Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Potop - The Deluge (1898 translation by Jeremiah Curtin) - Vol 1.djvu/563

Rh "For whose intention?" asked Kmita.

The prophetess dropped her eyes, trouble spread over her face; at the same time a slight flush came to her cheeks, and she said with a low voice, like the rustle of leaves, —

"For the intention of Andrei, that God may turn him from sinful ways."

Kmita pushed back two steps, stared, and from astonishment could not speak for a time.

"By the wounds of Christ!" cried he, at last, "what manner of house is this ? Where am I ? The prophecy itself, the soothsaying, and the indications — Your name is Olenka, and you give me for a Mass for the intentions of a sinful Andrei. This cannot be chance ; it is the finger of God, — it is, it is. I shall go wild ! — As God lives, I shall!"

"What is the matter?"

He caught her hands violently and began to shake them. "Prophesy further, speak to the end! If that Andrei will return and efface his faults, will Olenka keep faith with him ? Speak, answer, for I shall not go away without that!" "What is your trouble?"

"Will Olenka keep faith with him?" repeated Kmita.

Tears came suddenly into the eyes of the maiden : "To the last breath, to the hour of death!" said she, with sobbing. She had not finished speaking when Kmita fell his whole length at her feet. She wanted to flee; he would not let her, and kissing her feet, he said, —

"I too am a sinful Andrei, who wants to return. I too have my loved one, Olenka. May yours return, and may mine keep faith. May your words be prophetic. You have poured balsam and hope into my suffering soul, — God reward you, God reward you!"

Then he sprang up, sat on his horse, and rode away.