The Deluge. Vol. 2

"Jesus! Mary!" exclaimed Zagloba. "The Swedes are coming!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Volodyovski, seizing his sabre.

"Roh, come here!" cried Zagloba, for in cases of surprise he was glad to have his sister's son near him.

But Roh was not in the tent.

They ran out on the square. Crowds were already before the tents, and all were making their way toward the river, for on the other side was to be seen flashing of fire, and an increasing roar was heard.

"What has happened, what has happened?" was asked of the numerous guards disposed along the bank.

But the guards had seen nothing. One of the soldiers said that he had heard as it were the plash of a wave, but as fog was hanging over the water he could see nothing; he did not wish therefore to raise the camp for a mere sound.

When Zagloba heard this he caught himself by the head in desperation, —

"Roh has gone to the Swedes! He said that he wished to carry off a sentry."

"For God's sake, that may be!" cried Kmita.

"They will shoot the lad, as God is in heaven!" continued Zagloba, in despair. "Worthy gentlemen, is there no help? Lord God, that boy was of the purest gold; there is not another such in the two armies! What shot that idea into his stupid head? Oh, Mother of God, save him in trouble!"

"Maybe he will return; the fog is dense. They will not see him."

"I will wait for him here even till morning. Mother of God, Mother of God!"

Meanwhile shots on the opposite bank lessened, lights went out gradually, and after an hour dull silence set in. Zagloba walked along the bank of the river like a hen with ducklings, and tore out the remnant of hair in his forelock; but he waited in vain, he despaired in vain. The morning whitened the river, the sun rose, but Roh came not.

CHAPTER XXXIV

Zagloba in unbroken despair betook himself to Charnyetski, with a request that he would send to the Swedes to see what had happened to Kovalski. Is he alive yet, is he groaning in captivity, or has he paid with his life for his daring?

Charnyetski agreed to this willingly, for he loved Zagloba. Then comforting him in his suffering, he said, —

"I think your sister's son must be alive, otherwise the water would have brought him ashore."

"God grant that he is!" answered Zagloba; "still it would be hard for the water to raise him, for not only had he a heavy hand, but his wit was like lead, as is shown by his action."

"You speak justly," answered Charnyetski. "If he is alive I ought to give orders to drag him with a horse over the square, for disregard of discipline. He might alarm the Swedish army, but he has alarmed both armies; besides, he was not free to touch the Swedes without command and my order. Is this a general militia or what the devil, that every man has a right to act on his own account?"

"He has offended, I agree; I will punish him myself, if only the Lord will bring him back."

"But I forgive him in remembrance of the Rudnik affair. I have many prisoners to exchange, and more distinguished officers than Kovalski. Do you go to the Swedes and negotiate about exchange; I will give two or three for him if need be, for I do not wish to make your heart bleed. Come to me for a letter to the king, and go quickly."

Zagloba sprang with rejoicing to Kmita's tent, and told his comrades what had happened. Pan Andrei and Volodyovski exclaimed at once that they too would go with him, for both were curious to see the Swedes; besides Kmita might be very useful, since he spoke German almost as fluently as Polish.

Preparations did not delay them long. Charnyetski, without waiting for the return of Zagloba, sent the letter by a messenger; then they provided a piece of white cloth fixed to a pole, took a trumpeter, sat in a boat, and moved on.

At first they went in silence, nothing save the plash of oars was to be heard; at last Zagloba was somewhat alarmed and said, —

"Lot the trumpeter announce us immediately, for those scoundrels are ready to fire in spite of the white flag."

"What do you say?" answered Volodyovski; "even barbarians respect envoys, and this is a civilized people."

"Let the trumpeter sound, I say. The first soldier who happens along will fire, make a hole in the boat, and we shall get into the water; the water is cold, and I have do wish to get wet through their courtesy."

"There, a sentry is visible!" said Kmita.

The trumpeter sounded. The boat shot forward quickly; on the other shore a hurried movement began, and soon a mounted officer rode up, wearing a yellow leather cap. When he had approached the edge of the water he shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look against the light. A few yards from the shore Kmita removed his cap in greeting; the officer bowed to him with equal politeness.

"A letter from Pan Charnyetski to the Most Serene King of Sweden!" cried Pan Andrei, showing the letter.

The guard standing on the shore presented arms. Pan Zagloba was completely reassured; presently he fixed his countenance in dignity befitting his position as an envoy, and said in Latin, —

"The past night a certain cavalier was seized on this shore; I have come to ask for him."

"I cannot speak Latin," answered the officer.

"Ignoramus!" muttered Zagloba.

The officer turned then to Pan Andrei, —

"The king is in the farther end of the camp. Be pleased, gentlemen, to stay here; I will go and announce you." And he turned his horse.

The envoys looked around. The camp was very spacious, for it embraced the whole triangle formed by the San and the Vistula. At the summit of the triangle lay Panyev, at the base Tarnobjeg on one side, and Rozvadov on the other. Apparently it was impossible to take in the whole extent at a glance; still, as far as the eye could reach, were to be seen trenches, embankments, earthworks, and fascines at which were cannons and men. In the very centre of the place, in Gojytsi, were the quarters of the king; there also the main forces of the army.

"If hunger does not drive them out of this place, we can do nothing with them," said Kmita. "The whole region is fortified. There is pasture for horses."

"But there are not fish for so many mouths," said Zagloba. "Lutherans do not like fasting food. Not long since they had all Poland, now they have this wedge; let them sit here in safety, or go back to Yaroslav."

"Very skilful men made these trenches," added Volodyovski, looking with the eye of a specialist on the work. "We have more swordsmen, but fewer learned officers; and in military art we are behind others."

"Why is that?" asked Zagloba.

"Why? It does not beseem me as a soldier who has served all his life in the cavalry, to say this, but everywhere infantry and cannon are the main thing; hence those campaigns and military manœuvres, marches, and countermarches. A man in a foreign army must devour a multitude of books and turn over a multitude of Roman authors before he becomes a distinguished officer; but there is nothing of that with us. Cavalry rushes into the smoke in a body, and shaves with its sabres; and if it does not shave off in a minute, then they shave it off."

"You speak soundly, Pan Michael; but what nation has won so many famous victories?"

"Yes, because others in old times warred in the same way, and not having the same impetus they were bound to lose; but now they have become wiser, and see what they are doing."

"Wait for the end. Place for me now the wisest Swedish or German engineer, and against him I will put Roh, who has never turned over books, and let us see."

"If you could put him," interrupted Kmita.

"True, true! I am terribly sorry for him. Pan Andrei, jabber a little in that dog's language of those breeches fellows, and ask what has happened to Roh."

"You do not know regular soldiers. Here no man will open his lips to you without an order; they are stingy of speech."

"I know that they are surly scoundrels. While if to our nobles, and especially to the general militia, an envoy comes, immediately talk, talk, they will drink gorailka with him, and will enter into political discussion with him; and see how these fellows stand there like posts and bulge out their eyes at us! I wish they would smother to the last man!"