enormous thickness, till he ordered his attendant to push
him from behind. In the cottage, besides the table, wooden
benches, and a bed covered with horse-skin, there was noth-
ing except a little room near the door, in which an attendant
slept, always ready for service. This simplicity greatly aston-
ished the voevoda, who lived in comfort and carried carpets
with him. He entered finally, and gazed with curiosity on the
prince, wondering how so great a spirit could find its place
in such simplicity and poverty. He had seen Yeremi from
time to time at the Diets in Warsaw, was in fact a distant
relative of his, but did not know him intimately. Now, when
he began to speak with him, he recognized at once that he
had to do with an extraordinary man; and he, an old senator
and soldier, who used to clap his senatorial colleagues on the
shoulders, and say to Prince Dominik Zaslavski, "My dear,"
and was familiar with the king himself, could not attain famil-
iarity like this with Vishnyevetski, though the prince received
him kindly, for he was thankful for the reinforcements.

"Worthy voevoda," said he, "praise be to God that you
have come with your people, for I have worked here to my
last breath."

"I have noticed, by your soldiers, that they have worked,
poor fellows, which disturbs me not a little, for I have come
with the request that you hasten to save me."

"And is there hurry?"

"Periculum in mora, periculum ill mora! Ruffians to
the number of several thousand have appeared, with Kri-
vonos at their head, who, as I have heard, was sent against
you; but having received information that you had moved
on Konstantinoff, he went there, and on the road has in-
vested Makhnovka, and has wrought such desolation that
no tongue can describe it."

"I have heard of Krivonos, and waited for him here; but
since I find that he has missed me, I must seek him.
Really the affair will not bide delay. Is there a strong
garrison in Makhnovka?"

"There are two hundred Germans in the castle, very
good men, who will hold out yet for some time. But the
worst is, that many nobles have assembled in the town.
with their families, and the place is fortified only by earth-
works and palisades, and cannot resist long."

"In truth, the affair suffers no delay," repeated the
prince. Then turning to his attendant, he said: "Jelenksi,
run for the colonels!"