"Not so," interrupted Thaddeus, with eagerness; "not whilst a
Polander has power to lift an arm in defence of a native king, and an
hereditary succession, can she be quite lost! What was ever in the
hearts of her people that is not now there? For one, I can never
forget how her sons have more than once rolled back on their own
lands legions of invaders, from those very countries now daring to
threaten her existence!"

Butzou applauded his spirit, and was warmly seconded by the palatine,
who (never weary of infusing into every feeling of his grandson an
interest for his country) pursued the discourse, and dwelt minutely
on the happy tendency of the glorious constitution of 1791, in
defence of which they were now going to hazard their lives. As
Sobieski pointed out its several excellences, and expatiated on the
pure spirit of freedom which animated its revived laws, the soul of
Thaddeus followed his eloquence with all the fervor of youth,
forgetting his late domestic regrets in the warm aspirations of
patriotic hopes; and at noon on the third day, with smiling eyes he
saw his grandfather put himself at the head of his battalions and
commence a rapid march.




CHAPTER III.

THE OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN.


The little army of the palatine passed by the battlements of Chelm,