364 SOBIESKI
see. Tomorrow, God willing, I shall join with the Palatine of Volhynia, and, the follow-
ing day, with the Duke of Lorraine, whom the Marshal of the Court describes as short,
gros, sans mine, melancholic, humourless and pock-marked. He dresses like a pauper in
a torn and shabby gown, and a hat with neither feather nor ribbon, which is battered and
greasy-in other words a good natured fellow, of some intelligence, but taciturn, shy, and
quite evidently afraid of transgressing court protocol. I lunched today in Brno with one
Kolowrat, Governor of the province, who once represented the emperor at the Treaty of
Oliwa. He entertained us with style - quite in the French manner. I have told the Palatine
of Ruthenia to follow me with the Hussars and the rest of the army, keeping the infantry
in the rear.
As I write the Duke of Lorraine's ensign has hurried in with letters. He sends me a mes-
sage from Starhemberg, the commandant of Vienna, written on the 2.7th. They request
assistance urgently, for the enemy already occupies the same ravelin with them, and is
digging tunnels beneath the bulwark called Burgbastei. Our own sappers can feel it as
they dig their counter-mines. He adds that the Vizir has pushed almost his entire army
into the siege trenches in preparation for some major action; and we have still not put up
a bridge. Almost all the armies of the Princes and Electors will have gathered by tomor-
row; but those of Brandenburg will not arrive in time. We do not know why the Turks
are trying so insistently to repair the bridges which the Duke of Lorraine burned down
near Vienna, together with the entrenchments which he had destroyed there. He tells us
that he has again sent in a thousand infantry to that area.
Tomorrow, God willing, we expect to hear Vienna's guns, and the day after that to
drink the Danube's waters. If Dumont has arrived, please send on to me what he has
brought at the earliest opportunity. Let me know what news there is of the Cossacks, and
hurry them on after me, having taken Mezynski to task for his dalliance. Tell me also
what has happened to the Lithuanians, who are my greatest problem, for they do not
need them here at all and constantly plague me about it. Everyone wants them to go into
Hungary, and at least to create some kind of diversion for the enemy in recognition of the
money that has been paid them.
Since our parting I have not had the slightest indication of your health, my Love.
Although many people arrive from those parts, my ill-fortune is such that none has trav-
elled along the road where he might have met you. I kiss you, embracing with my whole
heart and soul all the beauties of your sweetest body. Mes baisemains a M. Le Marquis
et a ma sceur. I kiss and embrace the children, and send them my love.^8
Next day, Sobieski took command of the combined relief force of 74,000 men.
The Poles distinguished themselves in building a pontoon bridge across the rac-
ing waters of the Danube, and in hauling their artillery into position over the
slopes and dense vegetation of the Vienna Woods. The day of reckoning was
fixed for 12 September.^9 As always, accounts differ as to who was really respon-
sible for the victory. German historians used to draw attention to the role of
Charles of Lorraine and his successful action on the left wing beneath the peak
of the Kahlenberg; Polish historians stress the role of the Polish artillery which
repulsed a Turkish counter-attack in the middle of the afternoon. At all events,
it fell to Sobieski and his winged Hussars to mount the spectacular charge in a
small valley on the right flank, and to drive the Infidel from Central Europe for
good. He called the attention of his Captain of Hussars, Zbierzchowski, to the