Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/404

374 "Thank you for the confidence. But your highness is mistaken. I am not a servant of the Radzivills." Boguslav opened his eyes widely. "What are you?" "I am a colonel of the hetman, not of the castle; and besides I am the hetman's relative."

"A relative?"

"I am related to the Kishkis, and the hetman is born of a Kishki."

Prince Boguslav looked for a while at Kmita, on whose face a light flush appeared. All at once he stretched forth his hands and said, —

"I beg your pardon, cousin, and I am glad of the relationship."

The last words were uttered with a certain inattentive though showy politeness, in which there was something directly painful to Pan Andrei. His face flushed still more, and he was opening his mouth to say something hasty, when the door opened and Harasimovich appeared on the threshold.

"There is a letter for you," said Boguslav.

Harasimovich bowed to the prince, and then to Pan Andrei, who gave him the letter.

"Read it!" said Prince Boguslav.

Harasimovich began to read, —

"Pan Harasimovich ! Now is the time to show the good will of a faithful servant to his lord. As whatever money you are able to collect, you in Zabludovo and Pan Pjinski in Orel — "

"The confederates have slain Pan Pjinski in Orel, for which reason Pan Harasimovich has taken to his heels," interrupted the prince.

The under-starosta bowed and read further, —

" — and Pan Pjinski in Orel, even the public revenue, even the excise, rent — "

"The confederates have already taken them," interrupted Boguslav again.

" — send me at once," continued Harasimovich. "If you can mortgage some villages to neighbors or townspeople, obtaining as much money on them as possible, do so, and whatever means there may be of obtaining money, do your best in the matter, and send the money to me, Send horses and whatever effects there are in Orel. There is a great candlestick too, and other things, — pictures, ornaments, and especially the cannons on the porch at my cousins; for robbers may be feared — "