“What streams of our blood and tears have flowed for these regions!” said Pan Mushalski.
“Thou shalt love thine enemies,” put in Father Kaminski.
“And when you came to health did you not look for that whelp?” asked Zagloba.
“As I learned afterward,” answered Pan Nyenashinyets, “another band fell on my robbers and cut them to pieces; they must have taken the child with the booty. I searched everywhere, but he vanished as a stone dropped into water.”
“Maybe you met him afterward, but could not recognize him,” said Basia.
“I do not know whether the child was as old as three years. I barely learned that his name was Azya. But I should have recognized him, for he had tattooed over each breast a fish in blue.”
All at once Mellehovich, who had sat in silence hitherto, spoke with a strange voice from the corner of the room, “You would not have known him by the fish, for many Tartars bear the same sign, especially those who live near the water.”
“Not true,” answered the hoary Pan Hromyka; “after Berestechko we examined the carrion of Tugai Bey,—for it remained on the field; and I know that he had fish on his breast, and all the other slain Tartars had different marks.”
“But I tell you that many wear fish.”
“True; but they are of the devilish Tugai Bey stock.”