The Deluge. Vol. 2

On the road they were to visit the church; for that was the anniversary of the battle of Volmontovichi, in which they were saved from the last straits by the coming of Babinich. The whole day had passed for them in various occupations, so that only toward evening could they start from Mitruny. In going there they went by the church-road, but in returning they had to pass through Lyubich and Volmontovichi. Panna Aleksandra had barely looked at the first smoke of Lyubich when she turned aside her eyes and began to repeat prayers to drive away painful thoughts; but the sword-bearer rode on in silence, and only looked around. At last, when they had passed the gate, he said, —

"That is land for a senator! Lyubich is worth two like Mitruny."

Olenka continued to say her prayers.

But in Pan Tomash was roused the old landlord by nature, and perhaps also he was given somewhat to lawsuits; for after a while he said again, as if to himself, —

"And yet it is ours by right, – old Billevich property, our sweat, our toil. That unfortunate man must have perished long since, for he has not announced himself; and if he had, the right is with us." Here he turned to Olenka: "What do you think?"

"That is a cursed place," answered she. "Let happen with it what may!"

"But you see the right is with us. The place was cursed in bad hands, but it will be blessed in good ones. The right is with us."

"Never! I do not wish to know anything of it. My grandfather willed it without restriction; let Kmita's relatives take it."

Then she urged on the pony. Billevich put spurs also to his beast, and they did not slacken speed till they were in the open field. Meanwhile night had fallen; but there was perfect light, for an enormous red moon had risen from behind the forest of Volmontovichi and lighted up the whole region with a golden shining.

"Well! God has given a beautiful night," said the sword-bearer, looking at the circle of the moon.

"How Volmontovichi gleams from a distance!" said Olenka.

"For the wood in the houses has not become black."

Their further conversation was interrupted by the squeaking of a wagon, which they could not see at first, for the road was undulating; soon, however, they saw a pair of horses, and following behind them a pair at a pole, and at the end of the pole a wagon surrounded by a number of horsemen.

"What kind of people can these be?" asked the sword-bearer; and he held in his horse. Olenka stopped at his side.

"Halt!" cried Billevich. "Whom are you carrying there?"

One of the horsemen turned to them and said, —

"We are bringing Pan Kmita, who was shot by the Hungarians at Magyerovo."

"The word has become flesh!" said Billevich.

The whole world went around suddenly in Olenka's eyes; the heart died within her, breath failed her breast. Certain voices were calling in her soul: "Jesus! Mary! that is he!" Then consciousness of where she was or what was happening left her entirely.

But she did not drop from the horse to the ground, for she seized convulsively with her hand the wagon-rack; and when she came to herself her eyes fell on the motionless form of a man lying in the wagon. True, that was he, – Pan Andrei Kmita, the banneret of Orsha; and he was lying on his back in the wagon. His head was bound in a cloth, but by the ruddy light of the moon his pale and calm face was perfectly visible. His eyes were deeply sunk and closed; life did not discover itself by the least movement.

"With God!" said Billevich, removing his cap.

"Stop!" cried Olenka. And she asked with a low but quick voice, as in a fever: "Is he alive or dead?"

"He is alive, but death is over him."

Here the sword-bearer, looking at Kmita's face, said: "You will not take him to Lyubich?"

"He gave orders to take him to Lyubich without fail, for he wants to die there."

"With God! hasten forward."

"We beat with the forehead!"

The wagon moved on; and Olenka with Billevich galloped in the opposite direction with what breath was in their horses. They flew through Volmontovichi like two night phantoms, and came to Vodokty without speaking a word on the road; only when dismounting, Olenka turned to her uncle, —

"It is necessary to send a priest to him," said she, with a panting voice; "let some one go this moment to Upita."

The sword-bearer went quickly to carry out her wish; she rushed into her room, and threw herself on her knees before the image of the Most Holy Lady.

A couple of hours after, in the late evening, a bell was heard beyond the gate at Vodokty. That was the priest passing on his way with the Lord Jesus to Lyubich.

Panna Aleksandra was on her knees continually. Her lips were repeating the litany for the dying. And when she had finished she struck the floor three times with her head, repeating: "Reckon to him, O God, that he dies at the hands of the enemy; forgive him, have mercy on him!"

In this way the whole night passed for her. The priest remained in Lyubich till morning, and on his way home called at Vodokty. Olenka ran out to meet him.

"Is it all over?" asked she; and could say no more, for breath failed her.

"He is alive yet," answered the priest.

During each of the following days a number of messengers flew from Vodokty to Lyubich, and each returned with the answer that the banneret was "alive yet." At last one brought the intelligence, which he had heard from the barber brought from Kyedani, that he was not only alive, but would recover; for the wounds were healing successfully, and strength was coming back to the knight.

Panna Aleksandra sent bountiful offerings to Upita for a thanksgiving Mass; but from that day messengers ceased to visit Lyubich, and a wonderful thing took place in the maiden's heart. Together with peace, the former pity for Kmita began to rise. His offences came to her mind again every moment, so grievous that they were not to be forgiven. Death alone could cover them with oblivion. If he returned to health, they weighed on him anew. But still everything that could be brought to his defence Olenka repeated to herself daily.

So much had she suffered in these days, so many conflicts were there in her soul, that she began to fail in health. This disturbed Pan Tomash greatly; hence on a certain evening when they were alone, he said, —

"Olenka, tell me sincerely, what do you think of the banneret of Orsha?"

"It is known to God that I do not wish to think of him."

"For see, you have grown thin – H'm! Maybe that you still – I insist on nothing, but I should be glad to know what is going on in your mind. Do you not think that the will of your grandfather should be accomplished?"

"Never!" answered Olenka. "My grandfather left me this door open, and I will knock at it on the New Year. Thus will his will be accomplished."

"Neither do I believe at all," answered Billevich, "what some buzz around here, – that Babinich and Kmita are one; but still at Magyerovo he was with the country, fought against the enemy, and shed his blood. The reform is late, but still it is a reform."

"Even Prince Boguslav is serving the king and the country now," answered the lady, with sorrow. "Let God forgive both, and especially him who shed his blood; but people will always have the right to say that in the moment of greatest misfortune, in the moment of disaster and fall, he rose against the country, and returned to it only when the enemy's foot was tottering, and when his personal profit commanded him to hold to the victor. That is their sin! Now there are no traitors, for there is no profit from treason! But what is the merit? Is it not a new proof that such men are always ready to serve the stronger? Would to God it were otherwise, but Magyerovo cannot redeem such transgression."

"It is true! I cannot deny it," answered Billevich. "It is a bitter truth, but still true. All the former traitors have gone over in a chambul to the king."

"On the banneret of Orsha," continued the lady, "there rests a still more grievous reproach than on Boguslav, for Pan Kmita offered to raise his hand against the king, at which act the prince himself was terrified. Can a chance shot remove that? I would let this hand be cut off had that not happened; but it has, and it will never drop away. It seems clear that God has left him life of purpose for penance. My uncle, my uncle! we should be tempting our souls if we tried to beat into ourselves that he is innocent. And what good would come of this? Will conscience let itself be tempted? Let the will of God be done. What is broken cannot be bound again, and should not. I am happy that the banneret is alive, I confess; for it is evident that God has not yet turned from him His favor altogether. But that is sufficient for me. I shall be happy when I hear that he has effaced his fault; but I wish for nothing more, I desire nothing more, even if my soul had to suffer yet. May God assist him!"

Olenka was not able to speak longer, for a great and pitiful weeping overpowered her; but that was her last weeping. She had told all that she carried in her heart, and from that time forth peace began to return to her anew.

CHAPTER LVI

The horned, daring soul in truth was unwilling to go out of its bodily enclosure, and did not go out. In a month after his return to Lyubich Pan Andrei's wounds began to heal; but still earlier he regained consciousness, and looking around the room, he saw at once where he was. Then he called the faithful Soroka.

"Soroka," said he, "the mercy of God is upon me. I feel that I shall not die."