For the Right Part 37

Thoughts like these also occupied the magistrates, who held a special meeting the following morning at the District Board office. The captain of the hussars, and one or two other officers had been invited to attend, but they had no comfort to offer; it seemed nothing short of a miracle that the raid should have succeeded, and more incomprehensible still that the band should have made good its retreat. As to its numbers, opinions differed greatly. The commotion raised by their flying entrance into the town, and the rapidity with which they had overpowered the soldiers, tended naturally to an over-estimation of their strength. There was one witness, however, who swore that Taras had fully a thousand men under his command. "A thousand, I tell you, for a certainty, on the honour of a n.o.bleman!" It was Thaddeus de Bazanski who averred this. For having got over his fright, the experience he had undergone appeared to him rather lucky than otherwise. And well it might, considering the bottles of fine Moldavian the tale would be worth, not to mention the halo of importance it cast around him!

"A thousand men, I say, at the very least," he reiterated. "You will believe an old officer, who for years has ridden at the head of a regiment, and allow his fitness for estimating numbers. But concerning this avenger, if I may judge by my own experience, I should say a manly denunciation would suffice to cow him. If you show pluck, he knocks under--he did so, at least, with me. 'Where is the mandatar?' he stormed, as we met. 'Taras,' said I, undaunted, 'I am a guest under this roof, and a n.o.bleman born. I am not going to turn informer!' I said this quietly, with all the sang-froid I am in the habit of preserving in a desperate situation, and, for the matter of that, I have known worse dangers in my time. As for him--well he bit his lip, and, turning on his heel, said to his men, 'Comrades, it is no use to think of intimidating an officer of such standing----'"

But the Board never learned what further the frightened Taras had to say concerning that officer, for a loud tumult was rising in the market-place, coming nearer and nearer. The magistrates jumped from their seats, crowding the windows, and an unlooked-for spectacle met their eyes below. In the centre of a moving crowd there appeared an open car, and upon it the lost Kap.r.o.nski. He seemed unhurt, and even in good spirits, for he kept smiling to the right and to the left in acknowledgment of the people's salutation; but he waved his hands only, never touching his travelling cap, which was pulled low over his ears.

The excitement of the Board was such that it pa.s.sed unnoticed when the commissioner did not even bare his head on entering their presence.

They grew aware of it only when, having bowed low, he began with somewhat uncertain accents: "I venture to crave permission of the worshipful Board to keep my head covered. I am anxious to save your feelings, for I--I got wounded--a bad cut."

"Wounded!" cried the old town surgeon, who served on the Board, and unable to restrain his professional eagerness, he caught at the cap.

But the sight of Kap.r.o.nski, minus his head-gear, was so tragi-comical that, with all their anxieties, the magistrates could not but smile.

"What on earth is the meaning of this," cried the district governor.

"It is the punishment which, among the Huzuls, is reserved for cowards," Mr. Wroblewski, the secretary of the Board, hastened to explain.

Kap.r.o.nski rewarded him with a vicious glance. "The secretary speaks the truth," said he, putting on a bold front; "but it is not more than is reserved for himself and all this worshipful Board if you have the misfortune of falling into Taras's hands. He has inflicted this infamy on me for no other reason but that I did my duty in carrying out your orders."

The smiles had vanished. "Tell us all about it," cried the magistrates, eagerly.

The commissioner bowed, and began with a minute description of how he was carried to the Crystal Springs, and of what he saw there.

"How many men should you say he has with him?" interrupted the captain of the hussars, who naturally considered this the most important point.

"Well, I should say about a thousand," replied the commissioner, unblushingly.

"Then this seems to be a fact," murmured the captain, with evident concern; "that looks bad!"

"I have not a doubt," Kap.r.o.nski continued, "that his one reason for waylaying me was his desire to make an example, just to show what awaited any servant of the law who dared lift a finger against him. In fact, he was going to hang me, and said so plainly. But, fortunately, I had prepared an answer. 'So you may,' I said, 'if you dare, for I am one against your thousand. But know that if you touch me your wife and your children will rue it.'"

"Why, that was illegal," broke in the district governor. "I wonder what paragraph of the penal code warrants this!"

Kap.r.o.nski bowed deeply. He had expected this objection, and, indeed, had shaped his story so far with the one intention of bringing his dastardly falsehood, which had caused him plenty of trouble already, in the best possible guise to the knowledge of his superiors. "Illegal,"

he replied, humbly, "no doubt; but I venture to think I was justified by the extremity of the situation." A murmur, not altogether of disapproval, went round the Board, and even the district governor could only shake his old head, grumbling to himself as the commissioner continued.

"The words I had spoken produced an immediate effect. Taras looked concerned. 'Stuff!' he said, pretending to be careless; 'it is no use trying to frighten me with that sort of thing; _your_ hands are bound by the law,' However, he gave up the idea of hanging me, saying he would use me as his messenger instead. Two things he charged me to bring to your knowledge, most worshipful governor of this district; firstly, that he expects you on the spot to withdraw the soldiers from the parishes of Zablotow and Zulawce, and to forbear inst.i.tuting against him any action whatsoever. And he wishes you to understand that you are not to dream of stopping his intentions by military interference."

"Well, I never!" cried the governor.

"What impudence!" echoed the Board.

"Secondly, that within four-and-twenty hours you are to deliver up the mandatar to his men at that particular spot where the Pruth is fordable between Zulawce and Debeslawce. He will let you know who else is to be given up to him."

The Board sat mute with indignant consternation. "And suppose I don't?"

gasped the governor.

"In that case," returned Kap.r.o.nski, with his deepest bow, "in that case--I can hardly frame my lips to the rest of his message, but he said: 'Tell him, if he does not comply, I shall set fire to the district town and give it up to my men to plunder; and the magistrates, nay, every servant of the law, shall be hanged on these trees of ours--the governor first and foremost. I look upon them as a set of infamous cowards, and to show them how we deal with such, I'll visit on your head the ignominy which I consider is theirs.' And having treated me as you see, he had me put down by the river that I might find my way back as best I could."

A series of groans went round the room, Captain Mihaly recovering himself first. "Well, gentlemen, it's no use to hang our heads," he cried. "Orders for reinforcements must be despatched at once."

"Certainly," a.s.sented the burgomaster, "it is best to declare war against this man on the spot. But," he added cautiously, "I suppose the town itself is sufficiently protected by the garrison; you, captain, I daresay, will guarantee its safety?"

"We shall fight to the last man if need be," replied the gallant soldier; "but I can guarantee nothing beyond. If this bandit has really a thousand cut-throats to do his bidding, my squadron and the handful of infantry stationed here cannot make any stand against him."

The old man fell back in his chair white as death. "Then," he groaned, "the mandatar must leave this town at once, even if we must get rid of him by force; and it might be well to let it be known as widely as possible, perhaps send a messenger to Taras."

But the brave governor by this time had recovered himself. Rising, he put forth his hand, as if to silence the burgomaster. "This shall not be while I live," he said earnestly. "It is indeed a terrible matter we have to face, but let us face it like men; let us rather die than act meanly--let no act of ours cast a slur upon the dignity of legal justice! This Mr. Wenceslas Hajek has done nothing, so far as I am aware, to justify us in refusing him protection; let him stay here as long as he pleases. If he will leave us of his own accord, all the better; but if he chooses to stay, beware of annoying him."

"Well, and will you undertake the fearful responsibility of it all?"

cried the burgomaster, excitedly.

"I will," said the governor, solemnly; "I will be answerable both to the Emperor and to G.o.d."

"But I daresay it would need only a hint to Hajek," interposed the captain. "I know what stuff the man is made of. If he is told that all of us are in danger of our lives here, he'll be ready to leave us with post-horses even."

"Well, and where is he to be found, if that is the case?" inquired the governor, open to this reasoning.

"I can tell you," cried Dr. Starkowski, "in no less a place than the town gaol. On my way hither I was told so by the chief constable.

Hajek, it appears, came to him at daybreak this morning, imploring him to have him shut up, since prison was the only place of safety. He is quite beside himself with terror, I hear--an object to behold."

"Well, the mandatar may consider his movements by and by," said the governor. "Our chief care for the present is the question of reinforcements, as the captain has pointed out. And considering the urgency of the case, I will forthwith despatch letters to the nearest military stations at Stanislaw and Czernowitz. And I will also have matters reported to the Provincial governor--I mean I will not do so by writing only, but will despatch one of the commissioners to Lemberg, to add every information by word of mouth."

At which Kap.r.o.nski gave a jerk, craning his neck eagerly.

"Wait till you are asked!" cried the irritated governor. "On consideration I have hardly any choice but to send you! It will be as well to get rid of that cropped head of yours for a while--the people here are frightened enough already, without keeping before their eyes such a lively reminder of Taras's visit as you present. Besides, I daresay you will prove an interesting sight to the gentlemen at Lemberg. I shall expect you to be ready within half-an-hour."

Kap.r.o.nski bowed as deeply as before, hardly knowing how to hide his satisfaction. He had succeeded in making his own confession of the falsehood he had been guilty of; and had not only, as he believed, revenged himself on Taras, but on his colleagues as well. He had paid them out, he thought, for the slights with which they were apt to treat him, and it delighted him to see them all afraid for their lives.

Moreover, his falsified report resulted in one thing his cowardly soul approved of--the prospect of military reinforcement--for he could not have foreseen his being sent away from the menaced city. But since the governor's decision now promised to place him personally out of danger, a really malicious thought presented itself to his dastardly mind--he remembered what Taras actually _did_ say. "Your worship," he began, and his voice quivered with the consciousness of his meanness. "I venture to submit ... my own impression ... fully alive to the importance of the case...."

"Well, and what have you to say?"

"Only just this. Would it not be well to antic.i.p.ate any trouble this bandit is likely to give; to make it impossible, and, perchance, even force him to sue for peace? I know how easily he is cowed...."

"It would seem so," cried the burgomaster; "at least, he has thus been described to us already."

"Yes, and by whom?" growled the governor, with a contemptuous glance at the victor of Ostrolenka, who, after having given his evidence, had retired to the wall, where he still stood, grinning and smirking. "What is it you were going to say, Mr. Commissioner?"

"Only this, your worship. I have stated how I was able to save my life from the hands of this man. Now, supposing this most honourable Board could see its way, in consideration of the imminent danger wherewith the town is threatened, to issue an order for the arrest of the wife and children...."

"We might, indeed, be driven to it," said the burgomaster, half under his breath.

"What!" roared the governor, white and trembling with pa.s.sion. "Oh, the shameful disgrace, that an official of this district dares make such a proposal! Coward, that you are!"

Kap.r.o.nski felt the withering contempt, and shrunk back. "I meant it for the best," he stammered, "and I am sure I will not breathe a word of it at Lemberg if it is disapproved of."

"You are likely to be sent now!" muttered the governor, pacing the room furiously. "Is this the man to be sent in the present emergency, when so much----" The rest was lost in an angry mumbling. The man's whole nature seemed in an uproar. At last he subsided, and, standing still before the frightened Kap.r.o.nski, he said, "You shall go; but I shall take care that the letter you carry be sufficiently explicit. You may come for it in an hour."

The commissioner heaved a breath of relief, and turned to go, but not without experiencing another shock, for the governor called after him, "Stop a moment; if the mandatar chooses to leave you might as well travel together. I shall allow you a couple of constables."