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
Radzivill quivered and halted suddenly.
"What do you wish to say?"
"Nothing, worthy prince, but that honorable soldiers are rejoicing
there."
"Let us go on. Time will show, and God will decide who is honorable.
Let us go!"
At the door itself stood twenty pages,--splendid lads, dressed in
feathers and satin. Seeing the hetman, they formed in two lines. When
the prince came near, he asked, "Has her princely highness entered the
hall?"
"She has, your highness."
"And the envoys?"
"They are here also."
"Open!"
Both halves of the door opened in the twinkle of an eye; a flood of
light poured in and illuminated the gigantic form of the hetman, who
having behind him Kmita and the pages, went toward the elevation on
which were placed chairs for the most distinguished guests.
A movement began in the hall; at once all eyes were turned to the
prince, and one shout was wrested from hundreds of breasts: "Long live
Radzivill! long live! Long live the hetman! long live!"
The prince bowed with head and hand, then began to greet the guests
assembled on the elevation, who rose the moment he entered. Among the
best known, besides the princess herself, were the two Swedish envoys,
the envoy of Moscow, the voevoda of Venden, Bishop Parchevski, the
priest Byalozor, Pan Komorovski, Pan Myerzeyevski, Pan Hlebovich,
starosta of Jmud, brother-in-law of the hetman, a young Pats, Colonel
Ganhoff, Colonel Mirski, Weisenhoff, the envoy of the Prince of
Courland, and ladies in the suite of the princess.
The hetman, as was proper for a welcoming host, began by greeting the
envoys, with whom he exchanged a few friendly words; then he greeted
others, and when he had finished he sat on the chair with a canopy of
ermine, and gazed at the hall in which shouts were still sounding:
"May he live! May he be our hetman! May he live!"
Kmita, hidden behind the canopy, looked also at the throng. His glance
darted from face to face, seeking among them the beloved features of
her who at that moment held all the soul and heart of the knight. His
heart beat like a hammer.
"She is here! After a while I shall see her, I shall speak to her,"
said he in thought. And he sought and sought with more and more
eagerness, with increasing disquiet. "There! beyond the feathers of a
fan some dark brows are visible, a white forehead and blond hair. That
is she!" Kmita held his breath, as if fearing to frighten away the
picture; then the feathers moved and the face was disclosed. "No! that
is not Olenka, that is not that dear one, the dearest." His glance
flies farther, embraces charming forms, slips over feathers and satin,
faces blooming like flowers, and is mistaken each moment. That is she,
not she! Till at last, see! in the depth, near the drapery of the
window, something white is moving, and it grew dark in the eyes of the
knight; that was Olenka, the dear one, the dearest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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