The Deluge. Vol. 2

The officer finished.

Anusia heaped a multitude of other questions on him, preserving with difficulty dignity sufficient. When he went out, she gave way to herself completely. She fell to striking her skirts with her hands, turning on her heels like a top, kissing Olenka on the eyes, pulling Billevich by the sleeves, and crying, —

"Well, now, what did I say? Who has crushed Prince Boguslav? Maybe Pan Sapyeha? A fig for Sapyeha! Who will crush the Swedes in the same style? Who will exterminate traitors? Who is the greatest cavalier, who is the greatest knight? Pan Andrei, Pan Andrei!"

"What Andrei?" asked Olenka, growing pale suddenly.

"Have I not told you that his name is Andrei? He told me that himself. Pan Babinich! Long life to Babinich! Volodyovski could not have done better! – What is the matter, Olenka?"

Panna Billevich shook herself as if wishing to throw off a burden of grievous thoughts. "Nothing! I was thinking that traitors themselves bear that name. For there was one who offered to sell the king, dead or alive, to the Swedes or to Boguslav; and he had the same name, – Andrei."

"May God condemn him!" roared Billevich. "Why mention traitors at night? Let us be glad when we have reason."

"Only let Pan Babinich come here!" added Anusia. "That's what is needed! I will fool Braun still more. I will, I will, of purpose to raise the whole garrison, and go over with men and horses to Pan Babinich."

"Do that, do that!" cried Billevich, delighted.

"And afterward – a fig for all those Germans! Maybe he will forget that good-for-nothing woman, and give me his lo – "

Then again her thin voice piped; she covered her face with her hands. All at once an angry thought must have come to her, for she clapped her hands, and said, —

"If not, I will marry Volodyovski!"

CHAPTER XLVII

Two weeks later it was boiling in all Taurogi. On a certain evening disorderly parties of Boguslav's troops came in, – thirty or forty horsemen in a body, reduced, torn, more like spectres than men, – and brought news of the defeat of Boguslav at Yanov. Everything had been lost, – arms, horses, cannon, the camp. Six thousand choice men went out on that expedition with the prince; barely four hundred returned, – these the prince himself led out of the ruin.

Of the Poles no living soul came back save Sakovich; for all who had not fallen in battle, all whom the terrible Babinich had not destroyed in his attacks, went over to Sapyeha. Many foreign officers chose of their own will to stand at the chariot of the conqueror. In one word, no Radzivill had ever yet returned from an expedition more crushed, ruined, and beaten.

And as formerly court adulation knew no bounds in exalting Boguslav as a leader, so now all mouths sounded loudly an unceasing complaint against the incompetent management of the war. Among the remaining soldiers there was endless indignation, which in the last days of the retreat brought complete disorder, and rose to that degree that the prince considered it wiser to remain somewhat in the rear.

The prince and Sakovich halted in Rossyeni. Kettling, hearing of this from soldiers, went immediately with the news to Olenka.

"The main thing," said she, when the news came, "is whether Sapyeha and that Babinich are pursuing the prince, and whether they intend to bring the war to this region."

"I could learn nothing from the statements of the soldiers," answered Kettling, "for fear exaggerates every danger. Some say even that Babinich is here; but since the prince and Sakovich have remained behind, I infer that the pursuit cannot be rapid."

"Still it must come, for it is difficult to think otherwise. Who after victory would not pursue the defeated enemy?"

"That will be shown. I wished to speak of something else. The prince by reason of illness and defeat must be irritated, therefore inclined to deeds of violence. Do not separate now from your aunt and Panna Borzobogati. Do not consent to the journey of your uncle to Tyltsa, as the last time, before the campaign."

Olenka said nothing. Her uncle had, in fact, not been sent to Tyltsa; he had merely been ill for some days after the hammer-stroke given by Prince Boguslav. Sakovich, to hide the prince's deed from the people, spread the report that the old man had gone to Tyltsa. Olenka preferred to be silent on this before Kettling, for the proud maiden was ashamed to confess that any man living had struck a Billevich.

"I thank you for the warning," said she, after a moment's silence.

"I considered it my duty."

But her heart swelled with bitterness; for not long before Kettling might have enabled her to avoid this new danger. If he had consented to the flight, she would have been far away, free of Boguslav forever.

"It is really fortunate for me," said she, "that this warning does not touch your honor, that the prince has not issued an order for you not to warn me."

Kettling understood the reproach, and uttered a speech which Olenka did not expect of him: —

"As to what touches my military service, to guard which my honor commands, I will accomplish that or forfeit my life. Other choice I have not, and do not wish to have. Outside my service I am free to provide against lawlessness. Therefore, as a private man, I leave with you this pistol, and I say, Defend yourself, for danger is near; in case of need, kill! Then my oath will be at an end, and I will hasten to save you."

He bowed and turned toward the door, but Olenka detained him.

"Cavalier, free yourself from that service! Defend a good cause; defend the injured, for you are worthy to do so; you are honorable. It is a pity that you should be lost on a traitor!"

"I should have freed myself long since, and resigned," said Kettling, "had I not thought that by remaining I might serve you. Now it is too late. If the prince had returned victorious, I should not have hesitated a moment; but when he is coming back conquered, – when, perhaps, the enemy is pursuing him, – it would be cowardice to ask for dismissal before the end of the term itself will free me. You will see sufficiently how people of small heart desert in crowds a defeated man. This pistol will send a ball even through armor with ease."

Kettling went out, leaving on the table the weapon, which Olenka secreted at once. Fortunately the previsions of the young officer and her own fear proved groundless.

The prince arrived in the evening with Sakovich and Patterson, but so crushed and ill that he was barely able to hold himself on his feet. Besides, he did not know well whether Sapyeha was advancing or had sent Babinich in pursuit with the light squadrons. Boguslav had overthrown, it is true, the latter in his attack, together with his horse; but he dared not hope that he had killed him, since it seemed to him that the double-handed sword had turned in the blow on Babinich's helmet. Besides, he had fired before from a pistol straight into his face, and that had not taken effect.

The prince's heart was aching at the thought of what such a Babinich would do with his estates should he reach them with his Tartars, – and he had nothing with which to defend them; and not only his estates, but his own person. Among his hirelings there were not many like Kettling, and it was just to suppose that at the first news of the coming of Sapyeha's troops they would desert him to a man.

The prince did not purpose to remain in Taurogi longer than two or three days, for he had to hasten to Royal Prussia to the elector and Steinbock, who might furnish him with new forces, and employ him either in capturing Prussian towns, or send him to aid the king himself, who intended an expedition to the heart of the Commonwealth.

In Taurogi he had to leave some one of the officers to bring order into the remnant of the army, ward off patriot peasants and nobles, defend the property of the two Radzivills, and continue the understanding with Löwenhaupt, commander-in-chief of the Swedes in Jmud.

With this object, after he had come to Taurogi, and after a night's rest, the prince summoned to council Sakovich, the only man whom he could trust, and to whom alone he could open his heart.

That first "good day" in Taurogi was wonderful, when the two friends saw each other after the ill-starred campaign. For some time they gazed on each other without a word. The prince broke the silence first, —

"Well, the devils! they carried the day."

"They carried the day!" repeated Sakovich.

"It must have been so with such weather. If I had had more light squadrons, or if some devil had not brought that Babinich, – twice the same man! The gallow's bird changed his name. Do not tell any one of him, so as not to increase his glory."

"I will not tell. But will not the officers trumpet it, for you presented him before your boots as Banneret of Orsha?"

"The German officers know nothing of Polish names. It is all one to them, – Kmita or Babinich. But by the horns of Lucifer, if I could get him! I had him; and the scoundrel brought my men into rebellion, besides leading off Glovbich's troops. He must be some bastard of our blood; it cannot be otherwise! I had him, and he escaped, – that gnaws me more than the whole lost campaign."

"You had him, Prince, but at the price of my head."

"I tell you sincerely that I would let them flay you, if I might make a drum out of Kmita's skin!"

"Thank you, Bogus; I could not expect less from your friendship."

The prince laughed: "But you would have squirmed on Sapyeha's gridiron. All your scoundrelism would have been fried out of you. I should have been glad to see that!"

"I should be glad to see you in the hands of Kmita, your dear relative. You have a different face, but in form you are like each other, and you have feet of the same size; you are sighing for the same maiden, only she without experience divines that he is stronger, and that he is a better soldier."

"I could manage two such as you, and I rode over his breast. If I had had two minutes' time, I should be able to give you my word now that my cousin is not living. You have always been rather dull, hence I took a fancy to you; but in these recent days your wit has left you completely."

"You have always had your wit in your heels, and therefore you swept away in such fashion before Sapyeha that I have lost all fancy for you, and am ready myself to go to Sapyeha."