Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/300

270 last drop of our blood for it. Would the ground had swallowed us before we refused obedience to the hetman; but would that our souls never escaped hell, if we were to betray the king and the country for the profit of Radzivill!"

This discourse seemed to make a great impression on Kovalski. He stared, opened his mouth, and after a while said, "What do you wish of me, gentlemen?"

"To go with us to the voevoda of Vityebsk, who will fight for the country."

"But when I have an order to take you to Birji?"

"Talk with him," said Mirski.

"We want you to disobey the command, — to leave the hetman, and go with us; do you understand?" said Oskyerko, impatiently.

"Say what you like, but nothing will come of that. I am a soldier; what would I deserve if I left the hetman? It is not my mind, but his; not my will, but his. When he sins he will answer for himself and for me, and it is my dog-duty to obey him. I am a simple man; what I do not effect with my hand, I cannot with my head. But I know this, — it is my duty to obey, and that is the end of it."

"Do what you like!" cried Mirski.

"It is my fault," continued Roh, "that I commanded to return to Kyedani, for I was ordered to go to Birji; but I became a fool through that noble, who, though a relative, did to me what a stranger would not have done. I wish he were not a relative, but he is. He had not God in his heart to take my horse, deprive me of the favor of the prince, and bring punishment on my shoulders. That is the kind of relative he is! But, gentlemen, you will go to Birji, let come what may afterward."

"A pity to lose time. Pan Oskyerko," said Volodyovski.

"Turn again toward Birji!" cried Kovalski to the dragoons.

They turned toward Birji a second time. Pan Roh ordered one of the dragoons to sit in the wagon; then he mounted that man's horse, and rode by the side of the prisoners, repeating for a time, "A relative, and to do such a thing!"

The prisoners, hearing this, though not certain of their fate and seriously troubled, could not refrain from laughter; at last Volodyovski said, "Comfort yourself, Pan