“I an insurgent? How could that be? I do what my hetman commands.”
“But the hetman does not do what the king commands, for surely the king did not command him to join the Swedes. Would you not rather slay the Swedes than give me, your relative, into their hands?”
“I might; but for every command there is obedience.”
“And Pani Kovalski would rather slay Swedes; I know her. Speaking between us, the hetman has rebelled against the king and the country. Don’t say this to any one, but it is so; and those who serve him are rebels too.”
“It is not proper for me to hear this. The hetman has his superior, and I have mine; what is his own belongs to the hetman, and God would punish me if I were to oppose him. That is an unheard of thing.”
“You speak honestly; but think, Roh, if you were to happen into the hands of those insurgents, I should be free, and it would be no fault of yours, for nec Hercules contra plures!—I do not know where those squadrons are, but you must know, and you see we might turn toward them a little.”
“How is that?”
“As if we went by chance to them? It would not be your fault if they rescued us. You would not have me on your conscience,—and to have a relative on a man’s conscience, believe me, is a terrible burden.”
“Oh Uncle, what are you saying! As God lives, I will leave the wagon and sit on my horse. It is not I who will have uncle on my conscience, but the hetman. While I live, nothing will come of this talk.”
“Nothing is nothing!” said Zagloba; “I prefer that you speak sincerely, though I was your uncle before Radzivill was your hetman. And do you know, Roh, what an uncle is?”