"Make room, good fellow," said the wounded man's voice, "let the gentleman come to me! You can stand on guard as well as sit. I am no longer dangerous."
He had spoken Russian. The Cossack drew back while Blanden went up to the bed, but his sensation of pity suddenly gave place to one of astonishment, when, in the man doomed to die, he recognised the amber merchant.
"Signor Baluzzi!" cried he shocked, for he suddenly recollected that this man stood in some mysterious relation to Giulia.
"I shall soon be dead," said Baluzzi, while spasmodic gasps interrupted the words brought out with such difficulty. "Corpo di bacco! I should not have believed that it would come so soon, but I feel it is to be, and the frontier official, who was a surgeon formerly, says so too. People follow many trades here."
"I am sorry for you, Baluzzi! How could you enter upon so insane an undertaking?"
"Insane? L'assicuro di no! I have often had the most splendid success, but misfortune must befall all in time; you, too, Herr von Blanden, and I am glad, because I have the right to hate you."
The Italian's dim eyes gleamed, he clenched his hand convulsively, and then let it fall again upon the pillow.
"What do these insinuations mean?--speak! If you have a secret to confide to me do not hesitate, for it might easily become too late."
"A secret of a strange kind," said Baluzzi, as he tossed about and groaned. "Haha, now it will come upon her, too. This bullet speeds beyond the frontier--and into her heart! I foretold it to her when she gave me up in her unworthy pride. I was too weak. I let myself be dazzled by the gold that she promised and gave me! But now it is all over, death is approaching, it needs no bribe. Now I will speak! That was the agreement. I shall hold firmly to it!"
"You speak in riddles," said Blanden.