Simeon went for Helena, and soon entered the room with
her. Amidst the rage and threats which still seemed to
quiver in the air like the echoes of a tempest that has
passed, amidst those frowning brows, angry looks, and
threatening scowls, her beautiful face shone like the sun
after a storm.

"Well, young lady!" said the princess sullenly, pointing
to Pan Yan; "if you choose this man, he is your future
husband."

Helena grew pale, and with a sudden cry covered her
eyes with her two hands; then suddenly stretched them
toward Skshetuski.

"Is this true?" whispered she, in transport.

An hour later the retinue of the envoy and the lieuten-
ant moved slowly along the forest road toward Lubni.
Skshetuski with Pan Longin Podbipienta rode in front;
after them came the wagons of the envoy in a long line.
The lieutenant was completely sunk in thought and longing,
when suddenly he was roused from his pensivenedd by the
words of the song,-

"I grieve, I grieve, my heart is sore."

In the depth of the forest appeared Bogun on a narrow
path trodden out by the peasants. His horse was covered
with foam and mud. Apparently the Cossack, according to
habit, had gone out to the steppes and the forest to dissi-
pate with the wind, destroy, and forget in the distance that
which over-pained his heart. He was returning then to
Rozlogi.

Looking on that splendid, genuine knightly form, which
only flashed up before him and vanished, Skshetuski mur-
mured involuntarily,--

"It is lucky in every case that he brained a man in her
presence."

All at once an undefined sorrow pressed his heart. He
was sorry as it were for Bogun, but still more sorry that
having bound himself by word to the princess, he was un-
able that moment to urge his horse after him and say,--
"We love the same woman; there is one of us, there-
fore, who cannot live in the world. Draw your sword,
Cossack!"