“And I,” said Stankyevich, “served under his father and under him thirty-five years.”
“He is a terrible man!” added Pan Stanislav.
“It is better not to crawl into the hands of such a one,” said Zagloba. “Let the devils take him! We will avoid fighting with him, but we will pluck bare these estates of his that lie on our way.”
“Let us go to the voevoda of Vityebsk, so as to have some defence, some leader; and on the road we will take what can be had from the larders, stables, granaries, and cellars. My soul laughs at the thought, and it is sure that I will let no one surpass me in this work. What money we can take from land-bailiffs we will take. The more noisily and openly we go to the voevoda of Vityebsk, the more gladly will he receive us.”
“He will receive us gladly as we are,” said Oskyerko. “But it is good advice to go to him, and better can no one think out at present.”
“Will all agree to that?” asked Stankyevich.
“As true as life!” said Pan Mirski. “So then to the voevoda of Vityebsk! Let him be that leader for whom we prayed to God.”
“Amen!” said the others.
They rode some time in silence, till at last Pan Michael began to be uneasy in the saddle. “But could we not pluck the Swedes somewhere on the road?” asked he at last, turning his eyes to his comrades.
“My advice is: if a chance comes, why not?” answered Stankyevich. “Doubtless Radzivill assured the Swedes that he had all Lithuania in his hands, and that all were deserting Yan Kazimir willingly; let it be shown that this is not true.”
“And properly!” said Mirski. “If some detachment crawls into our way, we will ride over it. I will say also: Attack not the prince himself, for we could not stand before him, he is a great warrior! But, avoiding battles, it is worth while to move about Kyedani a couple of days.”
“To plunder Radzivill’s property?” asked Zagloba.
“No, but to assemble more men. My squadron and that of Pan Stankyevich will join us. If they are already defeated—and they may be—the men will come to us singly. It will not pass either without a rally of nobles to us. We will bring Pan Sapyeha fresh forces with which he can easily undertake something.”
In fact, that reckoning was good; and the dragoons of the convoy served as the first example, though Kovalski himself resisted—all his men went over without hesitation to Pan Michael. There might be found more such men in Radzivill’s ranks. It might also be supposed that the first attack on the Swedes would call forth a general uprising in the country.
Pan Michael determined therefore to move that night toward Ponyevyej, assemble whom he could of the Lauda nobles in the vicinity of Upita, and thence plunge into the wilderness of Rogovsk, in which, as he expected, the remnants of the defeated resisting squadrons would be in hiding. Meanwhile he halted for rest at the river Lavecha, to refresh horses and men.
They halted there till night, looking from the density of the forest to the high road, along which were passing continually new crowds of peasants, fleeing to the woods before the expected Swedish invasion.
The soldiers sent out on the road brought in from time to time single peasants as informants concerning the Swedes; but it was impossible to learn much from them. The peasants were frightened, and each repeated separately that the Swedes were here and there, but no one could give accurate information.
When it had become completely dark, Pan Volodyovski commanded the men to mount their horses; but before they started a rather distinct sound of bells came to their ears.
“What is that?” asked Zagloba, “it is too late for the Angelus.”
Volodyovski listened carefully, for a while. “That is an alarm!” said he.
Then he went along the line. “And does anyone here know what village or town there is in that direction?”
“Klavany, Colonel,” answered one of the Gostsyeviches; “we go that way with potash.”
“Do you hear bells?”
“We hear! That is something unusual.”
Volodyovski nodded to the trumpeter, and in a low note the trumpet sounded in the dark forest. The squadron pushed forward.
The eyes of all were fixed in the direction from which the ringing came each moment more powerful; indeed they were not looking in vain, for soon a red light gleamed on the horizon and increased every moment.
“A fire!” muttered the men in the ranks.
Pan Michael bent toward Skshetuski. “The Swedes!” said he.
“We will try them!” answered Pan Yan.
“It is a wonder to me that they are setting fire.”
“The nobles must have resisted, or the peasants risen if they attacked the church.”
“Well, we shall see!” said Pan Michael. And he was panting with satisfaction.
Then Zagloba clattered up to him. “Pan Michael?”
“What?”
“I see that the odor of Swedish flesh has come to you. There will surely be a battle, will there not?”
“As God gives, as God gives!”
“But who will guard the prisoner?”
“What prisoner?”
“Of course, not me, but Kovalski. Pan Michael, it is a terribly important thing that he should not escape. Remember that the hetman knows nothing of what has happened, and will learn from no one, if Kovalski does not report to him. It is requisite to order some trusty men to guard him; for in time of battle he might escape easily, especially if he takes up some stratagem.”
“He is as capable of stratagems as the wagon on which he is sitting. But you are right; it is necessary to station someone near. Will you have him under your eye during this time?”
“H’m! I am sorry to be away from the battle! It is true that in the night near fire I am as good as blind. If it were in the daytime you would never have persuaded me; but since the public good requires
