, and plunged the sharp steel blade between the head of Baptist
and the hands of the Muscovites. They withdrew, uttering piercing cries,
but one hand, more firmly entwined in the hair, remained hanging and
spurted forth blood. Thus an eagle, when it buries one talon in a hare,
catches with the other at a tree, in order to hold back the beast; but the
hare, pulling, splits the eagle in two; the right talon remains on the
tree in the forest; the left, covered with blood, the beast bears away to
the fields.

Sprinkler, free once more, cast his eyes about, stretched out his hands,
sought for a weapon, shouted for a weapon; meanwhile he brandished his
fists, standing his ground manfully, but keeping close to the side of
Gerwazy, until he caught sight of his son Buzzard in the press. Buzzard
with his right hand was aiming a blunderbuss, and with his left was
pulling after him a great club, a fathom long, armed with flints and knobs
and knots.163 (No one could have lifted it except Baptist.) Baptist, when
he saw his darling weapon, his sprinkling-brush, seized it, kissed it,
jumped into the air for joy, whirled it over his head and straightway
moistened it.

What deeds he then performed, what disasters he spread abroad, it were
vain to sing, for none would believe the Muse: even so they did not
believe the poor woman in Wilno, who, standing on the summit of the holy
Ostra Gate, saw how Deyov, the Muscovite general, coming on with a
regiment of Cossacks, was already opening the gate, and how a single
burgher, named Czarnobacki, killed Deyov and routed a whole regiment of
Cossacks.164

Suffice it to say, that things came to pass as Rykov had foreseen; the
yagers in the crowd yielded to the power of their foes. Twenty-three
rolled slain on the ground, thirty and more lay groaning with frequent
wounds, many fled and hid in the garden, the hops, or along the river;
some took refuge in the house under the protection of the women.

The victorious gentry ran with a cry of joy, some to the casks, others to
tear booty from the enemy; Robak alone did not share their exultation.
Hitherto he had not fought himself (for the canons forbid a priest to take
part in combat), but as an experienced man he had been giving counsel, had
run about the battlefield in all directions, and with his glance and his
arm had urged on and guided those who were fighting. And now he shouted
for them to assemble around him, attack Rykov, and complete the vict