The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 1Sienkiewicz, Henryk
History
The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 1
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Historical fiction; Poland -- History -- John II Casimir, 1648-1668 -- Fiction
Vladyslav Skorashevski himself conducted the trumpeter to the voevoda
of Poznan, and the nobles of the general militia gazed with curiosity
on the "first Swede," wondering at his valiant bearing, his manly face,
his blond mustaches, the ends combed upward in a broad brush, and his
really lordlike mien. Crowds followed him to the voevoda; acquaintances
called to one another, pointing him out with their fingers, laughed
somewhat at his boots with enormous round legs, and at the long
straight rapier, which they called a spit, hanging from a belt richly
worked with silver. The Swede also cast curious glances from under his
broad hat, as if wishing to examine the camp and estimate the forces,
and then looked repeatedly at the crowd of nobles whose oriental
costumes were apparently novel to him. At last he was brought to the
voevoda, around whom were grouped all the dignitaries in the camp.
The letters were read immediately, and a council held. The voevoda
committed the trumpeter to his attendants to be entertained in soldier
fashion; the nobles took him from the attendants, and wondering at the
man as a curiosity, began to drink for life and death with him.
Pan Skorashevski looked at the Swede with equal scrutiny; but because
he suspected him to be some officer in disguise, he went in fact to
convey that idea in the evening to the voevoda. The latter, however,
said it was all one, and did not permit his arrest.
"Though he were Wittemberg himself, he has come hither as an envoy and
should go away unmolested. In addition I command you to give him ten
ducats for the road."
The trumpeter meanwhile was talking in broken German with those nobles
who, through intercourse with Prussian towns, understood that language.
He told them of victories won by Wittemberg in various lands, of the
forces marching against Uistsie, and especially of the cannon of a
range hitherto unknown and which could not be resisted. The nobles were
troubled at this, and no small number of exaggerated accounts began to
circulate through the camp.
That night scarcely any one slept in Uistsie. About midnight those men
came in who had stood hitherto in separate camps, at Pila and Vyelunie.
The dignitaries deliberated over their answer to the letters till
daylight, and the nobles passed the time in stories about the power of
the Swedes.
With a certain feverish curiosity they asked the trumpeter about the
leaders of the army, the weapons, the method of fighting; and every
answer of his was given from mouth to mouth. The nearness of the
Swedish legions lent unusual interest to all the details, which were
not of a character to give consolation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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