"Don't let your head ache over that. They go to a battle as to a concert."
"I see that; I see they are sulphurous fellows. But my men are road-weary."
"You have just said, 'Periculum in mora.'"
"Yes; but we might rest for the night. We have come from near Hmelnik."
"Worthy voevoda, we have come from Lubni and the Trans-Dnieper."
"We were a whole day on the road."
"We a whole month."
The prince went out to arrange in person the order of march. The voevoda stared at the under-judge, struck his palms on his knees, and said,--
"Ah! I have got what I wanted, you see. As God lives, he will kill me with hunger. Here is swimming in hot water for you! I come for aid, and think that after great solicitation they will move in two or three days; but now they won't give us time to draw breath. May the devil take them! The stirrup-strap has galled my leg; my traitor of an attendant buckled it badly. My stomach is empty. The devil take them! Makhnovka is Makhnovka; but my stomach is my stomach. I am an old soldier, have fought in more wars probably than he has, but never in such helter-skelter fashion. Those are devils, not men; they don't eat, don't sleep,--just fight. As God is dear to me, they never eat anything. They look like ghosts, don't they?"
"Yes; but they have fiery courage," answered Pan Kryshtof, who was in love with soldier life. "God bless us, what disorder and tumult in other camps when it comes to marching--how much running, arranging wagons, sending for horses! But now, do you hear? the light cavalry is on the march."