"And did not that Captain Shenberk renounce his errors?" asked Volodyovski.
"What, renounce! He died, as he had lived, in abomination!"
"Oh that men should yield up their salvation rather than their stubbornness!" sighed Pan Longin.
"God is defending us against Cossack predominance and witchcraft," continued Zagloba; "but these heretics are offending him. It is known to you, gentlemen, that yesterday, from this very intrenchment before us, they shot balls of thread into the square; and the soldiers say that immediately on the place where the balls fell the ground was covered with a leprosy."
"It's a known fact that devils wait on Hmelnitski," said the Lithuanian, making the sign of the cross.
"I saw the witches myself," added Skshetuski, "and I'll tell you--"
Further conversation was stopped by Volodyovski, who pressed Skshetuski's arm suddenly, and whispered: "Silence!" Then he sprang to the very edge of the rampart, and listened attentively.
"I hear nothing," said Zagloba.
"Ts! the rain drowns it," answered Skshetuski.
Pan Michael began to beckon with his hand not to interrupt him, and he listened carefully for some time. At last he approached his comrades. "They are marching!" whispered he.