After a moment the bells in the castle sounded for midday,--sounded as gloomily as if they were death-bells.
"She is no more!" said Volodyovski again. "The angels have taken her to heaven, leaving us tears and sighs."
Sobbing shook the heavy body of Zagloba, and it trembled; but they complained without ceasing, and the bells were tolling.
At last Zagloba calmed himself; they had thought indeed that perhaps wearied by pain he had fallen asleep on his knees. After a time, however, he rose, stood up, sat on the bed; but he had become as it were another man. His eyes were red, bloodshot; his head drooping; his lower lip hung upon his beard; imbecility had settled on his face, and a certain unexampled decrepitude, so that it might in truth appear that the former Zagloba, lively, jovial, full of fancy, had died, and there remained only an old man weighted and wearied with years.
Meanwhile, in spite of the protests of the servant at the door, Podbipienta entered; and again began complaints and regrets. The Lithuanian called to mind Rozlogi, and the first meeting with the princess,--her sweetness, youth, beauty. At length he remembered that there was some one more unhappy than any of them,--her betrothed, Pan Skshetuski,--and he began to ask the little knight about him.
"Skshetuski is with Prince Koretski, at Korets, to which place he came from Kieff; and he lies there in illness, unconscious of God's world," said Volodyovski.
"Should not we go to him?" asked the Lithuanian.
"There is no reason to go," replied Volodyovski. "The prince's physician answers for his health. Pan Sukhodolski--one of Prince Dominik's colonels, but a great friend of Skshetuski--is there, and our old Zatsvilikhovski; they both have him in care and watchfulness. He lacks for nothing, and that delirium does not leave him is the better for him."
"Oh, God of power!" said the Lithuanian, "have you seen Skshetuski with your own eyes?"
"I saw him; but if they had not told me that that was he, I should not have known him, pain and sickness have so devoured him."