After a while the door was opened, and a certain tall, black-bearded figure appeared at the threshold of the room.
"Who are you?" asked Kisel.
"Yan Skshetuski, colonel of hussars of Prince Vishnyevetski, voevoda of Rus."
The castellan Bjozovski, Pan Kulchinski, and the master of the chase Pan Kjetovski sprang from their seats. All of them had served the past year under the prince at Makhnovka and Konstantinoff, and knew Skshetuski perfectly. Kjetovski was even related to him.
"Is it true, is it true? Is this Pan Skshetuski?" repeated they.
"What are you doing here, and how did you reach us?" asked Kjetovski, taking him by the shoulder.
"In peasant's disguise, as you see," said Skshetuski.
"This," cried Bjozovski to Kisel, "is the foremost knight in the army of the voevoda of Rus; he is famous throughout the whole army."
"I greet him with thankful heart," said Kisel, "and I see that he must be a man of great resolution, since he has forced his way to us." Then to Skshetuski he said: "What do you wish of us?"
"That you permit me to go with you."