The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance
somewhere under the snow in the neighborhood.
But Glowacz as though divining his thoughts, said:
"In such a case ladies' apparel would have been found in the sleighs,
because she would not have left for the court with only her traveling
dress."
In spite of these reasonable suppositions they returned to the
willow-tree, but neither there nor for a furlong around did they discover
anything. The prince's people had already taken Jurand to Niedzborz, and
the whole neighborhood was a complete desolation. The Bohemian observed
further, that the dog that ran ahead of the guide and found Jurand would
also have discovered the young lady. Then Zbyszko breathed freely, for he
was almost sure that Danusia had remained at home. He was even able to
explain why she did so. Danusia had confessed all to her father, and he
was not satisfied with the marriage, and so purposely left her at home,
and went by himself to see the prince and bring an action, and ask for
his intercession with the bishop. At this thought Zbyszko could not help
feeling a certain sense of relief, and even gladness, when he
comprehended that by reason of Jurand's death all hindrances had
vanished. "Jurand was unwilling, but the Lord Jesus wants it," said the
young knight to himself, "and God's will is always the strongest." Now,
he had only to go to Spychow and fetch Danuska as his own and then
complete the nuptials. It is even easier to marry her on the frontier
than there in the distant Bogdaniec. "God's will! God's will!" he
repeated in his soul. But suddenly he felt ashamed of this premature joy
and turned to the Bohemian and said:
"Certainly I am sorry for him and I proclaim it aloud."
"They say that the Germans feared him like death," replied the Bohemian.
Presently he inquired:
"Shall we now return to the castle?"
"By way of Niedzborz," answered Zbyszko. When they called at Niedzborz
and then left for the court, where the old proprietor Zelech received
them, they did not find Jurand, but Zelech told them good news.
"They first rubbed him with snow almost to the bones, then poured wine
into his mouth and then put him in a scalding bath where he began to
breathe."
"Is he alive?" joyfully asked Zbyszko, who on hearing the news forgot his
own interests.
"He lives, but as to his continuing to live God only knows, for the soul
that has arrived half way is unwilling to return."
"Why did they remove him?"
"The prince sent for him, and they have wrapped him up in as many feather
blankets as they could find in the house and carried him away."
"Did he say anything about his daughter?"
"He only began to breathe but did not recover speech."
"And the others?"
"They are already with God, and the poor fellows will no more be able to
attend the _pasterce_ (Christmas Eve feast) unless at that which the Lord
Jesus Himself will prepare in heaven."
"None else survived?"
"None. Come into the entrance hall, the place to converse, and if you
wish to see them, they lie along the fireside in the servants' room. Come
inside."
But they were in a hurry and did not wish to enter, although old Zelech
insisted, for he was glad to get hold of people in order to chat with
them. There was yet, quite a considerable distance from Niedzborz to
Ciechanow, and Zbyszko was burning like fire to see Jurand as soon as
possible and learn something from him.
They therefore rode as fast as they could along the snow-covered road.
When they arrived it was already after midnight, and the Christmas feast
(lit-Shepherd ceremony) was just ended in the castle chapel. Zbyszko
heard the lowing of oxen and the bleating of goats, which voices were
produced in accordance with the ancient religious custom, in remembrance
that the nativity took place in a stable. After the mass, the princess
came to Zbyszko. She looked distressed and frightened, and began to
question him:
"And Danuska?"
"Is she not here, has Jurand said nothing, for according to what I
gathered she lives?"
"Merciful Jesus!... God's punishment and woe to us! Jurand has not spoken
and he lies like a log."
"Fear not, gracious lady. Danuska remained in Spychow."
"How do you know?"
"Because there is no trace of ladies' apparel found in any of the
sleighs; she could not have left with only her traveling dress."
"True, as God is dear to me!"
Her eyes immediately were lit up with joy and after a while she
exclaimed:
"Hej! It seems that Christ the Infant, who was born to-day is not angry
with you, but has a blessing upon us!"
The only thing which surprised her was the presence of Jurand without his
daughter. Then she continued questioning him:
"What caused him to leave her at home?"
Zbyszko explained to her his own reason, which seemed to her just, but
she did not comprehend it sufficiently.
"Jurand will now be thankful to us for his life," she said, "and forsooth
he owes it to you because you went to dig him out. His heart would be of
stone if he were still to continue his opposition to you. In this there
is also God's warning to him not to oppose the holy sacrament. I shall
tell him so as soon as he comes to his senses and is able to speak."
"It is necessary for him first to recover consciousness, because we do
not yet know why he has not brought Danuska with him. Perhaps she is
sick?"
"Do not say that something has happened I I feel so much troubled that
she is not here. If she were sick he would not have left her."
"True!" said Zbyszko.
They went to Jurand. The heat in the room was intense, as in a bath. It
was light, because there were big pine logs in the fireplace. Father
Wyszoniek kept watch over the patient, who lay in bed, covered with a
bear-skin; his face was pale, his hair matted with perspiration, and his
eyes closed. His mouth was open, and his chest laboring with difficulty,
but with such force that his breathing moved the bear-skin covering up
and down.
"How is he doing?" inquired the princess.
"I poured a mug of hot wine into his mouth," replied the priest, "and
perspiration ensued."
"Is he asleep, or not?"
"Probably not, for he labors heavily."
"Did you try to speak to him?"
"We tried, but he did not answer, and I believe that he will not speak
before dawn."
"We will wait till the dawn," said the princess.
The priest insisted that she should retire but she paid no attention, for
she always in everything wished not to fall short of the late Queen
Jadwiga, in Christian virtues, in caring for the sick and to redeem with
her merits her father's soul; she therefore did not omit any opportunity
to make the old Christian country appear no worse than others, and by
this means to obliterate the remembrance that she was born in a heathen
land.
Besides that, she was burning with desire to hear from Jurand's own lips
about Danusia, for she was much concerned about her. She therefore sat by
his bedside and began to tell her beads, and then dozed. Zbyszko who had
not yet entirely recovered and was moreover greatly fatigued by the night
journey, followed her example; and as the hours passed on, both fell
asleep, so soundly that they might have slept on till daylight, if they
had not awakened by the ringing of the bell of the castle chapel.
But the same sound also awoke Jurand, who opened his eyes and suddenly
sat up in bed and began to stare about him with blinking eyes.
"Praised be Jesus Christ!... How do you feel?" said the princess.
But he apparently had not yet regained consciousness, for he looked at
her as though he knew her not, and after awhile he exclaimed:
"Hurry! Be quick! Dig open the snowdrift."
"In the name of God, you are already in Ciechanow!" again replied the
princess.
Jurand wrinkled his brow like one who with difficulty tries to collect
his thoughts, and replied:
"In Ciechanow?... The child is waiting ... and ... principality ...
Danuska! Danuska!"
Suddenly, he closed his eyes and again fell back on the pillow. Zbyszko
and the princess feared lest he was dead, but at the same moment his
breast began to heave and he breathed deeply like one who is fast asleep.
Father Wyszoniek put his finger to his lips and motioned not to awake
him, then he whispered:
"He may sleep thus a whole day."
"So, but what did he say?" asked the princess.
"He said that the child waits in Ciechanow," Zbyszko replied.
"Because he does not remember," explained the priest.
CHAPTER III.
Father Wyszoniek feared that even at Jurand's next awakening, he might be
stupefied and might not recover consciousness for a long time. Meanwhile
he promised the princess and Zbyszko to let them know when the old knight
could speak, and himself retired after they left. In fact Jurand first
awoke on the second Holy Day just before noon, but fully conscious. The
princess and Zbyszko were present. Therefore, sitting on the bed, he
looked at and recognized her and said:
"Your Highness ... for God's sake, am I in Ciechanow?"
"And you overslept the Holy Day," replied the lady.
"The snows covered me. Who saved me?"
"This knight: Zbyszko of Bogdaniec. You remember him in Krakow...."
And Jurand gazed with his sound eye at the youth for a moment and said:
"I remember ... but where is Danusia?"
"She did not ride with you?" anxiously inquired the princess.
"How could she ride with me, when I did not go to her?"
Zbyszko and the princess looked at each other, believing him to be still
speaking under the influence of the fever. Then the lady said: "Wake up,
for God's sake! There was no girl with, you?"
"Girl? With me?" inquired Jurand in amazement.
"Because your people perished, but she could not be found among them."
"Why did you leave her in Spychow?"
He then again repeated, but now with alarm in his voice:
"In Spychow? Why, she is with you, Your Highness, not with me!"
"However you sent a letter for her to the Forest Court."
"In the name of the Father and Son!" replied Jurand. "I did not send for
her at all."
Then the princess suddenly became pale:
"What is that?" she said, "are you positive that you are speaking in your
right senses?"
"For God's mercy, where is the child?" exclaimed Jurand, starting up.
Father Wyszoniek, on hearing this, quickly left the room, while the
princess continued:
"Listen: There arrived an armed retinue and a letter from you to the
Forest Court, for Danusia. The letter stated that you were knocked down
in a conflagration by a falling beam ... that you were half blinded and
that you wished to see the child.... They took Danusia and rode away...."
"My head swims!" exclaimed Jurand. "As there is a God in Heaven, there
was no fire in Spychow, nor did I send for her!"
At that moment Father Wyszoniek returned with the letter, which he handed
to Jurand and inquired: "Is not this your clerkly writing?"
"I do not know."
"And the seal?"
"It is mine."
"What does the letter say?"
Father Wyszoniek read the letter while Jurand listened, tearing his hair
and finally saying: "The writing is counterfeited! ... the seal is
false!... my soul! They have captured my child and will destroy her!"
"Who are they?"
"The Teutons!"
"For God's sake! The prince must be informed! He shall send messengers to
the master!" exclaimed the princess. "Merciful Jesus, save her and help!"
... and she left the room screaming.
Jurand jumped out of bed and began hurriedly to clothe his gigantic
frame. Zbyszko sat as if petrified, but in a few moments his tightly set
teeth began to gnash with rage.
"How do you know that the Teutons captured her?" asked Father Wyszoniek.
"By the Passion of our Lord, I'll swear!"
"Wait! ... It may be so. They came to complain about you to the Forest
Court."
"They wanted to take revenge on you..."