So spoke the primate; and misfortune with the experience of recent times had changed his hearers in such a degree that no man protested, for all saw clearly that either the power of the king must be strengthened, or the Commonwealth must perish without fail. They began therefore to consider in various ways how to bring the counsels of the primate into practice. The king and queen listened to them eagerly and with joy, especially the queen, who had labored long and earnestly at the introduction of order into the Commonwealth. The king returned then to Glogov glad and satisfied, and summoning a number of confidential officers, among whom was Kmita, he said,— “I am impatient, my stay in this country is burning me, I could wish to start even to-morrow; therefore I have called you, as men of arms and experience, to provide ready methods. It is a pity that we should lose time, when our presence may hasten considerably a general war.” “In truth,” said Lugovski, “if such is the will of your Royal Grace, why delay? The sooner the better.” “While the affair is not noised about and the enemy do not double their watchfulness,” added Colonel Wolf. “The enemy are already on their guard, and have taken possession of the roads so far as they are able,” said Kmita. “How is that?” asked the king. “Gracious Lord, your intended return is no news for the Swedes. Almost every day a report travels over the whole Commonwealth, that your Royal Grace is already on the road, or even now in your realms, _inter regna_. Therefore it is necessary to observe the greatest care, and to hurry by through narrow places stealthily, for Douglas’s scouts are waiting on the roads.” “The best carefulness,” said Tyzenhauz, looking at Kmita, “is three hundred faithful sabres; and if my gracious lord gives me command over them, I will conduct him in safety, even over the breasts of Douglas’s scouts.” “You will conduct if there are just three hundred, but suppose that you meet six hundred or a thousand, or come upon a superior force waiting in ambush, what then?” “I said three hundred,” answered Tyzenhauz, “for three hundred were mentioned. If however that is too small a party, we can provide five hundred and even more.” “God save us from that. The larger the party, the more noise will it make,” said Kmita. “I think that the marshal of the kingdom will come out to meet us with his squadrons,” put in the king. “The marshal will not come out,” answered Kmita, “for he will not know the day and the hour, and even if he did know some delay might happen on the road, as is usual; it is difficult to foresee everything.” “A soldier says that, a genuine soldier!” said the king. “It is clear that you are not a stranger to war.” Kmita laughed, for he remembered his attacks on Hovanski. Who was more skilled than he in such actions? To whom could the escort of the king be entrusted with more judgment?