The Deluge. Vol. 2

The knights were alone.

"Come to my quarters," said Volodyovski; "you will find there Pan Yan, Pan Stanislav, and Zagloba, who will be glad to hear what the king has told me. There too is Kharlamp."

But Kmita approached the little knight with great disquiet on his face. "Did you find many people with Radzivill?" asked he.

"Of officers, Kharlamp alone was there."

"I do not ask about the military, but about women."

"I know what you mean," answered Pan Michael, flushing somewhat. "Prince Boguslav took Panna Billevich to Taurogi."

Kmita's face changed at once; first it was pale as a parchment, then purple, and again whiter than before. He did not find words at once; but his nostrils quivered while he was catching breath, which apparently failed in his breast. Then he seized his temples with both hands, and running through the room like a madman, began to repeat, —

"Woe to me, woe, woe!"

"Come! Kharlamp will tell you better, for he was present," said Volodyovski.

CHAPTER XVIII

When they had left the king's chamber the two knights walked on in silence. Volodyovski did not wish to speak; Kmita was unable to utter a word, for pain and rage were gnawing him. They broke through the crowds of people who had collected in great numbers on the streets in consequence of tidings that the first detachment of the Tartars promised by the Khan had arrived, and was to enter the city to be presented to the king. The little knight led on; Kmita hastened after him like one beside himself, with his cap pulled over his eyes and stumbling against men on the way.

When they had come to a more spacious place Pan Michael seized Kmita by the wrist and said, —

"Control yourself! Despair will do nothing."

"I am not in despair," answered Kmita, "but I want his blood."

"You may be sure to find him among the enemies of the country."

"So much the better," answered Kmita, feverishly; "but even should I find him in a church – "

"In God's name, do not commit sacrilege!" interrupted the little colonel, quickly.

"That traitor will bring me to sin."

They were silent for a time. Then Kmita asked, "Where is he now?"

"Maybe in Taurogi, and maybe not. Kharlamp will know better."

"Let us go."

"It is not far. The squadron is outside the town, but we are here; and Kharlamp is with us."

Then Kmita began to breathe heavily like a man going up a steep mountain. "I am fearfully weak yet," said he.

"You need moderation all the more, since you will have to deal with such a knight."

"I had him once, and here is what remained." Kmita pointed to the scar on his face.

"Tell me how it was, for the king barely mentioned it."

Kmita began to tell; and though he gritted his teeth, and even threw his cap on the ground, still his mind escaped from misfortune, and he calmed himself somewhat.

"I knew that you were daring," said Volodyovski; "but to carry off Radzivill from the middle of his own squadron, I did not expect that, even of you."

Meanwhile they arrived at the quarters. Pan Yan and Pan Stanislav, Zagloba, Jendzian, and Kharlamp were looking at Crimean coats made of sheepskin, which a trading Tartar had brought. Kharlamp, who knew Kmita better, recognized him at one glance of the eye, and dropping the coat exclaimed, —

"Jesus, Mary!"

"May the name of the Lord be praised!" cried Jendzian.

But before all had recovered breath after the wonder, Volodyovski said, —

"I present to you, gentlemen, the Hector of Chenstohova, the faithful servant of the king, who has shed his blood for the faith, the country, and the sovereign."

When astonishment had grown still greater, the worthy Pan Michael began to relate with enthusiasm what he had heard from the king of Kmita's services, and from Pan Andrei himself of the seizure of Prince Boguslav; at last he finished thus, —

"Not only is what Prince Boguslav told of this knight not true, but the prince has no greater enemy than Pan Kmita, and therefore he has taken Panna Billevich from Kyedani, so as to pour out on him in some way his vengeance."

"And this cavalier has saved our lives and warned the confederates against Prince Yanush," cried Zagloba. "In view of such services, previous offences are nothing. As God lives, it is well that he came to us with you. Pan Michael, and not alone; it is well also that our squadron is outside the city, for there is a terrible hatred against him among the Lauda men, and before he could have uttered a syllable they would have cut him to pieces."

"We greet you with full hearts as a brother and future comrade," said Pan Yan.

Kharlamp seized his head.

"Such men never sink," said he; "they swim out on every side, and besides bring glory to the shore."

"Did I not tell you that?" cried Zagloba. "The minute I saw him in Kyedani I thought at once, 'That is a soldier, a man of courage.' And you remember that we fell to kissing each other straightway. It is true that Radzivill was ruined through me, but also through him. God inspired me in Billeviche not to let him be shot. Worthy gentlemen, it is not becoming to give a dry reception to a cavalier like him; he may think that we are hypocrites."

When he heard this Jendzian packed off the Tartar with his coats, and bustled around with the servant to get drinks.

But Kmita was thinking only how to hear most quickly from Kharlamp about the removal of Olenka.

"Where were you then?" asked he.

"I scarcely ever left Kyedani," answered Great Nose. "Prince Boguslav came to our prince voevoda. He so dressed himself for supper that one's eyes ached in looking at him; it was clear that Panna Billevich had pleased him mightily, for he was almost purring from pleasure, like a cat rubbed on the back. It is said that a cat repeats prayers, but if Boguslav prayed he was praising the devil. Oh, but he was agreeable, and sweet and pleasant spoken."

"Let that go!" said Pan Michael, "you cause too great pain to the knight."

"On the contrary. Speak! speak!" cried Kmita.

"He said then at table," continued Kharlamp, "that it was no derogation even to a Radzivill to marry the daughter of a common noble, and that he himself would prefer such a lady to one of those princesses whom the King and Queen of France wished to give him, and whose names I cannot remember, for they sounded as when a man is calling hounds in the forest."

"Less of that!" said Zagloba.

"He said it evidently to captivate the lady; we, knowing that, began one after another to look and mutter, thinking truly that he was setting traps for the innocent."

"But she? but she?" asked Kmita, feverishly.