“It is evident that they are going to the attack again,” said Tyzenhauz. “If there were less smoke, we should see the infantry.”
“Let us approach a little,” said the king, urging his horse.
After him others moved on, and riding along the bank of the Vistula from Uyazdov they approached almost to the Solets itself; and since the gardens of the palaces and the cloisters coming down to the Vistula had been cleared by the Swedes in the winter for fuel, trees did not cover the view, they could see even without field-glasses that the Swedes were really moving again to the storm.
“I would rather lose that position,” said the king all at once, “than that Babinich should die.”
“God will defend him!” said the priest Tsyetsishovski.
“And Pan Grodzitski will not fail to send him reinforcements,” added Tyzenhauz.
Further conversation was interrupted by some horseman who was approaching from the direction of the city at all speed. Tyzenhauz, having such sight that he saw better with the naked eye than others through field-glasses, caught his head at sight of him, and said,—
“Grylevski is returning! It must be that Kmita has fallen, and the fort is captured.”
The king shaded his eyes with his hands. Grylevski rushed up, reined in his horse, and, panting for breath, exclaimed,—
“Gracious Lord!”