time a still longer silence followed. Volodyovski sought an answer in vain. The nobles began to look at one another in fear. There was so much wild energy in the words of Kmita that all believed his threat. The whole victory might be turned into dust by one spark, and Panna Billevich lost forever.
"For God's sake!" muttered one of the Butryms, "he is a madman. He is ready to do what he says."
Suddenly a happy thought came to Volodyovski, as it seemed to him. "There is another way!" cried he. "Meet me, traitor, with a sabre. If you put me down, you will go away in freedom."
For a time there was no answer. The hearts of the Lauda men beat unquietly.
"With a sabre?" asked Kmita, at length. "Can that be?"
"If you are not afraid, it will be."
"The word of a cavalier that I shall go away in freedom?"
"The word-"
"Impossible!" cried a number of voices among the Butryms.
"Quiet, a hundred devils!" roared Volodyovski; "if not, then let him blow you up with himself."
The Butryms were silent; after a while one of them said, "Let it be as you wish."
"Well, what is the matter there?" asked Kmita, derisively. "Do the gray coats agree?"
"Yes, and they will take oath on their swords, if you wish."
"Let them take oath."
"Come together, gentlemen, come together!" cried Volodyovski to the nobles who were standing under the walls and surrounding the whole house.
After a while all collected at the main door, and soon the news that Kmita wanted to blow himself up with powder spread on every side. They were as if petrified with terror. Meanwhile Volodyovski raised his voice and said amid silence like that of the grave, -
"I take you all present here to witness that I have challenged Pan Kmita, the banneret of Orsha, to a duel, and I have promised that if he puts me down he shall go hence in freedom, without obstacle from you; to this you must swear on your sword-hilts, in the name of God and the holy cross-"
"But wait!" cried Kmita, – "in freedom with all my men, and I take the lady with me."
"The lady will remain here," answered Volodyovski, "and the men will go as prisoners to the nobles."
"That cannot be."
"Then blow yourself up with powder! We have already mourned for her; as to the men, ask them what they prefer."
Silence followed.
"Let it be so," said Kmita, after a time. "If I do not take her to-day, I will in a month. You will not hide her under the ground! Take the oath!"
"Take the oath!" repeated Volodyovski.
"We swear by the Most High God and the Holy Cross. Amen!"
"Well, come out, come out!" cried Volodyovski.
"You are in a hurry to the other world?"
"No matter, no matter, only come out quickly."
The iron bars holding the door on the inside began to groan.
Volodyovski pushed back, and with him the nobles, to make room. Soon the door opened, and in it appeared Pan Andrei, tall, straight as a poplar. The dawn was already coming, and the first pale light of day fell on his daring, knightly, and youthful face. He stopped in the door, looked boldly on the crowd of nobles, and said, -
"I have trusted in you. God knows whether I have done well, but let that go. Who here is Pan Volodyovski?"
The little colonel stepped forward. "I am!" answered he.
"Oh! you are not like a giant," said Kmita, with sarcastic reference to Volodyovski's stature, "I expected to find a more considerable figure, though I must confess you are evidently a soldier of experience."
"I cannot say the same of you, for you have neglected sentries. If you are the same at the sabre as at command, I shall not have work."
"Where shall we fight?" asked Kmita, quickly.
"Here, – the yard is as level as a table."
"Agreed! Prepare for death."
"Are you so sure?"
"It is clear that you have never been in Orsha, since you doubt. Not only am I sure, but I am sorry, for I have heard of you as a splendid soldier. Therefore I say for the last time, let me go! We do not know each other; why should we stand the one in the way of the other? Why attack me? The maiden is mine by the will, as well as this property; and God knows I am only seeking my own. It is true that I cut down the nobles in Volmontovichi, but let God decide who committed the first wrong. Whether my officers were men of violence or not, we need not discuss; it is enough that they did no harm to any one here, and they were slaughtered to the last man because they wanted to dance with girls in a public house. Well, let blood answer blood! After that my soldiers were cut to pieces. I swear by the wounds of God that I came to these parts without evil intent, and how was I received? But let wrong balance wrong, I will still add from my own and make losses good in neighbor fashion. I prefer that to another way."
"And what kind of people have you here? Where did you get these assistants?" asked Volodyovski.
"Where I got them I got them. I did not bring them against the country, but to obtain my own rights."
"Is that the kind of man you are? So for private affairs you have joined the enemy. And with what have you paid him for this service, if not with treason? No, brother, I should not hinder you from coming to terms with the nobles, but to call in the enemy is another thing. You will not creep out. Stand up now, stand up, or I shall say that you are a coward, though you give yourself out as a master from Orsha."
"You would have it," said Kmita, taking position.
But Volodyovski did not hurry, and not taking his sabre out yet, he looked around on the sky. Day was already coming in the east. The first golden and azure stripes were extended in a belt of light, but in the yard it was still gloomy enough, and just in front of the house complete darkness reigned.
"The day begins well," said Volodyovski, "but the sun will not rise soon. Perhaps you would wish to have light?"
"It is all one to me."
"Gentlemen!" cried Volodyovski, turning to the nobles, "go for some straw and for torches; it will be clearer for us in this Orsha dance."
The nobles, to whom this humorous tone of the young colonel gave wonderful consolation, rushed quickly to the kitchen. Some of them fell to collecting the torches trampled at the time of the battle, and in a little while nearly fifty red flames were gleaming in the semi-darkness of the early morning.
Volodyovski showed them with his sabre to Kmita. "Look, a regular funeral procession!"
And Kmita answered at once: "They are burying a colonel, so there must be parade."
"You are a dragon!"
Meanwhile the nobles formed in silence a circle around the knights, and raised the burning torches aloft; behind them others took their places, curious and disquieted; in the centre the opponents measured each other with their eyes. A grim silence began; only burned coals fell with a crackle to the ground. Volodyovski was as lively as a goldfinch on a bright morning.
"Begin!" said Kmita.
The first clash raised an echo in the heart of every onlooker. Volodyovski struck as if unwillingly; Kmita warded and struck in his turn; Volodyovski warded. The dry clash grew more rapid. All held breath. Kmita attacked with fury. Volodyovski put his left hand behind his back and stood quietly, making very careless, slight, almost imperceptible movements; it seemed that he wished merely to defend himself, and at the same time spare his opponent. Sometimes he pushed a short step backward, again he advanced; apparently he was studying the skill of Kmita. Kmita was growing heated; Volodyovski was cool as a master testing his pupil, and all the time calmer and calmer. At last, to the great surprise of the nobles, he said, -
"Now let us talk; it will not last long. Ah, ha! is that the Orsha method? 'Tis clear that