“Ketling,” cried the little knight, in despair, “is this the way you let yourself be mastered? O man, have God in your heart!”
“We deliberated long,” answered Ketling, “and this was the end of it.”
“And our son is in Kamenyets, under the care of a lady, a relative of mine. Is it certain that Kamenyets must be captured?” Here Krysia raised her calm eyes: “God is mightier than the Turk,—He will not betray our confidence; and because I have sworn to my husband not to leave him till death, my place is with him.”
The little knight was terribly confused, for from Krysia he had expected something different altogether.
Basia, who from the very beginning of the conversation saw whither Michael was tending, laughed cunningly. She fixed her quick eyes on him, and said,—
“Michael, do you hear?”
“Basia, be quiet!” exclaimed the little knight, in the greatest embarrassment. Then he began to cast despairing glances at Zagloba, as if expecting salvation from him; but that traitor rose suddenly, and said,—
“We must think of refreshment, for it is not by word alone that man liveth.” And he went out of the chamber.
Pan Michael followed quickly, and stopped him.
“Well, and what now?” asked Zagloba.