«I understand German,» answered Kmita.
«Praise be to God for that! I will speak German, for my lips fly off from your language.»
When he had said this the prince put out his lower lip and touched it with his fingers, as if wishing to be sure that it had not gone off: then he looked at the mirror and continued,--
«Report has come to me that in the neighborhood of Lukovo one Skshetuski, a noble, has a wife of wonderful beauty. It is far from here; but I sent men to carry her off and bring her. Now, if you will believe it, Pan Kmita, they did not find her at home.»
«That was good luck,» said Pan Andrei, «for she is the wife of an honorable cavalier, a celebrated man, who made his way out of Zbaraj through the whole power of Hmelnitski.»
«The husband was besieged in Zbaraj, and I would ha
