CHAPTER XXI.

NEXT morning after the flight of Zagloba, the Cossacks
found Bogun half suffocated in the coat in which Zagloba
had wrapped him; but since his wounds were not serious
he returned soon to consciousness. Remembering every-
thing that had happened, he fell into a rage, roared like
a wild beast, stained his hands with blood from his own
wounded head, and struck at the men with his dagger, so
that the Cossacks dared not come near him. At last,
being unable to support himself in the saddle, he ordered
them to bind a Jew cradle between two horses, and sitting
in it, he hurried on as if insane in the direction of Lubni,
supposing that the fugitives had gone thither. Resting on
the Jew bed on down, and in his own blood, he raced
over the steppe like a vampire hurrying back to its grave
before daybreak; and after him speeded his trusty Cos-
sacks, with the thought in mind that they were hurry-
ing to evident death. They flew on in this way to Vas-
silyevka, where there was a garrison of one hundred
Hungarian infantry belonging to Prince Yeremi. The
furious leader, as if life had become loathsome to him,
fell upon these without hesitation, rushing first into the
fire himself, and after a struggle of some hours' duration
cut the men to pieces, with the exception of a few whom
he spared to gain from them a confession through torture.
Learning that no noble with a maiden had escaped by
that road, and not knowing himself what to do, he tore
away his bandages from excess of pain.

To go farther was impossible; for everywhere toward
Lubni were stationed the forces of the prince, whom the
villagers that had run away during the battle at Vassi-
lyevka must have already informed of the attack. The
faithful Cossacks therefore bore away their ataman weak-
ened from rage, and took him back to Roziogi. On their
return they found not a trace of the buildings; for the
peasants of the neighborhood had plundered and burned
them, together with Prince Vassily, thinking that in case
the Kurtsevichi or Prince Yeremi should wish to inflict pun-
ishment, the blame could be cast easily on Bogun and his