he Cossacks all bowed their heads and took off
their caps. To no one lower than the king himself would they have shown
respect at such an hour; but their daring fell before the Church of
Christ, and they honoured their priesthood. The hetman and leaders
agreed to release Pototzky, after having extracted from him a solemn
oath to leave all the Christian churches unmolested, to forswear the
ancient enmity, and to do no harm to the Cossack forces. One leader
alone would not consent to such a peace. It was Taras. He tore a handful
of hair from his head, and cried:

"Hetman and leaders! Commit no such womanish deed. Trust not the Lyakhs;
slay the dogs!"

When the secretary presented the agreement, and the hetman put his hand
to it, Taras drew a genuine Damascene blade, a costly Turkish sabre
of the finest steel, broke it in twain like a reed, and threw the two
pieces far away on each side, saying, "Farewell! As the two pieces of
this sword will never reunite and form one sword again, so we, comrades,
shall nevermore behold each other in this world. Remember my parting
words." As he spoke his voice grew stronger, rose higher, and acquired a
hitherto unknown power; and his prophetic utterances troubled them all.
"Before the death hour you will remember me! Do you think that you have
purchased peace and quiet? do you think that you will make a great show?
You will make a great show, but after another fashion. They will flay
the skin from your head, hetman, they will stuff it with bran, and
long will it be exhibited at fairs. Neither will you retain your heads,
gentles. You will be thrown into damp dungeons, walled about with stone,
if they do not boil you alive in cauldrons like sheep. And you, men," he
continued, turning to his followers, "which of you wants to die his true
death? not through sorrows and the ale-house; but an honourable Cossack
death, all in one bed, like bride and groom? But, perhaps, you would
like to return home, and turn infidels, and carry Polish priests on your
backs?"

"We will follow you, noble leader, we will follow you!" shouted all his
band, and many others joined them.

"If it is to be so, then follow me," said Taras, pulling his cap farther
over his brows. Looking menacingly at the others, he went to his
horse, and cried to his men, "Let no one reproach us with any insulting
speeches. Now, hey there, men! we'll call on the Catholics." And then
he struck his horse, and there followed him a camp