CHAPTER XV.
That same night the prince held a long consultation with the voevoda ofVenden and with the Swedish envoys. The result of the treaty haddisappointed his expectations, and disclosed to him a threateningfuture. It was the prince's plan to make the announcement in time offeasting, when minds are excited and inclined to agreement. He expectedopposition in every event, but he counted on adherents also; meanwhilethe energy of the protest had exceeded his reckoning. Save a few tensof Calvinist nobles and a handful of officers of foreign origin, who asstrangers could have no voice in the question, all declared against thetreaty concluded with Karl Gustav, or rather with his field-marshal andbrother-in-law, Pontus de la Gardie.
The prince had given orders, it is true, to arrest the stubbornofficers of the army, but what of that? What will the squadrons say?Will they not think of their colonels? Will they not rise in mutiny torescue their officers by force? If they do, what will remain to theproud prince beyond a few dragoon regiments and foreign infantry? Thenthe whole country, all the armed nobles, and Sapyeha, voevoda ofVityebsk,--a terrible opponent of the house of Radzivill, ready tofight with the whole world in the name of the unity of theCommonwealth? Other colonels whose heads he cannot cut off, and Polishsquadrons will go to Sapyeha, who will stand at the head of all theforces of the country, and Prince Radzivill will see himself without anarmy, without adherents, without significance. What will happen then?
These were terrible questions, for the position was terrible. Theprince knew well that if he were deserted the treaty on which he hadtoiled so much in secret would by the force of events lose all meaningand the Swedes would despise him, or take revenge for the discovereddeceit. But he had given them his Birji as a guaranty of his loyalty;by that he had weakened himself the more.
Karl Gustav was ready to scatter rewards and honors with both hands fora powerful Radzivill, but Radzivill weak and deserted by all he woulddespise; and if the changing wheel of fortune should send victory toYan Kazimir, final destruction would come to that lord who this day inthe morning had no equal in the Commonwealth.
When the envoys and the voevoda of Venden had gone, the prince seizedwith both hands his head weighed down with care, and began to walk withswift steps through the room. From without came the voices of theScottish guards and the rattle of the departing carriages of thenobles. They drove away quickly and hurriedly, as if a pest had fallenon the lordly castle of Kyedani. A terrible disquiet rent the soul ofRadzivill. At times it seemed to him that besides himself there wassome other person who walked behind him and whispered in his ear,"Abandonment, poverty, and infamy as well!" But he, the voevoda ofVilna and grand hetman, was already trampled upon and humiliated! Whowould have admitted yesterday that in all Kyedani, in Lithuania, nay,in the whole world, there could be found a man who would dare to shoutbefore his eyes, "Traitor!" Nevertheless he had heard it, and he livesyet, and they who spoke that word are living too. Perhaps if he were tore-enter that hall of the banquet he would still hear as an echo amongthe cornices and under the vaults, "Traitor! traitor!"
And wild, mad rage seized at moments the breast of the oligarch. Hisnostrils dilated, his eyes shot lightnings, veins came out on hisforehead. Who here dares to oppose his will? His enraged mind broughtbefore his eyes the picture of punishments and torments for rebels whohad the daring not to follow his feet like a dog. And he saw theirblood flowing from the axes of executioners, he heard the crunching oftheir bones broken by the wheel, and he took delight in and satedhimself with visions of blood.
But when more sober judgment reminded him that behind those rebels isan army, that he cannot take their heads with impunity, an unendurableand hellish unquiet came back and filled his soul, and some onewhispered anew in his ear, "Abandonment, poverty, judgment, andinfamy!"
How is that? Is it not permitted to Radzivill to decide the fate of thecountry,--to retain it for Yan Kazimir or give it to Karl Gustav,--togive, to convey, to present, to whom it may please him?
The magnate looked before himself with amazement.
Who then are the Radzivills? Who were they yesterday? What was saideverywhere in Lithuania? Was that all deception? Will not PrinceBoguslav join the grand hetman with his regiments, after him his unclethe Elector of Brandenberg, and after all three Karl Gustav, theSwedish king, with all his victorious power, before which recently allGermany trembled through the length and the breadth of it? Did not thePolish Commonwealth itself extend its arms to the new master, and yieldat the mere report of the approach of the lion of the North? Who willoffer resistance to that unrestrained power?
On one side the King of Sweden, the Elector of Brandenberg, theRadzivills, in case of necessity Hmelnitski too, with all his power,and the hospodar of Wallachia, and Rakotsy of Transylvania,--almosthalf Europe; on the other side the voevoda of Vityebsk with Mirski, PanStankyevich, and those three nobles who had just come from Lukovo, andalso a few rebellious squadrons! What is that?--a jest, an amusement.
Then suddenly the prince began to laugh loudly. "By Lucifer and all theDiet of hell, it must be that I have gone mad! Let them all go to thevoevoda of Vityebsk!"
But after a while his face had grown gloomy again: "The powerful admitonly powerful to alliance. Radzivill casting Lithuania at the feet ofthe Swedes will be sought for; Radzivill asking aid against Lithuaniawill be despised. What is to be done?"
The foreign officers will stay with him, but their power is not enough;and if the Polish squadrons go over to the voevoda of Vityebsk, he willhave the fate of the country in his hands. Each foreign officer willcarry out commands, it is true; but he will not devote his whole soulto the cause of Radzivill, he will not give himself to it with ardor,not merely as a soldier, but as an adherent. For devotion there isabsolute need, not of foreigners, but of men of his own people toattract others by their names, by their bravery, by their reputation,by their daring example and readiness to do everything. He must haveadherents in the country, even for show.
Who of his own men responded to the prince? Kharlamp, an old, worn-outsoldier, good for service and nothing more; Nyevyarovski, not loved inthe army and without influence; besides these a few others of stillless distinction; no man of another kind, no man whom an army wouldfollow, no man to be the apostle of a cause.
There remained Kmita, young, enterprising, bold, covered with greatknightly glory, bearing a famous name, standing at the head of apowerful squadron, partly fitted out at his own expense,--a man as itwere created to be the leader of all the bold and restless spirits inLithuania, and withal full of ardor. If he should take up the cause ofRadzivill, he would take it up with the faith which youth gives, hewould follow his hetman blindly, and spread the faith in his name; andsuch an apostle means more than whole regiments, whole divisions offoreigners. He would be able to pour his faith into the heart of theyoung knighthood, to attract it and fill the camp of Radzivill withmen.
But he too had hesitated evidently. He did not cast his baton, it istrue, at the feet of the hetman, but he did not stand at his side inthe first moment.
"It is impossible to reckon on any one, impossible to be sure of anyman," thought the prince, gloomily. "They will all go to the voevoda ofVityebsk, and no man will wish to share with me."
"Infamy!" whispered his conscience.
"Lithuania!" answered, on the other hand, pride.
It had grown dim in the room, for the wicks had burned long on thecandles, but through the windows flowed in the silver light of themoon. Radzivill gazed at those rays and fell into deep thought.Gradually something began to grow dark in those rays; certain figuresrose up each moment, increasing in number, till at last the prince sawas it were an army coming toward him from the upper trails of the skyon the broad road of the moonbeams. Regiments are marching, armoredhussars and light horse; a forest of banners are waving; in front ridessome man without a helmet, apparently a victor returning from war.Around is quiet, and the prince hears clearly the voice of the army andpeople, "Vivat defensor
patriae! vivat defensor patriae! (Live thedefender of the country!)" The army approaches, each moment increasingin number; now he can see the face of the leader. He holds the baton inhis hand; and by the number of bunchuks ( horse-tails on his standard).Radzivill can see that he is the grand hetman.
"In the name of the Father and the Son!" cries the prince, "that isSapyeha, that is the voevoda of Vityebsk! And where am I, and what ispredestined to me?"
"Infamy!" whispers his conscience.
"Lithuania!" answers his pride.
The prince clapped his hands; Harasimovich, watching in the adjoiningroom, appeared at once in the door and bent double.
"Lights!" said the prince.
Harasimovich snuffed the candles, then went out and returned with acandlestick in his hand.
"Your Highness," said he, "it is time to repose; the cocks have croweda second time."
"I have no wish to sleep," replied the prince. "I dozed, and thenightmare was suffocating me. What is there new?"
"Some noblemen brought a letter from Nyesvyej from the Prince Michael,but I did not venture to enter unsummoned."
"Give me the letter at once!"
Harasimovich gave the sealed letter; the prince opened it, and began toread as follows:--
May God guard and restrain your highness from such plans as might bringeternal infamy and destruction to our house! Set your mind on ahair-shirt rather than on dominion. The greatness of our house lies atmy heart also, and the best proof of this is in the efforts which Imade in Vienna that we should have a vote in the diets of the Empire.But I will not betray the country nor my king for any reward or earthlypower, so as not to gather after such a sowing a harvest of infamyduring life and damnation after death. Consider, your highness, theservices of your ancestors and their unspotted fame; think of the mercyof God while the time is fitting. The enemy have surrounded me inNyesvyej, and I know not whether this letter will reach your hands; butthough destruction threatens me every moment, I do not ask God torescue me, but to restrain your highness from those plans and bring youto the path of virtue. Even if something evil is done already, it ispossible yet to draw hack, and it is necessary to blot out the offenceswith a swift hand. But do not expect aid from me, for I say in advancethat without regard to bonds of blood, I will join my forces with thoseof Pan Gosyevski and the voevoda of Vityebsk; and a hundred timesrather would I turn my arms against your highness than put my handsvoluntarily to that infamous treason. I commend your highness to God.
Michael Kazimir,
_Prince in Nyesvyej and Olyta, Chamberlain of the Grand Principality of Lithuania_.
When the hetman had finished the letter he dropped it on his knee, andbegan to shake his head with a painful smile on his face.
"And he leaves me, my own blood rejects me, because I wished to adornour house with a glory hitherto unknown! Ah! it is difficult! Boguslavremains, and he will not leave me. With us is the Elector and KarlGustav; and who will not sow will not reap."
"Infamy!" whispered his conscience.
"Is your highness pleased to give an answer?" asked Harasimovich.
"There will be no answer."
"May I go and send the attendants?"
"Wait! Are the guards stationed carefully?"
"They are."
"Are orders sent to the squadrons?"
"They are."
"What is Kmita doing?"
"He was knocking his head against the wall and crying about disgrace.He was wriggling like a mudfish. He wanted to run after theBilleviches, but the guards would not let him. He drew his sabre; theyhad to tie him. He is lying quietly now."
"Has the sword-bearer of Rossyeni gone?"
"There was no order to stop him."
"I forgot!" said the prince. "Open the windows, for it is stifling andasthma is choking me. Tell Kharlamp to go to Upita for the squadron andbring it here at once. Give him money, let him pay the men for thefirst quarter and let them get merry. Tell him that he will receiveDydkyemie for life instead of Volodyovski. The asthma is choking me.Wait!"
"According to order."
"What is Kmita doing?"
"As I said, your highness, he is lying quietly."
"True, you told me. Give the order to send him here. I want to speakwith him. Have his fetters taken off."
"Your highness, he is a madman."
"Have no fear, go!"
Harasimovich went out. The prince took from a Venetian cabinet a casewith pistols, opened it, and placed it near at hand on the table bywhich he sat.
In a quarter of an hour Kmita entered, attended by four Scottishsoldiers. The prince ordered the men to withdraw, and remained face toface with Kmita.
There did not seem to be one drop of blood in the visage of the youngman, so pale was it, but his eyes were gleaming feverishly; for therest he was calm, resigned, though apparently sunk in endless despair.
Both were silent for a while. The prince spoke first.
"You took oath on the crucifix not to desert me."
"I shall be damned if I keep that oath, damned if I break it. It is allone to me!"
"Even if I had brought you to evil, you would not be responsible."
"A month ago judgments and punishments threatened me for killing;to-day it seems to me that then I was as innocent as a child."
"Before you leave this room, you will feel absolved from all yourprevious sins," said the prince.
Suddenly, changing his tone, he inquired with a certain confidentialkindness, "What do you think it was my duty to do in the face of twoenemies, a hundred-fold stronger than I, enemies against whom I couldnot defend this country?"
"To die!" answered Kmita, rudely.
"You soldiers, who can throw off so easily the pressing burden are tobe envied. To die! For him who has looked death in the eyes and is notafraid, there is nothing in the world simpler. Your head does not acheover this, and it will occur to the mind of none that if I had rousedan envenomed war and had died without making a treaty, not a stonewould be left on a stone in this country. May God not permit this, foreven in heaven my soul could not rest. _O, terque, quaterque beati_ (Othrice and four times blessed) are ye who can die! Do you think thatlife does not oppress me, that I am not hungry for everlasting sleepand rest? But I must drain the chalice of gall and vinegar to thebottom. It is needful to save this unhappy land, and for its salvationto bend under a new burden. Let the envious condemn me for pride, letthem say that I betrayed the country to exalt myself. God has seen me,God is the judge whether I desire this elevation, and whether I wouldnot resign it could matters be otherwise. Find you who desert me meansof salvation; point out the road, ye who call me a traitor, and thisnight I will tear that document and rouse all the squadrons fromslumber to move on the enemy."
Kmita was silent.
"Well, why are you silent?" exclaimed Radzivill, in a loud voice. "Iwill make you grand hetman in my place and voevoda of Vilna. You mustnot die, for that is no achievement, but save the country. Defend theoccupied provinces, avenge the ashes of Vilna, defend Jmud againstSwedish invasion, nay, defend the whole Commonwealth, drive beyond theboundaries every enemy! Rush three on a thousand; die not,--for that isnot permitted,--but save the country."
"I am not hetman and voevoda of Vilna," answered Kmita, "and what doesnot belong to me is not on my head. But if it is a question of rushingthe third against thousands I will go."
"Listen, then, soldier! Since your head has not to save the country,leave it to mine."
"I cannot!" said Kmita, with set teeth.
Radzivill shook his head. "I did not count on the others, I looked forwhat happened; but in you I was deceived. Interrupt not, but listen. Iplaced you on your feet, I freed you from judgment and punishment, Igathered you to my heart as my own son. Know you why? Because I thoughtthat in you was a daring soul, ready for grand undertakings. I neededsuch men, I hide it not. Around me was no man who would dare to look atthe sun with un
flinching eye. There were men of small soul and pettycourage. To such never show a path other than that on which they andtheir fathers have travelled, for they will halt saying that you havesent them on a devious way. And still, where, if not to the precipice,have we all come by these old roads? What is happening to theCommonwealth which formerly could threaten the world?"
Here the prince seized his head in his hands and repeated thrice: "OGod! God! God!"
After a while he continued: "The time of God's anger has come,--a timeof such misfortunes and of such a fall that with the usual methods wecannot rise from this sickness; and if I wish to use new ones, whichalone can bring us salvation, even those desert me on whose readiness Icounted, whose duty it was to have confidence, who took oath on thecross to trust me. By the blood and wounds of Christ! Did you thinkthat I submitted to the protection of Karl Gustav forever, that intruth I think to join this country to Sweden, that the treaty, forwhich I am called a traitor, will last beyond a year? Why do you lookwith astonished eyes? You will be still more astonished when you hearall. You will be more astonished, for something will happen which noone will think of, no one admit, which the mind of a common man has notpower to grasp. But I say to you, Tremble not, for in this is thecountry's salvation; do not draw back, for if I find no one to help me,possibly I may perish, but with me will perish the Commonwealth and yeall for the ages. I alone can save, but I must bend and trample allobstacles. Woe to him who opposes me; for God himself will crush himthrough me, whether he be the voevoda of Vityebsk or Pan Gosyevski orthe army, or a refractory nobility. I wish to save the Commonwealth;and to me all ways, all methods are good for that end. Rome in times ofdisaster named dictators,--such power, nay, greater and more lasting,is needful to me. Not pride draws me to it,--whoso feels equal to thispower let him take it instead of me. But if no one does I will take thepower, though these walls should fall first on my head!"
Then the prince stretched both his hands upward, as if in fact hewished to support the arches falling upon his head, and there was inhim something so gigantic that Kmita opened his eyes and gazed as if hehad never seen him before; and at last he asked with changed voice:"Whither art thou striving, your highness? What do you wish?"
"A crown!" cried Radzivill.
"Jesus, Mary!"
A moment of deep silence followed; but an owl on the tower of thecastle began to hoot shrilly.
"Listen," said the prince, "it is time to tell you all. TheCommonwealth is perishing, and must perish. There is no salvation onearth for it. The question is to save first from the ruin this country(Lithuania), this our immediate fatherland, and then--then make thewhole Commonwealth rise from its own ashes, as the ph[oe]nix rises. Iwill do this; and the crown, which I desire, I will place as a burdenon my head, so as to bring out from this great tomb a new life. Do nottremble! The ground will not open, everything stands on its own place;but new times are coming. I give this country to the Swedes so as tostop with Swedish arms another enemy, to drive him beyond theboundaries, to win back what is lost, and force with the sword a treatyfrom that enemy in his own capital. Do you hear me? But in rocky,hungry Sweden there are not men enough, not forces enough, not sabresenough to take possession of this immense Commonwealth. They may defeatour army once and a second time; but to hold us in obedience theycannot. If one Swede were given as a guard to every ten men in thisland, there would still be many tens of them without guards. KarlGustav knows this well, and neither does he wish nor is he able to takethe whole Commonwealth. He will occupy Royal Prussia, most of GreatPoland, and will be content with that. But to hold in coming time theseacquisitions securely, he must break the union of the kingdom with us;otherwise he could not remain in those provinces. What will happen thento this country? To whom will it be given? Well, if I refuse the crownwhich God and fortune places on my head, it will be given to him who atthis moment is in possession. But Karl Gustav is not willing to consentto this act, which would increase a neighboring power too greatly, andcreate for himself a formidable enemy. But if I refuse the crown, hewill be forced to consent. Have I the right, then, to refuse? Can Iallow that to take place which would threaten us with final ruin? Forthe tenth and the hundredth time I ask, Where are there other means ofsalvation? Let the will of God, then, be done! I take this burden on myshoulders. The Swedes are on my aide; the elector, our relative,promises aid. I will free the country from war! With victories andextension of boundaries will begin the rule of my house. Peace andprosperity will flourish; fire will not burn towns and villages. Thusit will be, thus it must be. So help me God and the holy cross! I feelwithin me power and strength from heaven, I desire the happiness ofthis land, and that is not yet the end of my plans. And by thoseheavenly lights I swear, by those trembling stars, that if onlystrength and health remain to me, I will build anew all this edifice,now tumbling to ruins; I will make it stronger than ever."
Fire was flashing from the pupils and eyes of the prince; his wholeform shed an uncommon halo.
"Your highness," cried Kmita, "I cannot grasp that thought; my head isbursting, my eyes fear to look ahead."
"Besides," said Radzivill, as if pursuing the further course of his ownthoughts, "the Swedes will not deprive Yan Kazimir of the kingdom norof rule, but will leave him in Mazovia and Little Poland. God has notgiven him posterity. An election will come in time. Whom will theychoose to the throne if they wish a further union with Lithuania? Whendid the kingdom grow strong and crush the Knights of the Cross? AfterVladyslav Yagyello had mounted the throne. It will be the same thistime. The Poles can call to the throne only him who will be reigninghere. They cannot and will not call another, for they would perish,because the breath would not remain in their breasts between theGermans and the Turks, and as it is, the Cossack cancer is gnawing thekingdom. They can call no one else! Blind is he who does not see this;foolish who does not understand it. Both countries will unite again andbecome one power in my house. Then I shall see if those kinglets ofScandinavia will remain in their Prussia and Great Poland acquiredto-day. Then I will say to them, _Quos ego!_ and with this foot willcrush their lean ribs, and create a power such as the world has notseen, such as history has not described; perhaps I may carry the crosswith fire and sword to Constantinople, and in peace at home terrify theenemy. Thou great God, who orderest the circuits of the stars, grant meto save this ill-fated land, for thy glory and that of all Christendom;give me men to understand my thought, men to put their hands tosalvation. There is where I stand!" Here the prince opened his arms,and raised his eyes aloft: "Thou seest me, thou judgest me!"
"Mighty prince, mighty prince!" cried Kmita.
"Go, desert me, cast the baton at my feet, break your oath, call metraitor! Let no thorn be lacking in that prickly crown which they haveput on my head. Destroy ye the country, thrust it over the precipice,drag away the hand that could save it, and go to the judgment of God!Let him decide between us."
Kmita cast himself on his knees before Radzivill. "Mighty prince, I amwith you to the death! Father of the country, savior!"
Radzivill put both hands on his head, and again followed a moment ofsilence. Only the owl hooted unceasingly on the tower.
"You will receive all that you have yearned for and wished," said theprince, with solemnity. "Nothing will miss you, and more will meet youthan your father and mother desired. Rise, future grand hetman andvoevoda of Vilna!"
It had begun to dawn in the sky.