Ukraine was filled. And behind these crowds stood the
Saitch, the Zaporojie, recently bridled and put in curb after
Masloff Stav, still gnawing the bit impatiently, remembering
ancient privileges and hating commissioners, but forming
an organized power. That power had also on its side the
sympathy of a countless mass of peasants, less patient of
control than in other parts of the Commonwealth, because
near them was Chertomelik, and beyond lordlessness, booty,
and freedom. The standard-bearer in view of this, though
a Russian himself and a devoted adherent of Eastern
orthodoxy, fell into gloomy thought.

Being an old man, he remembered well the times of Nali-
vaika,Loboda, and Krempski. He knew the robbers of the
Ukraine better perhaps than any one in Russia; and know-
ing at the same time Hmelnitski, he knew that he was
greater than twenty Lobodas and Nalivaikas. He under-
stood, therefore, all the danger of his escape to the Saitch,
especially with the letters of the king, which Barabash said
were full of promises to the Cossacks and incitements to
resistance.

"Most worthy colonel," said Zatsvilikhovski to Bara-
bash, "you should go to the Saitch and neutralize the
influence of Hmelnitski; pacify them, pacify them."

"Most worthy standard-bearer," answered Barabash, "I
will merely say that in consequence of the news of Hmel-
nitski's flight with the papers of the king, one half of my
men have followed him to the Saitch. My time has
passed; not the baton awaits me, but the grave!"

Barabash was indeed a good soldier, but old and without
influence.

Meanwhile they had come to the quarters of Zatsvili-
khovski, who had regained somewhat the composure pecu-
liar to his mild character; and when they sat down to half
a gallon of mead, he said emphatically, -

"All this is nothing, if, as they say, war is on foot
against the Mussulman; and it is likely that such is the
case, for though the Commonwealth does not want war,
and the diets have roused much bad blood in the king, still
he may carry his point. All this fire may be turned against
the Turk, and in every case we have time on our side. I
will go myself to Pan Pototski, inform him, and ask that
he, being nearest to us, should come with his army. I do
not know whether I shall succeed, for though a brave man
and a trained warrior, he is terribly confident in himself