"On my ship."
"You have not harmed her?"
"Do you think that I have taken lessons from you in torturing young girls?"
"You are right, I am a miserable old dog; pardon me! Promise me to forgive her!"
"What the devil do you want me to do with her? Now that I have found Hermann, I will send her back to you whenever you wish."
"Without ransom?"
"You old beast!"
"You shall see whether I am an old beast!"
He passed his left arm around Dimitri's neck, he extended his shriveled and trembling hand toward the hilt of his sword, painfully drew the blade from the scabbard, and marched toward the staircase where Coltzida and his men stood hesitating. They recoiled at sight of him, as if the earth had opened to allow the passage of the ruler of the infernal regions. There were fifteen or twenty, all armed; not one dared to defend himself, to make excuses, nor even to attempt to escape. They trembled in all their limbs, at sight of the terrible face of the resuscitated King. Hadgi-Stavros marched straight to Coltzida, who, paler and more horrified than the others, attempted to hide behind his companions. The King threw his arm backwards by an effort impossible to describe, and with one blow severed his head from his body. Instantly, a trembling seized him. His sword fell on the dead man and he did not deign to pick it up.
"Let us go on," he said, "I carry an empty scabbard. The blade is no longer of use, neither am I; I am done for!"