Miller did not wish to put the question so clearly, or at least he did not wish the “either—or,” to come first from his mouth; therefore he said,— “Let each speak clearly what he thinks. It should be a question for us of the profit and praise of the king.” But none of the officers wished more than Miller to appear first with the proposition to retreat, therefore there was silence again. “Pan Sadovski,” said Miller after a while, in a voice which he tried to make agreeable and kind, “you say what you think more sincerely than others, for your reputation insures you against all suspicion.” “I think, General,” answered the colonel, “that Kmita was one of the greatest soldiers of this age, and that our position is desperate.” “But you were in favor of withdrawing from the fortress?” “With permission of your worthiness, I was only in favor of not beginning the siege. That is a thing quite different.” “Then what do you advise now?” “Now I give the floor to Count Veyhard.” Miller swore like a pagan. “Count Veyhard will answer for this unfortunate affair,” said he. “My counsels have not all been carried out,” answered the count, insolently. “I can boldly cast responsibility from myself. There were men who with a wonderful, in truth an inexplicable, good-will for the priests, dissuaded his worthiness from all severe measures. My advice was to hang those envoy priests, and I am convinced that if this had been done terror would have opened to us before this time the gates of that hen-house.” Here the count looked at Sadovski; but before the latter had answered, the Prince of Hesse interfered: “Count, do not call that fortress a hen-house, for the more you decrease its importance the more you increase our shame.” “Nevertheless I advised to hang the envoys. Terror and always terror, that is what I repeated from morning till night; but Pan Sadovski threatened resignation, and the priests went unharmed.” “Go, Count, to-day to the fortress,” answered Sadovski, “blow up with powder their greatest gun as Kmita did ours, and I guarantee that, that will spread more terror than a murderous execution of envoys.” The count turned directly to Miller: “Your worthiness I thought we had come here for counsel and not for amusement.” “Have you an answer to baseless reproaches?” asked Miller. “I have, in spite of the joyousness of these gentlemen, who might save their humor for better times.” “Oh, son of Laertes, famous for stratagems!” exclaimed the Prince of Hesse. “Gentlemen,” answered the count, “it is universally known that not Minerva but Mars is your guardian deity; but since Mars has not favored you, and you have renounced your right of speech, let me speak.” “The mountain is beginning to groan, and soon we shall see the small tail of a mouse,” said Sadovski. “I ask for silence!” said Miller, severely. “Speak, Count, but keep in mind that up to this moment your counsels have given bitter fruit.”