Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/490

460 ing some ambush for us. But of what kind? He advises us to keep in a body. What harm to us may rise out of that?"

"To perish of hunger," answered Volodyovski. "I have just received news that Jyromski, Kotovski, and Lipnitski must dispose their cavalry in parties of some tens each over the whole province, for they cannot get forage together."

"But if Radzivill really does come," asked Pan Stanislav, "who can oppose him?"

No one could answer that question, for really it was as clear as the sun that if the grand hetman of Lithuania should come and find the confederates scattered, he could destroy them with the greatest ease.

"An astonishing thing!" repeated Zagloba; and after a moment's silence he continued: "Still I should think that he had abandoned Badzivill. But in such a case he would not be slipping past in disguise, and to whom, — to the Swedes." Here he turned to Jendzian: "Did he tell you that he was going to Warsaw?"

"He did."

"But the Swedish forces are there already."

"About this hour he must have met the Swedes, if he travelled all night," answered Jendzian.

"Have you ever seen such a man?" asked Zagloba, looking at his comrades.

"That there is in him evil with good, as tares with wheat, is certain," said Pan Yan; "but that there is any treason in this counsel that he gives us at present, I simply deny. I do not know whither he is going, why he is slipping past in disguise; and it would be idle to break my head over this, for it is some mystery. But he gives good advice, warns us sincerely: I will swear to that, as well as to this, — that the only salvation for us is to listen to his advice. Who knows if we are not indebted to him again, for safety and life?"

"For God's sake," cried Volodyovski, "how is Radzivill to come here when Zolotarenko's men and Hovanski's infantry are in his way? It is different in our case! One squadron may slip through, and even with one we had to open a way through Pilvishki with sabres. It is another thing with Kmita, who is slipping by with a few men; but when the prince hetman passes with a whole army? Either he will destroy those first — "