ory.
Meanwhile by a messenger he informed Rykov that if he would lay down his
arms he would preserve his life; but, in case the surrender of arms were
delayed, Robak gave orders to surround the remnant and cut them down.

Captain Rykov was far from asking quarter. Gathering about him half a
battalion, he shouted, "Ready!" Immediately the line seized their carbines
and the arms rattled; they had long since been loaded. He shouted, "Aim!"
and the barrels glittered in a long row. He shouted, "Fire in turn!" and
one report followed another; one man shot, another loaded, a third
clutched his musket. One could hear the whistling of bullets, the rattle
of locks, the clink of ramrods; the whole line seemed to be a moving
reptile, which moved a thousand glittering legs at the same time.

To be sure, the yagers were drunk with strong liquor; they aimed poorly
and missed their mark; few inflicted wounds and hardly a single one killed
his man: however, two of the Maciejs were already wounded, and one of the
Bartlomiejs had fallen. The gentry replied but sparingly from their few
guns, and were eager to attack the enemy with swords; but the older men
restrained them: each moment the bullets whistled, struck, and forced the
gentry to retreat--soon they would have cleared the yard; already they
began to ring on the windows of the house.

Thaddeus, who by his uncle's orders had remained in the house to protect
the women, hearing how the battle was becoming ever fiercer and fiercer,
ran out, and after him rushed the Chamberlain, to whom Thomas had at last
brought his sabre; he hurriedly joined the gentry and took his place at
their head. He ran forward, raising his weapon, and the gentry moved after
him. The yagers, letting them come near, poured upon them a hail of
bullets; Isajewicz, Wilbik, and Razor fell wounded; then the gentry were
checked by Robak on one side and Maciej on the other. The gentry cooled in
their ardour, glanced about, and retired; the Muscovites saw this, and
Captain Rykov planned to give the final blow, to drive the gentry from the
yard and seize the mansion.

"Form for the attack!" he cried. "Charge bayonets! Forward!"

Immediately the line, levelling their gun barrels like poles, bent down
their heads, moved on and quickened their step; in vain the gentry
endeavoured to check them from in front and shot from the side; the line
passed over half the yard without resistance. The Captain, pointing with
his sword