“God save us from that. The larger the party, the more noise will it make,” said Kmita.
“I think that the marshal of the kingdom will come out to meet us with his squadrons,” put in the king.
“The marshal will not come out,” answered Kmita, “for he will not know the day and the hour, and even if he did know some delay might happen on the road, as is usual; it is difficult to foresee everything.”
“A soldier says that, a genuine soldier!” said the king. “It is clear that you are not a stranger to war.”
Kmita laughed, for he remembered his attacks on Hovanski. Who was more skilled than he in such actions? To whom could the escort of the king be entrusted with more judgment?
But Tyzenhauz was evidently of a different opinion from the king, for he frowned and said with sarcasm against Kmita, “We wait then for your enlightened counsel.”
Kmita felt ill will in the words; therefore he fixed his glance on Tyzenhauz and answered,—
“My opinion is that the smaller the party the easier it will pass.”
“How is that?”
“The will of your Royal Grace is unfettered,” said Kmita, “and can do what it likes, but my reason teaches me this: Let Pan Tyzenhauz go ahead with the dragoons, giving out purposely that he is conducting the king; this he will do to attract the enemy to himself. His affair is to wind out, to escape from the trap safely. And we with a small band in a day or two will move after him with your Royal Grace; and when the enemy’s attention is turned in another direction it will be easy for us to reach Lyubovlya.”