The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance
"Then you are Jurand of Spychow."
"Jurand!" shouted Macko.
But Jurand was overcome at that moment and fainted. Protracted torture,
want of nourishment, fatigue of the road, swept him from his feet. The
tenth day had now passed since he left, groping his way, erring and
feeling his way with his stick, hungry, fatigued and not knowing where he
was going, unable to ask the way, during the daytime he turned toward the
warm rays of the sun, the night he passed in the ditches along the road.
When he happened to pass through a village, or hamlet, or accidentally
encountered people on the road, he only could beg with his hand and
voice, but seldom a compassionate hand helped him, because as a rule he
was taken for a criminal whom law and justice had chastised. For two days
he had lived on bark and leaves of trees; he was already giving up all
hope of reaching Mazowsze, when suddenly compassionate voices and hearts
of his own countrymen surrounded him; one of whom reminded him of the
sweet voice of his own daughter; and, when at last his own name was
mentioned, he was greatly agitated and unable to bear it any longer; his
heart broke. His thoughts whirled through his head; and, were it not for
the strong arms of the Bohemian which supported him, he would have fallen
with his face in the dust of the road.
Macko dismounted, then both took hold of him, and carried him to the
wagons and laid him upon the soft hay. There, Jagienka and Sieciechowa
nursed him. Jagienka observed that he could not carry the cup of wine to
his lips by himself so she helped him. Immediately after this he fell
into a profound sleep, from which he did not awake till the third day.
Meanwhile they sat down to deliberate.
"To be brief," said Jagienka, "we must go now to Spychow instead of
Szczytno, so that by all means we place him in security among his own
people."
"Look, how can that be carried out," replied Macko. "It is true that we
must send him to Spychow, but there is no necessity for all of us to
accompany him, one wagon is enough to carry him there."
"I do not order it, I only think so, because there we might get much
information from him about Zbyszko, and Danusia."
"But how can you procure information from one who has no tongue?"
"But the very information that he has no tongue, we got from himself. Do
you not see that even without speech we got all that information
necessary. How much more shall we derive when we communicate with him by
motions of the head and hands? Ask him, for instance, whether Zbyszko has
returned from Malborg to Szczytno. You will then see that he will either
nod assent, or deny it."
"It is true," said the Bohemian.
"I too do not dispute it," said Macko. "I know it myself, but I am
accustomed to think first and then talk."
Then he ordered the train to return to the Mazovian frontier. On the way
Jagienka visited now and then the wagon where Jurand slept, fearing that
death might ensue.
"I did not recognize him," said Macko, "but it is no wonder. He was as
strong as an auroch! They said of him that he was among those who could
fight with Zawisza, and now he is reduced to a skeleton."
"We are accustomed to hear all sorts of things," said the Bohemian, "but
nobody would believe it if they were told that Christians had acted thus
with a belted knight, whose patron is also Saint Jerzy."
"God grant that Zbyszko may at least avenge part of his wrongs. Now, look
what a difference there is between them and us. It is true, that three
out of those four dog-brothers are dead, but they died in fight, and none
of them had his tongue or his eyes plucked out in captivity."
"God will punish them," said Jagienka.
But Macko turned to the Bohemian and said:
"How did you recognize him?"
"I did not recognize him at first, although I saw him later than you did.
But it struck me, and the more I looked at him the more so.... Though
when I first saw him he had neither beard nor white hair; he was then a
very powerful lord. How then could I recognize him in the old beggar. But
when the young lady said that we were going to Szczytno, and he began to
howl my eyes were opened at once."
Macko was absorbed in thought, then he said:
"From Spychow, it is necessary to take him to the prince, who will not
leave the wrong perpetrated on such an important person, unpunished."
"They will excuse themselves. They treacherously abducted his child and
they defended themselves. And as to the lord of Spychow they will say
that he lost his tongue, eyes and hand in the fight."
"You are right," said Macko. "They once carried off the prince himself.
He cannot fight them, because he is no match for them; perhaps our king
will assist him. The people talk and talk of a great war, but here we
don't even have a little one."
"He is with Prince Witold."
"Thank God, that at least he thinks that they are worthless. Hey! Prince
Witold is my prince! In craftiness he is unsurpassable. He is more crafty
than all of them together. Those dog-brothers had him cornered once, the
sword was over his head and he was about to perish, but, like a serpent,
he slipped from their hands and bit them.... Be on your guard when he
strikes, but be exceedingly careful when he is patting you."
"Is he so with everybody?"
"He is only so with the Knights of the Cross, but he is a kind and
liberal prince with everybody else."
At this Macko pondered, as though making an effort to recall Prince
Witold.
"He is an entirely different man to the prince here," he said, suddenly.
"Zbyszko ought to have joined him, for under him and through him, one
might achieve the most against the Knights of the Cross."
Then he added:
"Both of us might be found there. Who can tell? For it is there where we
can revenge ourselves most properly."
Then he spoke of Jurand, of his misfortunes and of the unheard of
injuries, inflicted upon him by the Knights of the Cross, who first,
without any cause, murdered his beloved wife, then, revenge for revenge,
they carried off his child, and then mangled him in such a cruel manner,
that even the Tartars could not invent worse torture. Macko and the
Bohemian gnashed their teeth at the thought that even when they set him
free it was with malicious intent of inflicting additional cruelty in
order to frustrate the old knight's intention, who most likely promised
himself that when he was free he would take proper steps to make an
inquest and get information of the whole affair, and then pay them out
with interest.
On the journey to Spychow they passed their time in such dialogues and
thoughts. The clear fine day was succeeded by a quiet starry night; they
therefore did not halt for night quarters, but stopped thrice to feed the
horses. It was yet dark when they passed the frontier, and in the
morning, led by the hired guide, they arrived upon the land of Spychow.
There Tolima apparently held everything with an iron hand, for no sooner
did they enter the forest of Spychow, than two armed men advanced against
them. These, seeing that the newcomers were not soldiers, but a simple
train, not only let them pass without questioning, but placed themselves
in front to show the way, which was inaccessible to those unacquainted
with the moats and marshes.
Tolima and the priest Kaleb received the guests when they arrived in
town. The news that the lord had arrived, and was brought back by pious
people spread like lightning through the garrison. But when they saw him
in the condition as he looked when he left the Knights of the Cross,
there was such an outburst of raging and wild threatening that if there
had yet been any Knights of the Cross confined in the prison of Spychow,
no human power would have been able to save them from a terrible death.
The retainers wished to mount their horses at once and start to the
frontier to capture any Germans and cut off their heads and throw them
under the feet of the master. But Macko restrained them because he knew
that the Germans lived in the towns and cities, whilst the country people
were of the same blood, but lived against their own will under foreign
superior force. But neither the din and noise nor the creaking of the
well-sweeps could awake Jurand, who was carried upon a bearskin into his
own house and put to bed. Father Kaleb was Jurand's intimate friend; they
grew up together and loved each other like brothers; he remained with
him, and prayed that the Redeemer of the world might restore to the
unfortunate Jurand, his eyes, tongue, and hand.
The fatigued travelers went to bed also. Macko who awoke about noon,
ordered Tolima to be called.
He knew from the Bohemian that Jurand, before his departure, had ordered
all his servants to obey their young master, Zbyszko, and that the priest
had informed him of his ownership of Spychow. Macko therefore spoke to
the old man with the voice of a superior:
"I am the uncle of your young master, and as long as he is away, I am the
commander here."
Tolima bowed his grey head, which had something wolfish, and surrounding
his ear with his hand, asked:
"Then you are, sir, the noble knight from Bogdaniec?"
"Yes!" replied Macko. "How do you know it?"
"Because the young master Zbyszko expected and inquired after you here."
Hearing this, Macko stood up straight, and forgetting his dignified
manner, he exclaimed:
"What, Zbyszko in Spychow?"
"Yes, he was here, sir; only two days ago since he left."
"For the love of God! Whence did he come and where did he go?"
"He came from Malborg, and on the road he was at Szczytno. He did not say
where he was going."
"He did not say, eh?"
"May be he told the priest Kaleb."
"Hey! Mighty God, then we crossed each other on the road," he said,
putting his hands on his ribs.
But Tolima put his hand to the other ear:
"What did you say, sir?"
"Where is Father Kaleb?"
"He is at the bedside of the old master."
"Call him, but stop ... I will go myself to see him."
"I will call him," said Tolima, and he left. But before he brought the
priest, Jagienka entered.
"Come here," said Macko. "Do you know the news? Zbyszko was here only two
days ago."
Her face changed in a moment and she almost tottered.
"He was, and left?" she asked, with quickly beating heart. "Where to?"
"It is only two days since he left, but where to I do not know. May be
the priest knows."
"We must go after him," she said, peremptorily.
After a while Father Kaleb entered. Thinking that Macko wanted him for
information concerning Jurand, he anticipated his question by saying:
"He is still asleep."
"I heard that Zbyszko was here?" said Macko.
"He was, but he left two days ago."
"Where to?"
"He did not know himself.... Searching.... He left for the frontier of
Zmudz, where there is war now."
"For the love of God, tell us, father, what you know about him!"
"I only know what I heard from himself. He was at Malborg. May be he
obtained protection there. Because with the order of the master's
brother, who is the first among the knights, Zbyszko could search in all
castles."
"For Jurand and Danuska?"
"Yes; but he does not search for Jurand, because he was told that he was
dead."
"Tell us from the beginning."
"Immediately, but let me first catch breath and regain presence of mind,
for I come from another world."
"How so?"
"From that world which cannot be reached on horseback, but through
prayer.... I prayed at the feet of the Lord Jesus that He may have mercy
upon Jurand."
"You have asked for a miracle. Have you that power?" asked Macko, with
great curiosity.
"I have no power whatever, but I have a Saviour, who, if He wished, could
restore to Jurand his eyes, tongue and hand...."
"If He only wanted to do so He could," replied Macko. "Nevertheless you