"How are ye, dear beloved lords? How are ye? My respects to the lord benefactor!" cried he, bowing to my father; "my respects to the beloved priest, Pani d'Yves, Panna Hania! We are all together again. Vivat! Vivat!"
Then he sprang from the horse, and throwing the reins to Franek, who had run out of the hall the moment before, he embraced my father, then the priest, and fell to kissing the hands of the ladies.
Pani d'Yves and Hania were pale from terror, and just because of that they greeted Selim as if he had been rescued from death.
"Oh, thou art playing the madman, the madman! What terror thou didst bring on us!" said Father Ludvik. "We thought that it was all over with thee."
"But why so?"
"That gate. How is it possible to race so at random?"
"At random? I saw very well that the gate was closed. Oho! I have my perfect Tartar eyes."
"And thou dost not fear to race so?"
Selim laughed. "Not in the least, Father Ludvik. But for that matter, the merit is my horse's, not mine."
"There is a bold boy for you!" said Pani d'Yves.