not eating, he is sleeping. It is an astonishing thing, which you will not believe; but once he slept forty-eight hours in the barracks, and yawned when they dragged him from the plank bed.”
“This officer pleases me greatly,” said Zagloba, “for I always like to know with whom I have to do.”
When he had said this he turned to Kovalski. “But come this way, please!” cried he, in a patronizing tone.
“What is it?” asked Kovalski, turning his horse.
“Have you gorailka?”
“I have.”
“Give it!”
“How give it?”
“You know, gracious Kovalski, if it were not permitted you would have had an order not to give it; but since you have not an order, give it.”
“Ah,” said Kovalski, astonished, “as I live! but that is like forcing.”
“Forcing or not forcing, it is permitted you; and it is proper to assist a blood relative and an older man, who, if he had married your mother, might have
