"Whither?" asked Zagloba, with a voice of alarm. "That will be seen. Hurry, hurry!" "We come." They went out. In the corridor Scottish soldiers armed with muskets surrounded them. Zagloba grew more and more alarmed. "Still they would not lead us to death without a priest, without confession," whispered he in the ear of Volodyovski. Then he turned to the officer; "What is your rank, I pray?" "What is my rank to you?" "I have many relatives in Lithuania, and it is pleasant to know with whom one has to do." "No time for inquiries, but he is a fool who is ashamed of his name. I am Roh Kovalski, if you wish to know." "That is an honorable stock! The men are good soldiers, the women are virtuous. My grandmother was a Kovalski, but she made an orphan of me before I came to the world. Are you from the Vyerush, or the Korab Kovalskis?" "Do you want to examine me as a witness, in the night?" "Oh, I do this because you are surely a relative of mine, for we have the same build. You have large bones and shoulders, just like mine, and I got my form from my grandmother." "Well, we can talk about that on the road. We shall have time!" "On the road?" said Zagloba; and a great weight fell from his breast. He breathed like a bellows, and gained courage at once. "Pan Michael," whispered he, "did I not say that they would not cut our heads off?" Meanwhile they had reached the courtyard. Night had fallen completely. In places red torches were burning or lanterns gleaming, throwing an uncertain light on groups of soldiers, horse and foot, of various arms. The whole court was crowded with troops. Clearly they were ready to march, for a great movement was manifest on all sides. Here and there in the darkness gleamed lances and gun-barrels; horses' hoofs clattered on the pavement; single horsemen hurried between the squadrons,--undoubtedly officers giving commands. Kovalski stopped the convoy and the prisoners before an enormous wagon drawn by four horses, and having a box made as it were of ladders. "Take your places, gentlemen," said he. "Some one is sitting there already," said Zagloba, clambering up. "But our packs?" "They are under the straw," said Kovalski; "hurry, hurry!" "But who are sitting here?" asked Zagloba, looking at dark figures stretched on the straw. "Mirski, Stankyevich, Oskyerko," answered voices. "Volodyovski, Yan and Stanislav Skshetuski, and Zagloba," answered our knights. "With the forehead, with the forehead!" "With the forehead! We are travelling in honorable company. And whither are they taking us, do you know, gentlemen?" "You are going to Birji," said Kovalski. When he said this, he gave the command. A convoy of fifty dragoons surrounded the wagon and moved on. The prisoners began to converse in a low voice. "They will give us to the Swedes," said Mirski; "I expected that." "I would rather sit among enemies than traitors," answered Stankyevich.