"Have your heard about Prince Witold, who at one time, being imprisoned by our king in Krewo, went out from the prison disguised in a woman's dress. There is no woman who will remain here instead of you, but take my _kubrak_.[57] Take my cowl and go--understand? They will not notice. It is dark behind the door. They will not flash a light into your eyes. They saw me yesterday going out; but they did not look at me closely. Be quiet and listen. They will find me here to-morrow--and what then? Will they cut my head off? That will be no satisfaction, because I will die anyhow in three or four weeks. And you, as soon as you are out of here, to horse, and go straight to Prince Witold. You will present yourself to him; you will bow before him; he will receive you and you will be as safe with him as if you were sitting at God's right hand. They say here that the _kniaz_'s armies have been defeated by the Tartars, because the late queen prophesied defeat. If it be true, the _kniaz_ will need soldiers and he will welcome you. You must remain with him, because there is no better service in the world. If our king were defeated in a war, it would be his end; but there is such an amount of shrewdness in _Kniaz_ Witold, that after a defeat he grows still more powerful. And he is liberal also, and he loves our family. Tell him everything that happened. Tell him that you wanted to go with him against the Tartars; but you could not because you were imprisoned in the tower. If God permit, he will give you some land and peasants; he will dub you a knight and he will intercede for you with the king. He is a good protector--you will see!--What?" Zbyszko listened silently, and Macko, as if he was excited by his own words, spoke further: "You must not perish young, but return to Bogdaniec. And when you return, you must immediately take a wife so that our family does not perish. Only when you have children, may you challenge Lichtenstein to fight until death; but before that, you must abstain from seeking vengeance. Take my _kubrak_ now, take my cowl and go, in God's name." Having said this, Macko stood up and began to undress; but Zbyszko arose also, stopped him and said: "I will not do it, so help me God and Holy Cross." "Why?" asked Macko, astonished. "Because I will not!" Macko became pale with anger. "I wish you had never been born!" "You told the castellan," said Zbyszko, "that you would give your head in exchange for mine." "How do you know that?" "The _Pan_ of Taczew told me." "What of it?" "What of it? The castellan told you that disgrace would fall on me and on all my family Would it not be a still greater disgrace, if I escaped from here, and left you to the vengeance of the law?" "What vengeance? What can the law do to me, when I must die just the same? Have common sense, for God's mercy!" "May God punish me if I abandon you now when you are old and sick. Tfu! shame!"