"I should like to ask him to let me sit on some soldier's horse," said Mirski, "for my bones are benumbed." "He will not grant that," said Stankyevich; "for the night is dark, you could easily put spurs to the horse, and be off. Who could overtake?" "I will give him my word of honor not to attempt escape; besides, dawn will begin directly." "Soldier, where is the commandant?" asked Volodyovski of a dragoon standing near. "Who knows?" "How, who knows? When I ask thee to call him, call him." "We know not ourselves, Colonel, where he is," said the dragoon. "Since he crawled out of the wagon and rode ahead, he has not come back." "Tell him when he comes that we would speak with him." "As the Colonel wishes," answered the soldier. The prisoners were silent. From time to time only loud yawning was heard on the wagon; the horses were chewing hay at one side. The soldiers around the wagon, resting on the saddles, were dozing; others talked in a low voice, or refreshed themselves each with what he had, for it turned out that the inn was deserted and tenantless. The night had begun to grow pale. On its eastern side the dark background of the sky was becoming slightly gray; the stars, going out gradually, twinkled with an uncertain, failing light. Then the roof of the inn became hoary; the trees growing near it were edged with silver. The horses and men seemed to rise out of the shade. After a while it was possible to distinguish faces, and the yellow color of the cloaks. The helmets began to reflect the morning gleam. Volodyovski opened his arms and stretched himself, yawning from ear to ear; then he looked at the sleeping Zagloba. All at once he threw back his arms and shouted,-- "May the bullets strike him! In God's name! Gracious gentlemen, look here!" "What has happened?" asked the colonels, opening their eyes. "Look here, look here!" said Volodyovski, pointing at the sleeping form. The prisoners turned their glances in the direction indicated, and amazement was reflected on every face. Under the burka, and in the cap of Zagloba, slept, with the sleep of the just, Pan Roh Kovalski; but Zagloba was not in the wagon. "He has escaped, as God is dear to me!" said the astonished Mirski, looking around on every side, as if he did not yet believe his own eyes. "Oh, he is a finished rogue! May the hangman--" cried Stankyevich. "He took the helmet and yellow cloak of that fool, and escaped on his horse." "Vanished as if he had dropped into water." "He said he would get away by stratagem." "They will never see him again!" "Gentlemen," said Volodyovski, with delight, "you know not that man; and I swear to you to-day that he will rescue us yet,--I know not how, when, with what means,--but I swear that he will." "God grant it! One cannot believe his eyesight," said Pan Stanislav.