Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/493

Rh "From Byalystok we must send a deputation from the army to him. God grant that we shall stand before the eyes of the hetman of Lithuania," said Zagloba, "with equal force or greater than his own. It is not for us to rash at him, but it is different with the voevoda. He is a worthy man, and honest; there is not another such in the Commonwealth."

"Do you know Pan Sapyeha?" asked Stanislav.

"Do I know him! I knew him as a little boy, not higher than my sabre. But he was then like an angel."

"And now he has turned into money, not only his property, not only his silver and jewels, but most likely he has melted into coin the metal of his horse-trappings, so as to collect as many troops as possible against the enemy," said Volodyovski.

"Thank God that there is even one such man," answered Pan Stanislav, "for remember how we trusted in Radzivill."

"Oh that is blasphemous!" cried Zagloba. "Voevoda of Vityebsk, ba! ba! Long life to the voevoda of Vityebsk! And you, Michael, to the road with all speed, to the road! Let the mudfish remain in these swamps of Shchuchyn, but we will go to Byalystok, where perhaps we shall find other fish. The Jews there, on Sabbath, bake very excellent bread. Well, at least war will begin; I am yearning for it. And if we break through Radzivill we will begin at the Swedes. We have shown them already what we can do. To the road, Michael, for periculum in mora (there is danger in delay)!"

"I will go to put the squadrons in line!" said Pan Yan. An hour later, messengers, between ten and twenty in number, were flying as a horse gallops toward Podlyasye, and soon after them moved the whole squadron of Lauda. The officers went in advance, arranging and discussing; and Roh Kovalski, the lieutenant, led the soldiers. They went through Osovyets and Gonyandz, shortening for themselves the road to Byalystok, where they hoped to find other confederate squadrons.