With Fire and Sword. Book II

CHAPTER II.-1

CHAPTER II.To explain what had taken place in Rozlogi, we must return to that night when Pan Yan sent Jendzian from Kudák with a letter to the old princess. The letter contained an earnest request to take Helena and seek with all haste the protection of Prince Yeremi at Lubni, since war might begin at any moment.

Jendzian, taking his place in the boat which Pan Grodzitski sent from Kudák for powder, made his way with slow advance, for they went up the river. At Kremenchug he met the forces sailing under command of Krechovski and Barabash, despatched by the hetmans against Hmelnitski. Jendzian had a meeting with Barabash, whom he informed of the possible danger to Pan Yan on his journey to the Saitch; therefore he begged the old colonel not to fail in making urgent demand for the envoy when he met Hmelnitski. After this he moved on.

They arrived in Chigirin at daylight. They were surrounded at once by a guard of Cossacks inquiring who they were. They answered that they were going from Kudák with a letter from Grodzitski to the hetmans. Notwithstanding this, the chief of the boat and Jendzian were summoned to answer the colonel.

“What colonel?“ asked the chief.

“Loboda,“ replied the essauls of the guard. “The Grand Hetman has ordered him to detain and examine every one coming from the Saitch to Chigirin.“

They went. Jendzian walked on boldly, for he expected no harm since he was sent by authority of the hetman.

They were taken to the neighborhood of Bell-ringers' Corner, to the house of Pan Jelenski, where Colonel Loboda's quarters were. But they were informed that the colonel having set out at daybreak for Cherkasi, the lieutenant-colonel occupied his place. They waited rather long; at last the door opened, and the expected lieutenant-colonel appeared in the room. At the sight of him Jendzian's knees trembled under him. It was Bogun.

The hetman's power extended really to Chigirin; but since Loboda and Bogun had not yet gone over to Hmelnitski, but adhered publicly to the Commonwealth, the Grand Hetman had appointed them to Chigirin, and ordered them to maintain guard.

Bogun took his place at the table and began to question the newly arrived.

The chief of the boat, who brought a letter from Grodzitski, answered for himself and Jendzian. On examination of the letter, the young lieutenant-colonel began to inquire carefully what was to be heard in Kudák, and it was evident that he had a great desire to know why Grodzitski had sent men and a boat to the Grand Hetman. But the chief of the boat could not answer this, and the letter was secured with Pan Grodzitski's seal. Having finished his inquiries, Bogun was putting his hand to his purse to give the men something to buy beer, when the door opened, and Zagloba burst like a thunderbolt into the room.

“Listen, Bogun!“ cried he; “that traitor Dopúla has kept his best triple mead hidden. I went with him to the cellar. I looked, I saw something in the corner; it was hay and it wasn't hay. I asked, 'What is that?' 'Dry hay,' said he. When I looked more closely, the top of a bottle was sticking up, like the head of a Tartar, out of the grass. 'Oh, you son of a such a one,' said I, 'let's divide the labor! Do you eat the hay, for you are an ox; and I will drink the mead, for I am a man.' I brought the fat bottle for an honest trial; only let us have the glasses now!“

Having said this, Zagloba put one hand on his hip, and with the other raised the bottle above his head and began to sing,--

“Hei Yagush, hei Kundush, but give us the glasses,

Give a kiss, and then care for naught else.“

Here Zagloba, seeing Jendzian, stopped suddenly, placed the bottle on the table, and said,--

“As God is dear to me! this is Pan Yan's young man.“

“Whose?“ asked Bogun, hastily.

“Pan Skshetuski's, the lieutenant who went to Kudák, and before going treated me to such mead from Lubni that I wish all would keep it behind their tavern-signs. What is your master doing? Is he well?“

“Well, and asked to be remembered to you,“ said Jendzian, confused.

“He is a man of mighty courage. How do you come to be in Chigirin? Why did your master send you from Kudák?“

“My master,“ said Jendzian, “has his affairs in Lubni, on which he directed me to return, for I had nothing to do in Kudák.“

All this time Bogun was looking sharply at Jendzian, and suddenly he said: “I too know your master, I saw him in Rozlogi.“

Jendzian bent his head, and turning his ear as if he had not heard, inquired: “Where?“

“In Rozlogi.“

“That place belongs to the Kurtsevichi,“ said Zagloba.

“To whom?“ asked Jendzian again.

“Oh, I see you are hard of hearing,“ said Bogun, curtly.

“Because I have not slept enough.“

“You will sleep enough yet. You say that your master sent you to Lubni?“

“Yes.“

“Doubtless he has some sweetheart there,“ interrupted Zagloba, “to whom he sends his love through you.“

“How do I know, worthy sir? Maybe he has, maybe he has not,“ said Jendzian. Then he bowed to Bogun and Zagloba. “Praise be to--“ said he, preparing to go out.

“Forever!“ said Bogun. “But wait, my little bird; don't be in a hurry! And why did you hide from me that you are the servant of Pan Skshetuski?“

“You didn't ask me, and I thought, 'What reason have I to talk of anything?' Praise be to--“

“Wait, I say! You have some letters from your master?“

“It is his affair to write, and mine to deliver, but only to him to whom they are written; therefore permit me to bid farewell to you, gentlemen.“

Bogun wrinkled his sable brows and clapped his hands. Two Cossacks entered the room.

“Search him!“ cried he, pointing to Jendzian.

“As I live, violence is done me! I am a nobleman, though a servant, and, gentlemen, you will answer for this in court.“

“Bogun, let him go!“ said Zagloba.

But that moment one of the Cossacks found two letters in Jendzian's bosom, and gave them to the lieutenant-colonel. Bogun directed the Cossacks to withdraw at once, for not knowing how to read, he did not wish to expose himself before them; then turning to Zagloba, he said,----

“Read, and I will look after this young fellow.“ Zagloba shut his left eye, on which he had a cataract, and read the address:--

“To my gracious lady and benefactress, Princess Kurtsevichova in Rozlogi.“

“So you, my little falcon, are going to Lubni, and you don't know where Rozlogi is?“ said Bogun, surveying Jendzian with a terrible look.

“Where they send me, there I go!“

“Am I to open it? The seal of a nobleman is sacred,“ remarked Zagloba.

“The hetman has given me the right to examine all letters. Open and read!“

Zagloba opened and read:--

“My gracious Lady,--I inform you that I have arrived in Kudák, from which, with God's assistance, I shall go tomorrow morning to the Saitch. But now I am writing in the night, not being able to sleep from anxiety lest something may happen to you from that bandit Bogun and his scoundrels. Pan Grodzitski tells me that we are on the eve of a great war, which will rouse the mob; therefore I implore and beseech you this minute,--even before the steppes are dry, even if on horseback,--to go with the princess to Lubni; and not to neglect this, for I shall not be able to return for a time. Which request you will be pleased to grant at once, so that I may be sure of the happiness of my betrothed and rejoice after my return. And what need have you of dallying with Bogun and throwing sand in his eyes from fear, after you have given the princess to me? It is better to take refuge under the protection of my master, the prince, who will not fail to send a garrison to Rozlogi; and thus you will save your property. In the mean while I have the honor, etc.“

“Ho, ho! my friend Bogun,“ said Zagloba, “the hussar wants in some way to put horns on you. So you have been paying compliments to the same girl! Why didn't you speak of this? But be comforted, for once upon a time it happened to me--“

But the joke that he had begun died suddenly on his lips. Bogun sat motionless at the table, but his face was pale and drawn, as if by convulsions; his eyes closed, his brows contracted. Something terrible had happened to him.

“What's the matter?“ asked Zagloba.

The Cossack began to wave his hand feverishly, and from his lips issued a suppressed hoarse voice: “Read--read the other letter!“

“The other is to Princess Helena.“

“Read! read!“

Zagloba began:–

“Sweetest, beloved Halshko, mistress and queen of my heart! Since in the service of the prince I had but little time to stop at Rozlogi, I write therefore to your aunt, that you and she go to Lubni, where no harm can happen to you from Bogun, and our mutual affection cannot be exposed to interruption--“

“Enough!“ cried Bogun; and jumping up in madness from the table, he sprang toward Jendzian.

The unfortunate young fellow, struck straight in the breast, groaned and fell to the floor. Frenzy carried Bogun away; he threw himself on Zagloba and snatched the letters from him.

Zagloba, seizing the fat bottle of mead, sprang to the stove and cried out,--

“In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, have you grown wild, man, or mad? Calm down! be mild! Stick your head in the water-pail! A hundred devils take you! Do you hear me?“

“Blood! blood!“ howled Bogun.

“Have you lost your mind? Thrust your head in the water-pail, I tell you! You have blood already,--you have spilt innocent blood. That unfortunate youth is already breathless. The devil has snared you, or you are the devil yourself with something to boot. Come to your senses, the deuce take you, you son of a pagan!“

While crying out in this fashion, Zagloba pushed around to the other side of the table, and bending over Jendzian felt of his breast and put his hand to his mouth, from which blood was flowing freely.

Bogun seized himself by the head, and howled like a wounded wolf. Then he dropped on the bench, without ceasing to howl, for the spirit within was torn from rage and pain. Suddenly he sprang up, ran to the door, kicked it open, and hurried to the anteroom.

“I hope you will break your neck!“ muttered Zagloba to himself. “Go and smash your head against the stable or the barn,--though, as a horned beast, you can knock your head without danger. But he is a fury! I have never seen anything like him in my life. He snapped his teeth like a dog going to bite. But this boy is alive yet, poor fellow! In truth, if this mead won't help him, he lied when he said he was a noble.“

Thus muttering, Zagloba placed Jendzian's head on his knees and began to pour the mead through his blue lips.

“We will see if you have good blood in you. If it is Jewish, when mixed with mead or wine it will boil; if clownish, being torpid and heavy, it will sink. Only the blood of a noble becomes lively and forms excellent liquor, which gives manhood and daring to the body. The Lord gave different drinks to different people, so that each one might have his own appropriate pleasure.“

Jendzian groaned faintly.

“Ah, ha! you want more. No, brother, let me have some too,--that's the style. Now, since you have given sign of life, I think I'll take you to the stable and put you somewhere in a corner, so that dragon of a Cossack may not tear you to pieces when he gets back. He is a dangerous friend, the devil take him! for I see that his hand is quicker than his wit.“

Zagloba raised Jendzian from the floor with ease, showing unusual strength, carried him to the anteroom, and then to the yard, where a number of Cossacks were playing dice on a rug spread on the ground. They greeted him, and he said,--

“Boys, take this youngster for me, put him on the hay, and let some one run for a barber.“