"Your Highness," cried he, panting, "Krivonos has
taken Polonnoe, cut down ten thousand people, among them
women and children."

The colonels began to assemble again, and crowd around
Vershul. The voevoda of Kieff hurried up also. The
prince was astonished, for he had not expected such
news.

"But Russians were shut up in there! It cannot be I"

"Not a living soul escaped."

"Do you hear?" said the prince, turning to the voevoda.
"Negotiate with an enemy like that, who does not spare
even his own!"

The voevoda snorted and said: "Oh, the curs! If that is
the case, then may the devils take it all! I will go with
you."

"Then you are a brother to me," said the prince.

"Long live the voevoda of Kieff!" said Zatsvilikhovski.

"Success to concord!"

The prince turned again to Vershul. "Where did they
go after Polonnoe? Unknown?"

"To Koustantinoff, probably."

"Oh, God save us! Then the regiments of Osinski and
Koritski are lost, for they cannot escape with infantry. We
must forget our wrongs and hurry to their aid. To horse!
to horse!"

The face of the prince brightened with joy, and a glow
enlivened his emaciated cheeks, for the path of glory was
open before him again.