“Death!”
“In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”
A moment of silence followed; nothing was heard but the whispered “Our Father,” repeated by Pani Yakimovich.
“Tell me,” said the prince, with a broken voice, “do you believe that outside of your faith no one can be saved?”
“Even in the moment of death it is possible to renounce errors,” said Kharlamp.
The sound of shots had become at that moment more frequent. The thunder of cannon began to shake the windowpanes, which answered each report with a plaintive sound.
The prince listened a certain time calmly, then rose slightly on the pillow; his eyes began slowly to widen, his pupils to glitter. He sat up; for a moment he held his head with his hand, then cried suddenly, as if in bewilderment,—
“Boguslav! Boguslav! Boguslav!”
Kharlamp ran out of the room like a madman.
The whole castle trembled and quivered from the thunder of cannon.