With these words Mazeppa withdrew to the post-house, and we saw no more of him. I ought, perhaps, to have chastised him or forced him to fight; but his attitude surprised and silenced me, and I think I felt some admiration for a man who could accept defeat so excellently.
CHAPTER XXXII
When I restored Vera to her father, which I did, be sure, not without some pomp and posturing, he looked at me in astonishment.
‘Why,’ said he, ‘is not this the youth I was to have knouted? You are the Cossack Chelminsky!’
‘Certainly I am,’ I admitted.
‘One Cossack takes her and the other brings her back! One Cossack prevents her marrying with the Tsar, and the other entreats me for her hand, saying he will be Hetman and the brother and equal of kings. When I do not trust him, and will marry her to a great Russian Boyar, Mazeppa runs away with her and Chelminsky brings her back! What is Mazeppa’s next move?’
‘Oh, you have done with Mazeppa, Boyar, fear not: ask, if you will, what is Chelminsky’s next move; that is different!’
‘Well,’ said the old man, ‘what is it?’
‘Chelminsky says,’ I replied, ‘that he too has been promised the Hetmanate of the Cossacks, and that he would claim this Vera for his own!’
‘A cool request, indeed!’ exclaimed the Boyar, laughing; ‘but I trust no more Cossacks! What, will you both be Hetman of the same province at the same time?’