Father Constantine nodded, blew his nose with vigor, put his handkerchief away and went on more calmly:
"Roman planned it all. He changed clothes with Joseph, who passed the door with me. We reached the chapel without seeing anybody but a young subaltern who ... who saluted him. I put him behind the altar in the chapel of the Mother of God of Czestochova. Roman said he must stop there till the General and all his soldiers leave Ruvno. Then, Joseph must volunteer for our side. That is what Roman said."
"They've all left!" said Vanda, breaking from Ian and going over to the sideboard, where she hastily piled food upon a plate, smiling and crying in turns and taking no further interest in what the priest said. The others were more interested in Roman.
"But how did Roman get out of the turret?" Ian asked. "Where is he?"
"I told you. With the General."
"You're sure?" insisted the Countess, anxiously.
"Quite. He picked the lock when the guards went to sleep." He turned to Ian. "You remember that lock, how weak it was?"
"But how did he get past the guards?" asked Ian, to whom Roman's non-arrival of the evening before was explained.
"I don't know. But he managed it. He is not a child." Father Constantine spoke peevishly.
"You've seen him since?" asked the Countess.