The Deluge. Vol. 2

"On a rope?"

"On that with which they will bind Radzivill."

"Enough!"

"At the service of your highness!"

"It would be well to shoot some of the noisiest of those horsemen, and introduce order."

"I commanded this morning to hang six of them. They are cold now, and are dancing stubbornly on the ropes, for the wind is fierce."

"You have done well. But listen! Do you wish to remain in the garrison at Taurogi, for I must leave some one here?"

"I do, and I ask for that office. No one can manage better. The soldiers fear me more than others, for they know that with me there is no trifling. With respect to Löwenhaupt, it is necessary that some one be here more important than Patterson."

"Can you manage the rebels?"

"I assure your highness that the pine-trees of Jmud will bear weightier fruit than the cones of last year. I will form about two regiments of infantry out of the peasants, and train them in my fashion. I will have my eyes on the estates; and if the rebels attack one of them, I will throw suspicion immediately on some rich noble and squeeze him like cheese in a bag. At first I shall need merely money to pay wages and equip the infantry."

"I will leave what I can."

"From the dowry money?"

"How is that?"

"That means from the Billevich money which you took out of the dowry for yourself in advance."

"If you could only twist the neck of old Billevich in some polite way, it would be well; for it could be done easily, and he has my letter."

"I will try. But the point is in this, – has he not sent the note somewhere, or has the maiden not sewed it into her shift? Would you not like to discover?"

"It will come to that; but now I must go, and besides that cursed fever has taken all my strength."

"Your highness, envy me for staying in Taurogi."

"You have a strange kind of wish; but if you meanwhile – I should have you torn apart with hooks. Why do you insist on this office?"

"For I want to marry."

"Whom?" asked the prince, sitting up in bed. "Panna Borzobogati."

"That is a good idea, an excellent idea!" said Boguslav. "I have heard of some will."

"There is a will from Pan Longin Podbipienta. Your highness knows what a powerful family that is, and the estates of Pan Longin are in a number of districts. It is true that the Moscow troops have occupied some; there will be lawsuits, fights, disputes, and attacks without number; but I will help myself, and will not yield one point to any man. Besides, the girl has pleased me greatly; she is pretty and enticing. I noticed in a moment when we captured her that she feigned terror, and shot at me with her eyes at the same time. Only let me stay here as commandant, and from idleness alone the love-making will begin."

"One thing I tell you. I will not forbid you to marry; but listen well, – no excesses, you understand? That maiden is from the Vishnyevetskis; she is a confidant of Princess Griselda herself; and because of my esteem for the princess, I do not wish to offend her, nor do I wish to offend Pan Zamoyski."

"There is no need of warning," answered Sakovich; "for since I wish to marry regularly, I must make regular approaches."

"I wish you might get a refusal."

" – I know a man who got a refusal, though he is a prince; but I think that that will not come to me. That eye-cutting gives me great consolation."

"Don't tell that man who got a refusal not to give you horns! I will give an addition to your shield, or you will receive a surname, Sakovich Rogaty.[9 - Rogaty means "horned." Borzobogaty means "quickly rich." Bardzorogaty means "greatly horned."] She is Borzobogaty, and he is Bardzorogaty. You will be a chosen pair. But marry, yes, marry, and let me know of the wedding. I will be your best man."

Fierce anger appeared on Sakovich's face, terrible without that. His eyes were covered for a moment as if by smoke; but he soon recovered, and turning the prince's words into a jest, he said, —

"Poor man! you are not able to go downstairs alone, and you make threats. You have your Panna Billevich here; go your way, skeleton! go your way! You'll nurse Babinich's children yet!"

"God break your tongue, such a son! You are making sport of the sickness which came within a hair of killing me. I would you were enchanted as I was."

"What enchantments are there here? At times, when I see how everything goes in the natural world, I think enchantment is stupid."

"You are stupid yourself! Be silent! do not summon the Devil. You disgust me more and more."

"Would that I were not the last Pole who has remained faithful to your highness! For my loyalty you feed me with ingratitude. I will return to my dens at home, and sit quietly awaiting the end of the war."

"Oh, give us peace! You know that I love you."

"It is grievous for me to see that. The Devil thrust this love for your highness on me. If there is enchantment in anything, it is in that."

The starosta told the truth; for he loved Boguslav really. The prince knew this, and therefore paid him, if not with strong attachment, with gratitude, which vain people ever have for those who do them homage. Therefore Boguslav agreed willingly to Sakovich's plans touching Anusia, and determined to aid him in person. In view of this, about midday, when he felt better, he had himself dressed and went to Anusia.

"I have come because of old acquaintance," said he, "to inquire after your health and ask if the visit to Taurogi has pleased you."

"In captivity one must be pleased with all things," answered Anusia, sighing.

The prince laughed. "You are not in captivity. You were taken together with Sapyeha's soldiers, that is true; and I gave orders to send you here, but only for safety. Not a hair will fall from your head. Be convinced that there are few people whom I respect as I do Princess Griselda, to whose heart you are near; and the Vishnyevetskis and Zamoyskis are connections of mine. You will find here every freedom and every care. I come to you as a well-wishing friend, and I say if you wish to go I will give you an escort, though I have few soldiers myself. I advise you to stay. You, as I have heard, were sent here to seek property willed to you. Be assured that this is not the time to think of such business; and even in time of peace the aid of Sapyeha would not avail in these regions, for he could act only in Vityebsk; here he can do nothing. I shall not touch that affair personally, but through an agent. You need a friendly man, and adroit, esteemed, and feared. If such a man were to take up this matter, surely he would not let people thrust straw instead of grain into his hand."

"Where shall I, an orphan, find such a protector?" asked Anusia.

"Precisely in Taurogi."

"Your highness would be pleased yourself – "

Here Anusia put her hands together, and looked so prettily into Boguslav's eyes that if the prince had not been wearied and broken, he would surely have begun to think less sincerely of Sakovich's cause; but since he had no gallantry in his head at that moment, he said quickly, —

"Could I do it myself, I should not intrust such a pleasant office to any man; but I am going away, for I must go. I leave in my place, as commandant of Taurogi, the starosta of Oshmiana, Pan Sakovich, a great cavalier, a famous soldier, and a man so adroit that there is not another such in all Lithuania. So I repeat: Stay in Taurogi, for you have no place to go to, since every point is full of ravagers and ruffians, while rebels infest all the roads. Sakovich will protect you here; Sakovich will defend you. Sakovich will see what can be done to obtain those estates; and once he undertakes the affair, I guarantee that no man on earth could bring it to a favorable issue sooner. He is my friend, therefore I know him, and I will say only this: if I had taken those estates from you, and afterward learned that Sakovich was coming to oppose me, I would give them up of my own will, for it is dangerous to struggle with him."

"If Pan Sakovich would be ready to come to the aid of an orphan – "

"Only be not unjust to him, and he will do anything for you, for your beauty has touched his heart deeply. He is going around sighing now – "

"How could I touch the heart of any man?"

"She is a rascal, the maiden!" thought the prince. But he added aloud: "Let Sakovich explain how that happened. Only do him no wrong; for he is a worthy man and of a noted family, therefore I do not wish that disdain should be shown such a person."

CHAPTER XLVIII