Christos shifted from one foot to the other.
"No, sir," he said, at length.
"You did quite right to tell me," said Nicholas. "You can go."
"Now, Mitsos," said Nicholas, when the footsteps died away, "you can begin and tell me how you got this."
Then Mitsos, with many pauses, told him all that had taken place between him and Suleima from the time he had first heard the voice out of the darkness down to this night, when again it had come to him, lying outside the walls of Tripoli, and Nicholas heard him in absolute silence.
"And, oh, uncle, if it be possible," cried Mitsos, "let her be safe when the end of the time comes. For there is no one like her, and it has been hard for me."
Nicholas heard it in wonder and amazement, but he had one more question to ask.
"But when you blew up the Turkish ship, Mitsos," he said, "did it not occur to you that she might be on board?"
"I thought she certainly was there," said Mitsos, "and it was not till it was all over I heard she was not."
Nicholas reached out in the darkness and took Mitsos' smooth hand in his. "God forgive us all!" he said; "and can you forgive us, little Mitsos?"