“It doesn’t matter when you do it. You know me, Petrov, and now mark this. If I find that the least harm is done to Mademoiselle, I’ll make you pay the price. And the price shall be your life. I’ll hunt you down, if it costs me all I have in the world, and when I find you, God have mercy on you, I won’t. That I swear.”
“She is a witch,” he said, doggedly.
“You lie, you treacherous snake. And if you value your dirty skin, see that no harm comes to her.” It seemed to afford me some kind of relief to abuse the beast.
“You told me so yourself,” he declared sullenly.
“Loose these cords and say that again, and I’ll tear your lying tongue out by the roots.” I must have been beside myself to talk in this strain; but it had its effect on him.
“She has come to no harm,” he said then.
“You may thank your God for that—if it’s true.”
“It is true,” declared the other man. “We came here to set you free.”
“Do it then.”
“Not while he threatens me,” put in Petrov, quickly.