"Quiet yourself! You are not bigger than a gudgeon, and you know how to swim, it is easy for you. I say even that it is unhandsome on the part of the prince to give me no peace. After the killing of Burlai, Zagloba has done enough; let every one do as much, and let Zagloba have peace, for you will be a pretty-looking crowd when he is gone. For God's sake, if I fall into a hole, pull me out by the ears, for I shall fill with water at once."
"Quiet!" said Skshetuski. "The Cossacks are sitting in those dark shelters; they will hear you."
"Where? What do you tell me?"
"There in those hillocks, under the sods."
"That is all that was wanting! May the bright lightning smash--"
Volodyovski stopped the remaining words by putting his hand on Zagloba's mouth, for the shelters were barely fifty yards distant. The knights went silently indeed, but the water spattered under their feet; happily rain began to fall again, and the patter deadened the noise of their steps.
The guards were not at the shelters. Who could have expected a sally after an assault in such a tempest, when the combatants were divided by something like a lake?
Volodyovski and Pan Longin sprang ahead and reached the shelter first. Volodyovski let his sabre drop, put his hand to his mouth and began to cry: "Hei, men!"
"What?" answered from within the voices of Cossacks, evidently convinced that some one from the Cossack tabor was coming.
"Glory to God!" answered Volodyovski; "let us in!"