forced the mob to enter their ranks. Castles and villages
were burned; the nobles who did not escape were cut to
pieces, and among others old Pan Yelets, a former servant
and friend of the Vishnyevetskis. In view of this, the
prince had decided after a juncture with Osinski and Ko-
ritski to overwhelm Krivonos, and then move north toward
Ovruch, and after an agreement with the hetman of Lithuania,
-- to seize the rebels between two fires. But all these plans
had fallen through now on account of the refusal of both colo-
nels caused by Prince Dominik. For Yeremi, after all the
marches, battles, and labors, was not strong enough to meet
Krivonos, especially when not sure of the voevoda of Kieff,
who belonged heart and soul to the peace party. Pan Yanush
yielded before the importance and power of Yeremi, and
had to go with him; but the more he saw his authority
broken the more inclined was he to oppose the warlike
wishes of the prince, as was shown at once.

Skshetuski gave his account, and the prince listened to it
in silence. All the officers were present; their faces were
gloomy at the news of the refusal. All eyes turned to the
prince when he said, --

"Prince Dominik, of course, sent them the order."

"Yes, they showed it to me in writing."

Yeremi rested his arms on the table and covered his face
with his hands; after a while he said, --

"This indeed is more than a man can bear. Am I to labor
alone, and instead of assistance meet only obstructions?
Could I not have gone to my estates in Sandomir and lived
quietly? And what prevented me from doing so, except love
of country? This is my reward for toil, for loss of fortune
and blood."

The prince spoke quietly, but such bitterness and pain
trembled in his voice that all present were straitened with
sorrow. Old colonels-veterans from Putivl, Starets,
Kumeiki, -- and young men victorious in the last conflicts,
looked at him with unspeakable sorrow in their eyes; for
they knew what a heavy struggle that iron man was having
with himself, how terribly his pride must suffer from the
humiliation put upon him. He, a prince, "by the grace of
God;" he, a voevoda in Russia, senator of the Common-
wealth, -- must yield to some Hmelnitski or Krivonos. He,
almost a monarch, who recently had received ambassadors
from foreign rulers, must withdraw from the field of glory,
and confine himself in some little castle, waiting for the out-