“True, your worthiness, true.” “Does the prince know that man?” “He knows him. That is the sergeant Soroka. He helped me to carry off Boguslav.” “I understand,” said the hetman; “the vengeance of the prince is awaiting him.” A moment of silence followed. “The prince is in a trap,” said the hetman, after a while; “maybe he will consent to give him up.” “Let your worthiness,” said Kmita, “detain Sakovich, and send me to the prince. Perhaps I may rescue Soroka.” “Is his fate such a great question for you?” “An old soldier, an old servant; he carried me in his arms. A multitude of times he has saved my life. God would punish me were I to abandon him in such straits.” And Kmita began to tremble from pity and anxiety. But the hetman said: “It is no wonder to me that the soldiers love you, for you love them. I will do what I can. I will write to the prince that I will free for him whomsoever he wishes for that soldier, who besides at your command has acted as an innocent agent.” Kmita seized his head: “What does he care for prisoners? he will not let him go for thirty of them.” “Then he will not give him to you; he will even attempt your life.” “He would give him for one,—for Sakovich.” “I cannot imprison Sakovich; he is an envoy.” “Detain him, and I will go with a letter to the prince. Perhaps I shall succeed—God be with him! I will abandon my revenge, if he will give me that soldier.” “Wait,” said the hetman; “I can detain Sakovich. Besides that I will write to the prince to send me a safe-conduct without a name.” The hetman began to write at once. An hour later a Cossack was galloping with a letter to Yanov, and toward evening he returned with Boguslav’s answer:— “I send according to request the safe-conduct with which every envoy may return unharmed, though it is a wonder to me that your worthiness should ask for a conduct while you have such a hostage as my servant and friend Pan Sakovich, for whom I have so much love that I would give all the officers in my army for him. It is known also that envoys are not killed, but are usually respected even by wild Tartars with whom your worthiness is making war against my Christian army. Now, guaranteeing the safety of your envoy by my personal princely word, I subscribe myself, etc.” That same evening Kmita took the safe-conduct and went with the two Kyemliches. Pan Sakovich remained in Sokolka as a hostage. CHAPTER XXV.