Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/525

Rh on. His mouth opened widely, and he gasped quickly after air; his hands tore the clothing near his throat. Prince Boguslav, seeing this, clapped his hands, and when the servants ran in, he said, —

"Save the prince your lord, and when he recovers breath beg him to come to my chamber; meanwhile I will rest a little." And he went out.

Two hours later, Yanush, with bloodshot eyes, hanging lids, and a blue face, knocked at Prince Boguslav's chamber. Boguslav received him lying in bed, his face rubbed with milk of almonds, which was to enhance the softness and freshness of his skin. Without a wig on his head, without the colors on his face, and with unblackened brows, he seemed much older than in full dress; but Prince Yanush paid no heed to that.

"I have come to the conclusion," said he, "that Kmita will not publish those letters, for if he should he would by that act write the sentence of death for the maiden. He understands well that only by keeping them does he hold me; but I cannot pour out my vengeance, and that gnaws me, as if I were carrying about a mad dog in my breast."

"Still, it will be necessary to get those letters," said Boguslav.

"But quo modo (in what way )?"

"Some adroit man must be sent after him, to enter into friendship and at a given opportunity seize the letters and punch Kmita with a knife. It is necessary to offer a great reward."

"Who here would undertake that deed?"

"If it were only in Paris, or even in Germany, I could find a hundred volunteers in one day, but in this country such wares are not found."

"And one of our own people is needed, for he would be on his guard against a stranger."

"It seems to me that 1 can find some one in Prussia."

"Oh, if he could be taken alive and brought to my hands, I would pay him once for all. I say that the insolence of that man passes every measure. I sent him away because he enraged me, for he would spring at my throat for any reason, just like a cat; he hurled at me his own wishes in everything. A hundred times lacking little had I the order just — just in my mouth to shoot him; but I could not, I could not."

"Tell me, is he really a relative of ours?"