The moon had reached just the highest point on its road through the sky, when suddenly its beams began to be mingled and mixed with a rosy light, rising as it were from under the ground; gradually the heavens grew red and still redder as if from the rising dawn, till at last a bloody glare filled the whole neighborhood. One sea of fire raged over the gigantic village of the Butryms; and the wild soldiers of Kmita, in the midst of smoke, burning, and sparks bursting in columns to the sky, cut down the population, terrified and blinded from fright.
The inhabitants of the nearer villages sprang from their sleep. The greater and smaller companies of the Smoky Gostsyeviches and Stakyans, Gashtovts and Domasheviches, collected on the road before their houses, and looking in the direction of the fire, gave alarm from mouth to mouth: "It must be that an enemy has broken in and is burning the Butryms, — that is an unusual fire!"
The report of muskets coming at intervals from the distance confirmed this supposition.
"Let us go to assist them!" cried the bolder; "let us not leave our brothers to perish!"
And when the older ones spoke thus, the younger, who on account of the winter threshing had not gone to Rossyeni, mounted their horses. In Krakin and in Upita they had begun to ring the church bells.
In Vodokty a quiet knocking at the door roused Panna Aleksandra.
"Olenka, get up! "cried Panna Kulvyets.
"Come in. Aunt, what is the matter?"
"They are burning Volmontovichi!"
"In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"
"Shots are heard, there is a battle! God have mercy on us!" Olenka screamed terribly; then she sprang out of bed and began to throw on her clothes hurriedly. Her body trembled as in a fever. She alone guessed in a moment what manner of enemy had attacked the ill-fated Butryms.
After a while the awakened women of the whole house rushed into the room with crying and sobbing. Olenka threw herself on her knees before an image; they followed her example, and all began to repeat aloud the litany for the dying.
They had scarcely gone through half of it when a violent pounding shook the door of the antechamber. The women
