"Are you looking for me, my good man?" she said.
"Yes," answered Benedict.
"Then you are bringing me news of Karl?"
"I was his companion in the fight."
"He is dead!" cried Helen, wringing her hands with a sob, and glancing reproachfully at the statue of the Madonna. "He is dead! he is dead!"
"I cannot tell you for certain that he is alive and not wounded. But I can tell you I do not know that he is dead."
"You don't know?"
"No, on my honour, I don't know."
"Did he give you a message for me before you left him?"
"Yes, these are his very words."