"A ball in the forehead of every tenth man. Dispose the rest among other regiments. You will go to-day to the squadrons of Mirski and Stankyevich, announce my order, to them to be ready for the campaign. I make you commander over those two squadrons, and over the third, that of Volodyovski. The lieutenants are to be subordinate to you and obey you in everything. I wished to send Kharlamp to that squadron at first, but he is useless. I have changed my mind." "What shall I do in case of resistance? For with Volodyovski are Lauda men who hate me terribly." "Announce that Mirski, Stankyevich, and Volodyovski will be shot immediately." "Then they may come in arms to Kyedani to rescue these officers. All serving under Mirski are distinguished nobles." "Take a regiment of Scottish infantry and a German regiment. First surround them, then announce the order." "Such is the will of your highness." Radzivill rested his hands on his knees and fell to thinking. "I would gladly shoot Mirski and Stankyevich were they not respected in the whole country as well as in their own regiments. I fear tumult and open rebellion, an example of which we have just had before our eyes. I am glad, thanks to you, that they have received a good lesson, and each squadron will think twice before rising against us. But it is imperative to act swiftly, so that resisting men may not go to the voevoda of Vityebsk." "Your highness has spoken only of Mirski and Stankyevich, you have not mentioned Volodyovski and Oskyerko." "I must spare Oskyerko, too, for he is a man of note and widely related; but Volodyovski comes from Russia[21] and has no relatives here. He is a valiant soldier, it is true. I counted on him,--so much the worse that I was deceived. If the devil had not brought hither those wanderers his friends, he might have acted differently; but after what has happened, a bullet in the forehead waits him, as well as those two Skshetuskis and that third fellow, that bull who began first to bellow, 'Traitor, traitor!'" Pan Andrei sprang up as if burned with iron: "Your highness, the soldiers say that Volodyovski saved your life at Tsibyhova." "He did his duty; therefore I wanted to give him Dydkyemie for life. Now he has betrayed me; hence I give command to shoot him." Kmita's eyes flashed, and his nostrils began to quiver. "Your highness, that cannot be!" "How cannot be?" asked Radzivill, frowning.