pike, and cried: "Fathers, if we go to Zolotonosha to-mor-
row, we will go to the manager's house to-night."

"To the manager's house!" cried a number of voices at
once.

"Burn it up! take the goods!"

But the minstrel, who held his head drooping on his
breast, raised it and said,---

"Oh, children, do not go to the manager's house, and do
not burn it, or you will suffer. The prince may be close by,
he is going along with his army; he will see the fire, he
will come, and there will be trouble. Better give me some-
thing to eat and show me a place to rest. And do you keep
your peace!"

"He tells the truth!" said a number of voices.

"He tells the truth, and, Maksim, you are a fool!"

"Come, father, to my house for bread and salt and a cup
of mead, and rest on the hay till daylight," said an old
peasant, turning to the minstrel.

Zagloba rose, and pulled the sleeve of Helena's svitka.
She was asleep.

"The boy is tired to death; he fell asleep under the very
sound of the hammers," said Zagloba. But in his soul he
thought: "Oh, sweet innocence, thou art able to sleep
amidst pikes and knives! It is clear that angels of heaven
are guarding thee, and me in thy company."

He roused her, and they went on toward the village,
which lay at some distance. The night was calm and quiet;
the echo of the striking hammers followed them. The
old peasant went ahead to show the way in the darkness;
and Zagloba, pretending to say his prayers, muttered in a
monotone,--

"O God, have mercy on us, sinners----Do you see, Prin-
cess---O Holy Most Pure--what would have happened to
us without this peasant disguise?----As it is on earth, so in
heaven----We shall get something to eat, and to-morrow
ride to Zolotonosha instead of going on foot----Amen, amen,
amen!----Bogun may come upon our tracks, for our tracks
will not deceive him; but it will be late, for we shall cross
the Dnieper at Prohorovka----Amen!----May black death
choke them, may the hangman light their way! Do you
hear, Princess, how they are howling at the forge?----Amen!
---Terrible times have come on us, but I am a fool if I
don't rescue you even if we have to flee to Warsaw
itself."