Peter constrained us to drink with his boon companions and would take no denial, and after these libations to the drunken god Bacchus he must needs set us, first to race and afterwards to exhibit our skill in Cossack feats and tricks of horsemanship.
The race was more a matter for our horses than for ourselves, and Mazeppa being the lighter man, I had fears that he might win. We galloped three times round the exercising ground of the ‘Pleasure Regiment,’ and at one hundred yards from the winning post were still neck and neck, I urging my good beast both with whip and spur, Mazeppa doing the same. Within a stone’s throw of the post his horse fell from exhaustion, leaving mine to gallop in alone.
‘That is a good race,’ shouted the Tsar, ‘and well ridden by both, but he wins a race who rides the best horse. Let us judge which is the better Cossack—you, Chelminsky, or Mazeppa; show your skill, both, and you shall be judged by the votes of us who look on!’
Mazeppa would rather not have engaged in this competition, for in our own home I was accounted a better horseman than he, and Mazeppa was one who loved to excel and hated to be worsted.
In the tricks we essayed I showed my superiority, the Tsar and his companions clapping their hands vigorously and shouting my name; but the culmination of my triumph came when, at last, Mazeppa fell from his saddle in an attempt to pick up a pistol from the ground while passing at full gallop.
Mazeppa’s misfortune set the Tsar shouting with delight and laughing boisterously.
Mazeppa was angry, first by reason of his failure, but still more on account of the bad manners of the Tsar and his satellites.
‘He rides better than you, Mazeppa!’ cried the Tsar. ‘Well done, Chelminsky; it was well done indeed; it may be that thou shalt be the Hetman for this one day, when I am master!’
I wished the Tsar had not said this. I saw Mazeppa flush and start and look quickly at the Tsar and at myself.
‘Many things must happen before Chelminsky is Hetman of the Cossacks!’ he said, and the Tsar laughed.