oured as from a sieve, in great, swift drops; then the
thunder roared and the drops united; now like straight strings they bound
the sky to the earth with long tresses, now, as from buckets, they poured
down in great masses. Now the sky and the earth were quite hidden; the
night, and the storm more black than night, shrouded them. At times the
horizon cracked from side to side, and the angel of the storm, like an
immense sun, showed his glittering face; and again, wrapped in a shroud,
he fled into the sky and the doors of the clouds crashed together with a
thunder-clap. Again the gale increased and the driving rain, and the
dense, thick, almost impenetrable darkness. Again the drops murmured more
gently, the thunder for a moment subsided; again it awoke and roared and
water once more gushed forth. At last all became calm; one heard only the
soughing of the trees around the house and the patter of the rain.

On a day such as had just passed the wildest storm was to be desired,
since the tempest, which covered the battlefield with darkness, drenched
the roads and destroyed the bridges over the river, and made of the farm
an inaccessible fortress. So of what had been done in the Soplicas' camp
the news could not spread abroad on that day--and it was precisely upon
secrecy that the fate of the gentry depended.

In the Judge's room an important consultation was in progress. The
Bernardine lay on the bed, exhausted, pale, and blood-stained, but wholly
sound in his mind; he issued orders and the Judge carried them out to the
letter. He invited the Chamberlain to join them, summoned the Warden, had
Rykov brought in, and then shut the door. For a whole hour the secret
conversation continued, until Captain Rykov, throwing on the table a heavy
purse of ducats, interrupted it with these words:--

"My Polish friends, it is common talk among you that every Muscovite is a
rascal: now tell any one who asks, that you have found a Muscovite who was
named Nikita Nikitich Rykov, a captain in the army, and who wore eight
medals and three crosses--I beg you remember that. This medal was for
Ochakov,166 this for Izmailov,167 this for the battle at Novi,168 this for
Preisizh-Ilov;169 that for Korsakov's famous retreat from Zurich.170 And
tell them that he received also a sword for valour, and likewise three
expressions of approval from the field-marshal, two compliments from the
Emperor, and four honourable mentions, all in writing."

"But,