"With your permission," sounded the voice of Zagloba.
The chief halted at once as if he had grown to the floor, and turning to Zagloba, fastened his dark and terrible eyes on him. "What do you wish?" asked he, curtly.
"It seems to me that we made acquaintance somewhere,--at a wedding on a farm in Russia, was it not?"
"Yes," said the chief haughtily, putting his hand again on the hilt.
"How does your health serve you?" asked Zagloba. "For you rode off in such haste that I had no time to bid you farewell."
"And were you sorry for that?"
"Of course I was sorry. We should have had a dance, and the company would have been larger." Here Zagloba pointed to Volodyovski. "This is the cavalier who came in, and he would have been glad of a nearer acquaintance with you."
"Enough of this!" shouted Pan Michael, rising suddenly. "I arrest you, traitor!"
"With what authority?" asked the ataman, raising his head haughtily.
"You are a rebel, an enemy of the Commonwealth, and have come here as a spy."