“Thanks to you,” said Krychinski, “we were admitted to this place, which God now gives to us.”
“Did Novoveski make no opposition?” asked Azya.
“Novoveski knew that we were passing over to the Commonwealth, and knew that you were coming to meet us; he looks on us as his men, because he looked on you as his man.”
“We remained on the Moldavian bank,” put in Adurovich; “but Krychinski and I went as guests to him. He received us as nobles, for he said: ‘By your present acts you extinguish former offence; and since the hetman forgives you on Azya’s security, ’tis not proper for me to look askance at you.’ He even wished us to enter the town; but we said: ‘We will not till Azya, Tugai Bey’s son, brings the hetman’s permission.’ But when he was going away he gave us another feast, and begged us to watch over the town.”
“At that feast,” added Krychinski, “we saw his father, and the old woman who is searching for her captive husband, and that young lady whom Novoveski intends to marry.”
“Ah!” said Azya, “I did not think that they were all here, and I brought Panna Novoveski.”
He clapped his hands; Halim appeared at once, and Azya said to him: “When my men see the flames in the place, let them fall on those soldiers in the fortalice, and cut their throats; let them bind the women and the old noble, and guard them till I give the order.”
He turned to Krychinski and Adurovich,—
“I will not assist myself, for I am weak; still, I will mount my horse and look on. But, dear comrades, begin, begin!”
Krychinski and Adurovich rushed through the doorway at once. Azya went out after them, and gave command to lead a horse to him; then he rode to the stockade to look from the gate of the high fortalice on what would happen in the town.