The voice of Kmita broke the silence--"I do not ask that lady for intercession." Panna Aleksandra was silent. "This way!" called Volodyovski, turning toward the door. Heavy steps were heard, followed by the gloomy rattle of spurs; and six soldiers, with Yuzva Butrym in front, entered the room. "Take him!" commanded Volodyovski, "lead him outside the village and put a bullet in his head." The heavy hand of Butrym rested on the collar of Kmita, after that two other hands. "Do not let them drag me like a dog!" said Kmita to Volodyovski. "I will go myself." Volodyovski nodded to the soldiers, who released him at once, but surrounded him; and he walked out calmly, not speaking to any man, only whispering his prayers. Panna Aleksandra went out also, through the opposite door, to the adjoining rooms. She passed the first and the second, stretching out her hand in the darkness before her; suddenly her head whirled, the breath failed in her bosom, and she fell, as if dead, on the floor. Among those who were assembled in the first room a dull silence reigned for some time; at last Billevich broke it. "Is there no mercy for him?" asked he. "I am sorry for him," answered Zagloba, "for he went manfully to death." To which Mirski said, "He shot a number of officers out of my squadron, besides those whom he slew in attack." "And from mine too," added Stankyevich; "and he cut up almost all of Nyevyarovski's men." "He must have had orders from Radzivill," said Zagloba. "Gentlemen," said Billevich, "you bring the vengeance of Radzivill on my head." "You must flee. We are going to Podlyasye, for there the squadrons have risen against traitors; go with us. There is no other help. You can take refuge in Byalovyej, where a relative of Pan Skshetuski is the king's hunter. There no one will find you." "But my property will be lost." "The Commonwealth will restore it to you." "Pan Michael," said Zagloba, suddenly, "I will gallop off and see if there are not some orders of the hetman on that unfortunate man. You remember what I found on Roh Kovalski." "Mount a horse. There is time yet; later the papers will be bloody. I ordered them to take him beyond the village, so that the lady might not be alarmed at the rattle of muskets, for women are sensitive and given to fright." Zagloba went out, and after a while the tramp of the horse on which he rode away was heard. Volodyovski turned to the host. "What is the lady doing?" "Beyond doubt she is praying for that soul which must go before God." "May the Lord give him eternal rest!" said Pan Yan. "Were it not for his willing service with Radzivill, I should be the first to speak in his favor; but if he did not wish to stand by his country, he might at least not have sold his soul to Radzivill." "That is true!" added Volodyovski. "He is guilty and deserves what has come upon him," said Pan Stanislav; "but I would that Radzivill were in his place, or Opalinski--oh, Opalinski!"