Pagina 497 van 788

Vainly the Judge interceded for the gentry, and vainly Telimena

joined her entreaties to the tears of Zosia, that they should

have more regard for the captives. Captain Nikita Rykov, to be

sure-a Muscovite but a good fellow-allowed himself to be

mollified; but this was of no avail, since he himself had to obey

Major Plut.160

This Major, by birth a Pole from the little town of Dzierowicze,

according to report, had been named Plutowicz in Polish, but had

changed his name; he was a great rascal, as is usually the case

with Poles that turn Muscovites in the Tsar's service. Plut, with

his pipe in his mouth and his hands on his hips, stood in front

of the ranks of soldiers; when people bowed to him, he turned up

his nose, and in answer, as a sign of his wrathful humour, he

puffed out a cloud of smoke and walked towards the house.