"There is one thing at which I cannot wonder sufficiently," said Helena,--"that Horpyna consented so easily to give me up to you."
Zagloba looked at Volodyovski, then at Jendzian, and blinked rapidly.
"She consented, for she had to. There is nothing to hide, for it is no shame that we rubbed out both Cheremís and the witch."
"How?" asked the princess, with fright.
"Didn't you hear the shots?"
"I heard them, but thought Cheremís was firing."
"It was not Cheremís, but this young fellow here, who shot the witch through and through. The devil sits in him, we don't dispute that. But he could not act otherwise; for the witch--whether it was because she knew something, or was stubborn--insisted on going with us. It was difficult to permit that, for she would have seen at once that we were not going to Kieff. He shot her, and I killed Cheremís,--a real African monster,--and I think that God will not count it ill of me. There must be a universal disgust of him in even the regions below. Just before leaving the ravine I went ahead and pulled the bodies aside a little, so that you might not be frightened at them or take it as a bad omen."
"In these terrible times I have seen too many dead persons who were kindred of mine to be frightened at the sight of slain bodies," said the princess; "still I should prefer not to have blood shed, so that God might not punish us for it."
"It was not a knightly deed," said Volodyovski, harshly. "I would not put my hand to it."
"What is the use of thinking over it," said Jendzian, "when it could not be avoided? If we had destroyed some good person I should not speak; but an enemy of God may be killed; and I myself saw how that witch entered into fellowship with devils. It is not for her that I am sorry."