"Where are you going?"

"War, mother! There is no time for aught else. Any
moment the hetmans may send us to the field, and it will be
a pity to strike Zaporojians. Was it seldom that we went
with them for Turkish booty? Isn't it true, Princes?
We sailed upon the sea with them, ate bread and salt with
them, drank and caroused, and now we are their enemies."

The princess looked quickly at Bogun. The thought
flashed through her mind that perhaps Bogun intended to
join the rebellion, and came to tamper with her sons.

"And what do you think of doing?" inquired she.

"I, mother? Well, it is hard to strike our own, but it is
demanded."

"That is what we will do," said Simeon.

"Hmelnitski is a traitor!" added the young Nikolai.

"Death to traitors!" said Bogun.

"Let the hangman light their way," added Zagloba.

Bogun began to speak again: "So it is in this world. He
who to-day is your friend is to-morrow a Judas. It is im-
possible to trust any one."

"Except good people," said the princess.

"True, you can believe good people; therefore I believe
and love you; for you are good people, not traitors."

There was something so strange in the voice of the leader
that in a moment deep silence reigned. Zagloba looked
at the princess, and blinked with his sound eye; but the
princess fixed her glance on Bogun.

He spoke on: "War does not give life to men, but death;
therefore I wanted to see you once more before going to
the field. And you would mourn over me, for you are my
friends from the heart, are you not?"

"We are, as God is our aid. From childhood we have
known you."

"You are our brother," added Simeon.

"You are princes, you are nobles, and you did not de-
spise the Cossack; you took him to your house and prom-
ised him the maiden, your relative, for you knew that for
the Cossack there was neither life nor existence without
her; so you had mercy on the Cossack."

"There is nothing to talk about," said the princess,
hurriedly.

"But there is, mother, something to talk about; for you
are my benefactress, and I have asked of this noble, my
friend, to make me his son and give me his escutcheon, so