The Deluge. Vol. 2

"How is that? Should I not do the work for which I was sent? In my life such a thing has not happened, and it will not happen! Even if Charnyetski should forgive me, I would not do that for ready treasure."

"Then I will draw my sabre and hamstring your horse so that you cannot follow me. Have you ever seen anything miscarry that I invented with my own head? Tell me, have you ever come into evil plight yourself with Zagloba's stratagems? Did Pan Michael come out badly, or your Helena, or any of you, when I freed you all from Radzivill's hands? I tell you that more harm than good may come of that letter; for Charnyetski wrote it in such agitation that he broke three pens. Finally, you can speak of it when my plans fail. I promise to give it then, but not before."

"If I can only deliver the letter, it is all one when."

"I ask for no more. Now on, for there is a terrible road before us."

They urged the horses, and went at a gallop. But they did not need to ride long, for the marshal's vanguard had not only passed Radymno, but Yaroslav; and Lyubomirski himself was at Yaroslav, and occupied the former quarters of the King of Sweden.

They found him at dinner, with the most important officers. But when the envoys were announced, Lyubomirski gave orders to receive them at once; for he knew the names, since they were mentioned at that time in the whole Commonwealth.

All eyes were turned on the envoys as they entered; the officers looked with especial admiration and curiosity at Pan Yan. When the marshal had greeted them courteously, he asked at once, —

"Have I that famous knight before me who brought the letters from besieged Zbaraj to the king?"

"I crept through," said Pan Yan.

"God grant me as many such officers as possible! I envy Pan Charnyetski nothing so much; as to the rest, I know that even my small services will not perish from the memory of men."

"And I am Zagloba," said the old knight, pushing himself forward.

Here he passed his eye around the assembly; and the marshal, as he wished to attract every one to himself, exclaimed, —

"Who does not know of the man who slew Burlai, the leader of the barbarians; of the man who raised Radzivill's army in rebellion – "

"And I led Sapyeha's army, who, if the truth is told, chose me, not him for leader," added Zagloba.

"And why did you wish, being able to have such a high office, to leave it and serve under Pan Charnyetski?"

Here Zagloba's eye gleamed at Skshetuski, and he said: "Serene great mighty marshal, from your worthiness I as well as the whole country take example how to resign ambition and self-interest for the good of the Commonwealth."

Lyubomirski blushed from satisfaction, and Zagloba, putting his hands on his hips, continued, —

"Pan Charnyetski has sent us to bow to your worthiness in his name and that of the whole army, and at the same time to inform you of the considerable victory which God has permitted us to gain over Kanneberg."

"I have heard of it already," said the marshal, dryly enough, in whom envy had now begun to move, "but gladly do I hear it again from an eyewitness."

Zagloba began at once to relate, but with certain changes, for the forces of Kanneberg grew in his mouth to two thousand men. He did not forget either to mention Sweno or himself, and how before the eyes of the king the remnant of the cavalry were cut to pieces near the river; how the wagons and three hundred men of the guards fell into the hands of the fortunate conquerors; in a word, the victory increased in his narrative to the dimensions of an unspeakable misfortune for the Swedes.

All listened with attention, and so did the marshal; but he grew gloomier and gloomier, his face was chilled as if by ice, and at last he said, —

"I do not deny that Charnyetski is a celebrated warrior, but still he cannot devour all the Swedes himself; something will remain for others to gulp."

"Serene great mighty lord," answered Zagloba, "it is not Pan Charnyetski who gained the victory."

"But who?"

"But Lyubomirski!"

A moment of universal astonishment followed. The marshal opened his mouth, began to wink, and looked at Zagloba with such an astonished gaze, as if he wished to ask: "Is there not a stave lacking in your barrel?"

Zagloba did not let himself be beaten from the track, but pouting his lips with great importance (he borrowed this gesture from Zamoyski), said, —

"I heard Charnyetski say before the whole army: 'It is not our sabres that slay them; 'tis the name of Lyubomirski that cuts them down. Since they have heard that he is right here marching on, their courage has so gone out of them that they see in every one of our soldiers the army of the marshal, and they put their heads under the knife like sheep.'"

If all the rays of the sun had fallen at once on the face of the marshal, that face could not have been more radiant.

"How is that?" asked he; "did Charnyetski himself say that?"

"He did, and many other things; but I do not know that 'tis proper for me to repeat them, for he told them only to intimates."

"Tell! Every word of Pan Charnyetski deserves to be repeated a hundred times. He is an uncommon man, and I said so long ago."

Zagloba looked at the marshal, half closing his one eye, and muttered: "You have swallowed the hook; I'll land you this minute."

"What do you say?" asked the marshal.

"I say that the army cheered your worthiness in such fashion that they could not have cheered the king better; and in Pjevorsk, where we fought all night with the Swedes, wherever a squadron sprang out the men cried: 'Lyubomirski! Lyubomirski!' and that had a better effect than 'Allah!' and 'Slay, kill!' There is a witness here too, – Pan Skshetuski, no common soldier, and a man who has never told a lie in his life."

The marshal looked involuntarily at Pan Yan, who blushed to his ears, and muttered something through his nose. Meanwhile the officers of the marshal began to praise the envoys aloud, —

"See, Pan Charnyetski has acted courteously, sending such polished cavaliers; both are famous knights, and honey simply flows from the mouth of one of them."

"I have always understood that Pan Charnyetski was a well-wisher of mine, but now there is nothing that I would not do for him," cried the marshal, whose eyes were veiled with a mist from delight.

At this Zagloba broke into enthusiasm: "Serene great mighty lord, who would not render homage to you, who would not honor you, the model of all civic virtues, who recall Aristides in justice, the Scipios in bravery! I have read many books in my time, have seen much, have meditated much, and my soul has been rent from pain; for what have I seen in this Commonwealth? The Opalinskis, the Radzeyovskis, the Radzivills, who by their personal pride, setting their own ambition above all things, were ready at every moment to desert the country for their own private gain. I thought further, this Commonwealth is lost through the viciousness of its own sons. But who has comforted me, who has consoled me in my suffering? Pan Charnyetski, for he said: 'The Commonwealth has not perished, since Lyubomirski has risen up in it. These others,' said he, 'think of themselves alone; he is only looking, only seeking how to make an offering of his own interests on the common altar. These are pushing themselves forward; he is pushing himself back, for he wants to illustrate by his example. Now,' said he, 'he is marching with a powerful conquering army, and I have heard,' said he, 'that he wishes to give me the command over it, in order to teach others how they should sacrifice their ambition, though even just, for the country. Go, then,' said he, 'to Pan Lyubomirski, declare to him that I do not want the sacrifice, I do not desire it, since he is a better leader than I am; since, moreover, not only as leader, but – God grant our Kazimir a long life! – as king are we ready to choose him, and – we will choose him!'"

Here Zagloba was somewhat frightened lest he had passed the measure, and really after the exclamation, "We will choose him!" followed silence; but before the magnate heaven opened; he grew somewhat pale at first, then red, then pale again, and laboring heavily with his breast, said, after the silence of a moment, —

"The Commonwealth is and will ever remain in control of its own will, for on that ancient foundation do our liberties rest. But I am only a servant of its servants, and God is my witness that I do not raise my eyes to those heights at which a citizen should not gaze. As to command over the army, Pan Charnyetski must accept it. I demand it especially for this, to give an example to those who, having continually the greatness of their family in mind, are unwilling to recognize any authority whenever it is necessary to forget the greatness of their family for the good of the country. Therefore, though perhaps I am not such a bad leader, still I, Lyubomirski, enter willingly under the command of Charnyetski, praying to God only to send us victory over the enemy!"

"Roman! Father of the country!" exclaimed Zagloba, seizing the marshal's hand and pressing it to his lips.

But at the same moment the old rogue turned his eye on Pan Yan, and began to wink time after time.

Thundering shouts were heard from the officers. The throng in the quarters increased with each moment.

"Wine!" cried the marshal.

And when they brought in goblets he raised at once a toast to the king, then to Charnyetski, whom he called his leader, and finally to the envoys. Zagloba did not remain behind with the toasts, and he so caught the hearts of all that the marshal himself conducted them to the threshold, and the knights to the gates of Yaroslav.

At last Pan Yan and Zagloba were alone; then Zagloba stopped the road in front of Pan Yan, reined in his horse, and putting his hands on his hips, said, —

"Well, Yan, what do you think?"

"God knows," answered Pan Yan, "that if I had not seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, I would not believe, even if an angel had told me."

"Ha! do you know? I will swear to you that Charnyetski himself at the most asked and begged Lyubomirski to go in company with him. And do you know what he would have done? Lyubomirski would have gone alone; for if Charnyetski has adjured in the letter by the love of country, or if he mentioned private interests, and I am sure that he has, the marshal would have been offended at once, and would have said: 'Does he want to be my preceptor, and teach me how to serve the country?' I know those men! Happily old Zagloba took the matter in hand, and hardly had he opened his mouth when Lyubomirski not only wanted to go with Charnyetski, but to go under his command. Charnyetski is killing himself with anxiety, but I will comfort him. Well, Yan, does Zagloba know how to manage the magnates?"