Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/508

478 Then he turned to all present. "Gracious gentlemen, there is money, there are cannons, there will be infantry and provisions, — these are my orders, to begin with."

"Vivat!" shouted the army.

"And now, gracious gentlemen, let all the young men go on a jump to the villages for spades, shovels, and pickaxes. We will make a fortified camp, a second Zbaraj!

But whether a man belongs to cavalry or infantry, let none be ashamed of the shovel, and to work!"

Then the commander withdrew to his quarters, attended by the shouts of the army.

"As God is true, that man has a head on his shoulders," said Volodyovski to Pan Yan, "and things begin to go in better order."

"If only Radzivill does not come soon," put in Pan Stanislav, "for he is such a leader that there is not another like him in the Commonwealth. Our Pan Zagloba is good for provisioning the camp; but it is not for him to measure strength with such a warrior as Radzivill."

"That is true! "answered Pan Yan. "When it comes to action we will help him with counsel, for he does not understand war. Besides, his rule will come to an end the moment Sapyeha arrives."

"He can do much good before that time," said Volodyovski.

In truth, the army needed some leader, even Zagloba; for from the day of his election better order reigned in the camp. On the following day they began to make breastworks near the Byalystok ponds. Pan Oskyerko, who had served in foreign armies and understood fortification, directed the whole labor. In three days there had arisen a very strong entrenchment, really something like Zbaraj, for the sides and the rear of it were defended by swampy ponds. The sight of this work raised the hearts of the soldiers; the whole army felt that it had some ground un- der its feet. But courage was strengthened still more at sight of the supplies of food brought by strong parties. Every day they drove in oxen, sheep, pigs; every day came wagons bringing all kinds of grain and hay. Some things came from Lukovo, others from Vidzko. There came also, in continually greater numbers, nobles, small and great; for when the tidings went around that there was a government, an army, and a commander, there was more confidence among people. It was burdensome for the inhabitants to support a "whole division;" but to begin with, Zagloba