Emerged from the water, Thaddeus stood to regain his breath; and
leaning on the shoulder of Butzou, he pointed to his burning palace
with a smile of agony. "See," said he, "what a funeral pile Heaven
has given to the manes of my unburied mother!"
The general did not speak, for grief stopped his utterance; but
motioning the two soldiers to proceed, he supported the count into
the citadel.
CHAPTER X.
SOBIESKI'S DEPARTURE FROM WARSAW.
From the termination of this awful day, in which a brave and hitherto
powerful people were consigned to an abject dependence, Thaddeus was
confined to his apartment in the garrison.
It was now the latter end of November. General Butzou, supposing that
the illness of his young lord might continue some weeks, and aware
that no time ought to be lost in maintaining all that was yet left of
the kingdom of Poland, obtained his permission to seek its only
remaining quarter. Quitting Warsaw, he joined Prince Poniatowski, who
was yet at the head of a few troops near Sachoryn, supported by the
undaunted Niemcivitz, the bard and the hero, who had fought by the
side heart, would have thrown himself on his knee, but the king
presented him, and pressed him with emotion in his arms.
"Brave young man!" cried he, "I embrace in you the last of those
Polish youth who were so lately the brightest jewels in my crown.
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