Harold Lamb

“ Clouds of fur-clad Nogai Tatars were visible on the sky-line, restless and merciless as hungering eagles. By night, farms burned like torches along the river. Further pursuit of the false Dmitri was not to be thought of, when fire and sword gutted the border.
Bewildered, encumbered by the fleeing, driven by fear of the Tatar arrows, the boyare reined back to Kolumna, and it was weeks before Nogai prisoners were brought in by a patrol of Muscovite cavalry. The elder princes put the captives to the torture at once. ”

“ Tatikof's deep voice ordered.
Kirdy knew that the lights were being quenched in the snow—knew too that the moon was over the house tops and Toghrul had eyes like a cat. The firelocks barked at the house, but the thick walls stopped the bullets, and the Muscovites must have found the arrows too much for them because the axes ceased work and silence fell. Presently the two warriors emerged out of blackness.
“O Kazak,” Toghrul proclaimed moodily, “the bearded chieftain wears too much iron. We hurt him but did not slay. Three are down, and the other Urusses be very angry.” ”

“ Veliki boyare domnui; mighty nobles of the council—greeting! We are grievously angered by the rebellion of our servants in the city of our governance, Moscow. The time is not distant when your insolence will be chastened by our just anger!
It was signed simply Dmitri Ivanovitch—Dmitri, Son of Ivan.
And before he left Kolumna, Tatikof was careful to see that the priest who had been unfortunate enough to set eyes on this letter disappeared from human sight. This accomplished the boyare hastened on, eastward, to the frontier. ”

“ The axes began anew on the lighter door, and Kirdy posted the other servitor at the side window, while he sought out logs from the hearth to prop up the rear door. Toghrul experimented with his arrows at the near-by window, and discovered that he could do little damage, while the bullets from the pistols of the Muscovites drew blood from him.
“The Urusses will not enter by the windows,” Kirdy said to him. “The door will not stand for long. It is better to run out than to be hunted from room to room. ”

“ Tatikof counseled them—the impostor's true name was known by now—“we can not slay him. He, who has blasphemed against God, will fall by the hand of the Almighty. Yet the rumors that he lives must be answered. Already factions are forming against us, and soon brother may draw weapon against brother. ”

“ During the night they played at chess, and did not get drunk or go to sleep.
Along in the cold hours—so said the innkeeper—other horses had galloped up. These were dobra koniaka—fine horses. From one, his great Mightiness the Tsar had dismounted, and called for veal and white wine. He had been served, while the first four riders were harnessing the ponies to the sledge; evidently they had been waiting for the coming of his Serene Mightiness. They all talked together and then the Tsar called for parchment and a goose quill and ink. ”