"How can I live without you, my dearest? I did not travel through rivers and forest, I did not make the vow to serve you, that I might lose you. Hej! sorrow will not help, crying will not help, bah! even death itself, because even if the grass grow over me, my soul will not forget you, even if I am in the presence of the Lord Jesus or of God the Father--I say, there must be a remedy! I feel a terrible pain in my bones, but you must fall at the lady's feet, I cannot--and ask her to have mercy upon us." Danusia hearing this, ran quickly to the princess' feet, and having seized them in her arms, she hid her face in the folds of the heavy dress; the lady turned her compassionate but also astonished eyes to Zbyszko, and said: "How can I show you mercy? If I do not let the child go to her sick father, I will draw God's anger on myself." Zbyszko who had been sitting on the bed, slipped down on the pillows and did not answer for a time because he was exhausted. Slowly, however, he began to move one hand toward the other on his breast until he joined them as in prayer. "Rest," said the princess; "then you may tell me what you wish; and you, Danusia, arise and release my knees." "Relax, but do not rise; beg with me," said Zbyszko. Then he began to speak in a feeble and broken voice: "Gracious lady--Jurand was against me in Krakow--he will be here also, but if the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek married me to Danusia, then--afterward she may go to Spychow because there is no human power that could take her away from me----" These words were so unexpected to the princess, that she jumped from the bench; then she sat down again and as if she had not thoroughly understood about what he was talking, she said: "For heaven's sake! the _ksiondz_ Wyszoniek." "Gracious lady! Gracious lady!" begged Zbyszko. "Gracious lady!" repeated Danusia, embracing the princess' knees. "How could it be done without her father's permission?" "God's law is the stronger!" answered Zbyszko. "For heaven's sake!" "Who is the father, if not the prince? Who is the mother, if not you, gracious lady?" And Danusia added: "Dearest _matuchna_!"[104] "It is true, that I have been and am still like a mother to her," said the princess, "and Jurand received his wife from my hand. It is true! And if you are once married--everything is ended. Perhaps Jurand will be angry, but he must be obedient to the commands of the prince, his lord. Then, no one need tell him immediately, only if he wanted to give the girl to another, or to make her a nun; and if he has made some vow, it will not be his fault that he cannot fulfill it. Nobody can act against God's will--perhaps it is God's will!" "It cannot be otherwise!" exclaimed Zbyszko. But the princess, still very much excited, said: