He was permitted to dream of this, for he had advanced toward it as a true soldier, as a defender of his country, and he was of those who grow not from salt nor from the soil, but from that which pains them.
Meanwhile he could hardly embrace with his whole soul the joy which flowed in upon him; therefore he turned to Lyubomirski, riding at his side, and said—
“Now to Sandomir! to Sandomir with all speed! Since the army knows now how to swim rivers, neither the San nor the Vistula will frighten us!”
Lyubomirski said not a word; but Zagloba, riding a little apart in Swedish uniform, permitted himself to say aloud—
“Go where you like, but without me, for I am not a weathercock to turn night and day without food or sleep.”
Charnyetski was so rejoiced that he was not only not angry, but he answered in jest—
“You are more like the belfry than the weathercock, since, as I see, you have sparrows in your head. But as to eating and rest it belongs to all.”
To which Zagloba said, but in an undertone. “Whoso has a beak on his face has a sparrow on his mind.”
LXXVII
After that victory Charnyetski permitted at last the army to take breath and feed the wearied horses; then he was to return to Sandomir by forced marches, and bend the King of Sweden to his fall.
Meanwhile Kharlamp came to the camp one evening with news from Sapyeha. Charnyetski was at Chersk, whither he had gone to review the general militia assembled at that town. Kharlamp, not finding the chief, betook himself at once to Pan Michael, so as to rest at his quarters after the long journey.
His friends greeted him joyously; but he, at the very beginning, showed them a gloomy face and said—
“I have heard of your victory. Fortune smiled here, but bore down on us in Sandomir. Karl Gustav is no longer in the sack, for he got out, and, besides, with great confusion to the Lithuanian troops.”
“Can that be?” cried Pan Michael, seizing his head.
Pan Yan, Pan Stanislav, and Zagloba were as if fixed to the earth.
“How was it? Tell, by the living God, for I cannot stay in my skin!”
“Breath fails me yet,” said Kharlamp; “I have ridden day and night, I am terribly tired. Charnyetski will come, then I will tell all from the beginning. Let me now draw breath a little.”
“Then Karl has gone out of the sack. I foresaw that, did I not? Do you not remember that I prophesied it? Let Kovalski testify.”
“Uncle foretold it,” said Roh.
“And whither has Karl gone?” asked Pan Michael.
“The infantry sailed down in boats; but he, with cavalry, has gone along the Vistula to Warsaw.”
“Was there a battle?”
“There was and there was not. In brief, give me peace, for I cannot talk.”
“But tell me one thing. Is Sapyeha crushed altogether?”
“How crushed! He is pursuing the king; but of course Sapyeha will never come up with anybody.”
“He is as good at pursuit as a German at fasting,” said Zagloba.
“Praise be to God for even this, that the army is intact!” put in Volodyovski.
“The Lithuanians have got into trouble!” said Zagloba. “Ah, it is a bad case! Again we must watch a hole in the Commonwealth together.”
“Say nothing against the Lithuanian army,” said Kharlamp. “Karl Gustav is a great warrior, and it is no wonder to lose against him. And did not you, from Poland, lose at Uistsie, at Volbor, at Suleyov, and in ten other places? Charnyetski himself lost at Golembo. Why should not Sapyeha lose, especially when you left him alone like an orphan?”
“But why did we go to a dance at Varka?” asked Zagloba, with indignation.
“I know that it was not a dance, but a battle, and God gave you the victory. But who knows, perhaps it had been better not to go; for among us they say that the troops of both nations (Lithuanian and Poland) may be beaten separately, but together the cavalry of hell itself could not manage them.”
“That may be,” said Volodyovski; “but what the leaders have decided is not for us to discuss. This did not happen, either, without your fault.”
“Sapyo must have blundered; I know him!” said Zagloba.
“I cannot deny that,” muttered Kharlamp.
They were silent awhile, but from time to time looked at one another gloomily, for to them it seemed that the fortune of the Commonwealth was beginning to sink, and yet such a short time before they were full of hope and confidence.
“Charnyetski is coming!” said Volodyovski; and he went out of the room.
The castellan was really returning; Volodyovski went to meet him, and began to call from a distance—
“The King of Sweden has broken through the Lithuanian army, and escaped from the sack. There is an officer here with letters from the voevoda of Vilna.”
“Bring him here!” cried Charnyetski. “Where is he?”
“With me; I will present him at once.”
Charnyetski took the news so much to heart that he would not wait, but sprang at once from his saddle and entered Volodyovski’s quarters.
All rose when they saw him enter; he barely nodded and said—
“I ask for the letter!”
Kharlamp gave him a sealed letter. The castellan went to the window, for it was dark in the cottage, and began to read with frowning brow and anxious face. From instant to instant anger gleamed on his countenance.
“The castellan has changed,” whispered Zagloba to Pan
