CHAPTER XXII
Preparations for starting went forward briskly. Attendants were chosenwith care, strong men and sober. Arms, horses, wagons, and brichkaswere ready. Observing ways of the period, they had not forgotten dogs,which in time of marching went under the wagons and at places of restwere used to hunt hares and foxes. The multitude of supplies and thepreparations astonished the lady, who had not supposed that campaigningdemanded such details, and, thinking this trouble taken perhaps for hersafety, she inquired of Pan Serafin touching the matter. He, as aprudent man, and one of experience, replied thus to her,--
"It is certain that we have thy person in mind, for, as I think, weshall not leave here without meeting some violence from Martsian. Thouhast heard that he has summoned his roysterers with whom he isbargaining and drinking. We should be disgraced were we to let any mansnatch thee away from us. What will be, will be, but though we had tofall one on another, we must take thee to Cracow uninjured." Then shekissed his hand, saying that she was not worthy to cause them thisperil; but he waved his hand simply.
"We should not dare to appear before men," said he, "unless we didthis, and matters moreover are such that each coincides with the other.It is not enough to set out for a war, one must prepare for it wisely.Thou art astonished that we have three or four horses each man of us,as well as attendants, but thou must know that in war horses are themain question; many of them die on the way, crossing rivers andmarshes, or from various camp accidents. And then what? If thou buy inhaste a new horse, with faults and bad habits, that beast will fail atthe critical moment. Though my son and Tachevski took a good party andexcellent horses, we have foreseen every accident, and take each a newsaddle beast. Father Voynovski, unrivalled in knowledge of horses,bought cheaply from old Pan Podlodovski such a Turkish steed for PanYatsek that the hetman himself would not refuse to appear on him."
"Which horse is for your son?" inquired the young lady.
Pan Serafin looked at her, and shook his head smiling.
"Well, Father Voynovski is right in his judgment of woman. 'That evil,'said he, 'will be sly, even if it be the most honest.' Thou askestwhich horse is for Stanislav. Well, I answer in this way. Yatsek'shorse is that sorrel with a star on his forehead, and a white left hindfetlock."
"You annoy me!" exclaimed the young lady.
And spitting like a cat at him, she turned, and then vanished. But thatsame day the pith of small loaves of bread and some salt disappearedfrom the dishes, and Lukash the next day beheld something curious. Atthe well in the courtyard the sorrel horse had his nose in the whitehands of the lady, and when he was led later on to the stable he lookedback at her time after time expressing with short neighs his yearning.Lukash could not learn at the time the cause of this "confidence," forhe was intent on loading a wagon, so it was some time after midday thathe approached the young lady, and said, with eyes glowing fromemotion,--
"Have you noticed one thing?"
"What?" inquired Panna Anulka.
"That even a beast knows a real dainty."
She forgot that he had seen her in the morning, and noting that look inhis eyes raised her beautiful brows with astonishment.
"What have you in mind?" asked she.
"What?" repeated Lukash, "Yatsek's horse!"
"Oh, a horse!"
Then she burst into laughter and ran from the porch to her chamber.
He stood there astonished, and a little confused, understanding neitherwhy she had run from him, nor what had roused her sudden laughter.
Another week passed, and preparations were then almost finished, butsomehow Pan Serafin was not urgent for the journey. He deferred it fromday to day, improved various details, complained of heat, and at lastdrooped in spirits. Anulka was eager to be on the road. The Bukoyemskiswere growing uneasy, and at length Father Voynovski agreed that fartherdelay was a loss of time without reason. But Pan Serafin met theirimpatience with these words,--
"I have news that the king has not gone yet to Cracow, and will not goquickly. Meantime the troops are to meet there, but only in part, andno one knows the day of this meeting. I ordered Stanislav to send me aman every month, with a letter giving details as to where regiments arequartered, whither they are to march, and under whose orders. Sevenweeks have passed without tidings. A letter may come to me now anymoment, hence my delay; and I am alarmed somewhat. Think not that wemust find our young men at Cracow, in every case. On the contrary, itmay happen that they will not be there at any time."
"How is that?" inquired Anulka, disquieted.
"This, that regiments do not need to march through Cracow. Wherever aregiment is it can move thence as directly as the stroke of a sickle,but where Pan Zbierhovski may be at the moment I know not. He may havebeen sent to the boundary of Silesia, or to the army of the grandhetman who is coming from Russia. Regiments are hurried from place toplace very often, just to train them in marching. In the course ofseven weeks various commands may have come of which Stanislav shouldhave informed me, but he has not done so. Hence I am anxious, for it iswell known that in camps there are frequent disputes and also duels.Perhaps something has happened. But even if all is in order, we oughtto know where the regiment is, and what is its starting point."
All became gloomy at these words, save Father Voynovski.
"A regiment is not a needle," said he "nor is it a button, which iftorn from a coat is found with much difficulty. Be not concerned overthis. We shall learn of them in Cracow more quickly than we could herein Yedlinka."
"But on the road we may miss the letter."
"Leave a command to send it on after us. That is the right way.Meanwhile in Cracow we will find the safest place possible for thelady, and then our minds will be free when we start for the secondtime."
"Reason! Reason!"
"This is my advice then. If no letter comes ere to-morrow we will startin the cool of the evening for Radom--then farther, to Kieltse,Yendreyov, and Miehov."
"Perhaps the day after during daylight we could reach Radom, so as notto pass in the night through those forests, and thus avoid an ambush ifthe Krepetskis should make one."
"An ambush is nothing! Better go in the cool!" said Mateush. "If theyattack they will do so as well in the day as at night, and now at nightthings are visible."
Then he rubbed his hands gleefully. The three others followed hisexample.
But Father Voynovski thought otherwise. He had great doubts touching aroad attack.
"Martsian might perhaps venture, but the old man is too prudent; heknows too well what such a deed signifies and how much, more than once,men have suffered for violence to women. Besides against the power ofour party Martsian could not reckon on victory, while in every event hecould reckon on vengeance from Yatsek and Stanislav."
The delight of the Bukoyemskis was spoiled by the priest, but they weresoothed by Vilchopolski, who struck the floor with his wooden leg,shook his head, and opposed, saying,--
"Though up to Radom and even to Kieltse and Miehov you meet noadventure, I advise you to neglect no precaution till you touch thegates of Cracow; along the road there are woods everywhere, and I, as aman knowing Martsian best of all, am convinced that that devil is nowplanning an ambush."