"I'll not even squeak though they kill me."
We went on awhile in silence. Kazio, penetrated with the importance of the question and sniffing some kind of terrible event, toward which his heart was rushing, looked at me with sparkling eyes; then he said,—
"Henryk?"
"What?"
We both whispered, though no one was listening.
"Wilt thou fight with Selim?"
"I know not. Perhaps."
Kazio stopped and suddenly threw his arms around my neck.
"Henryk! my golden brother! My heart! My only one! if thou wish to fight, let me do it. I will manage him. Let me try. Let me, Henryk; let me!"
Kazio was simply dreaming of deeds of knighthood, but I felt the brother in him as never before; therefore I gathered him to my breast with all my strength and said,—