“Stop!” cried Olenka. And she asked with a low but quick voice, as in a fever: “Is he alive or dead?”
“He is alive, but death is over him.”
Here the sword-bearer, looking at Kmita’s face, said: “You will not take him to Lyubich?”
“He gave orders to take him to Lyubich without fail, for he wants to die there.”
“With God! hasten forward.”
“We beat with the forehead!”
The wagon moved on; and Olenka with Billevich galloped in the opposite direction with what breath was in their horses. They flew through Volmontovichi like two night phantoms, and came to Vodokty without speaking a word on the road; only when dismounting, Olenka turned to her uncle,—
“It is necessary to send a priest to him,” said she, with a panting voice; “let some one go this moment to Upita.”
The sword-bearer went quickly to carry out her wish; she rushed into her room, and threw herself on her knees before the image of the Most Holy Lady.
A couple of hours after, in the late evening, a bell was heard beyond the gate at Vodokty. That was the priest passing on his way with the Lord Jesus to Lyubich.