Here Billevich stopped reading, struck the table with his fist, and cried,—
“He will see me in dreams rather than receive one coin from my caskets!”
“Read on!” said Olenka.
Billevich raised the letter again to his eyes.
“Not wishing to trouble you and expose your health to hazard in the present stormy times while getting this money, we have ordered ourselves to get it and count it.”
At this point Billevich’s voice failed, and the letter fell from his hands to the floor. For a while it seemed that speech was taken from the noble, for he only caught after his hair and pulled it with all his power.
“Strike, whoso believes in God!” cried he at last.
“One injustice the more, the punishment of God nearer; for the measure will soon be filled,” said Olenka.
CHAPTER XLV.
The despair of the
