The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance
where there were yet glimmering a few embers, sat the servant sipping a
mixture of hot mead, wine and spices.
The _rybalt_, or beadle, and servant of Father Kaleb, was about to begin
another song, entitled "The Happy Encounter." "Jurand is riding, riding,
upon a chestnut-colored horse," when Jagienka entered and said:
"The Lord Jesus be praised!"
"Forever and ever," replied Father Kaleb. Jurand sat in an armchair, with
his elbows upon the arms, but when he heard her voice he immediately
turned toward her, and began to greet her, nodding his milk white head.
"Zbyszko's armor-bearer has arrived from Szczytno," said the girl, "and
has brought news from the priest. Macko will not return to this place. He
went to Prince Witold."
"Why will he not return here?" asked Father Kaleb.
Then she told all she had heard from the Bohemian. She related how
Zygfried avenged himself for Rotgier's death; how the old _comthur_
intended to destroy Danusia for Rotgier to drink her innocent blood; and
how the executioner defended her. She even told them of Macko's hopes to
find Danusia, with Zbyszko's assistance, rescue her, bring her to
Spychow; and for that very reason he had gone to Zbyszko and ordered her
to remain here.
Be it from grief or sorrow her voice trembled at the end. When she
finished, silence prevailed for a while in the room and only the chirping
of the crickets, from the linden in the courtyard, penetrated through the
open windows and sounded like a heavy rainfall. All eyes were directed
toward Jurand, who with closed eyelids and head bent backward, showed no
sign of life.
"Do you hear?" finally asked the priest.
But Jurand kept on bending his head, lifted up his left hand and pointed
toward the sky. The light of the moon fell directly upon his face, upon
the white hair, upon the blind eyes; and there was depicted in that face
such indescribable suffering, together with complete hope and resignation
in God's will, that it appeared to all present that he only saw with his
soul which was freed from the fetters of the body, and had renounced once
for all earthly life, in which nothing was left for him.
Silence again reigned and the noise of the crickets was still audible.
But almost with filial love, Jagienka was suddenly overcome with great
pity for the unhappy old man. At the first impulse she rushed to his
side, grasped his hand and covered it with kisses and tears.
"And I too am an orphan!" she exclaimed, with swelling heart. "I am not a
boy, but am Jagienka of Zgorzelice. Macko took me in order to protect me
from bad people. Now I shall remain with you until God restores Danusia
to you."
Jurand was not at all surprised; he seemed to know it already; he only
took hold of her and pressed her to his breast, and she continued to kiss
his hand and spoke in a broken and sobbing voice:
"I will remain with you. Danuska will return.... Then I shall return to
Zgorzelice. God protects the orphans! The Germans have also killed my
father. But your beloved one is alive and will return. Grant this, O most
merciful God! Grant this, O most holy and compassionate Mother!..." Then
Father Kaleb suddenly knelt and with a solemn voice began to pray:
"Lord have mercy upon us!"
"Christ have mercy upon us!" immediately responded the Bohemian and
Tolima. Then all knelt down, because it was the Litany, which is not only
said at the moment of death, but also for the delivery of dear and near
persons from the danger of death. Jagienka knelt; Jurand slipped down
from his seat and knelt, and all began to pray in chorus:
"Lord have mercy upon us!"
"Christ have mercy upon us!"
"O God the Father in Heaven, have mercy upon us!"
"Son of God, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us!"
Their praying voices, "Have mercy upon us!" were mingled with the
chirping of the crickets.
The tame she-wolf suddenly got up from the bearskin upon which she was
crouching, in front of Jurand, approached the open window, supported
herself upon the sill, turned her triangular jaws toward the moon and
howled in a low and plaintive voice.
END OF PART SIXTH.
PART SEVENTH
CHAPTER I.
To a certain extent the Bohemian adored Jagienka, but his love for the
charming Sieciechowna was on the increase, nevertheless his young and
brave heart caused him to be eager above all for war. He returned to
Spychow with Macko's message, in obedience to his master, and therefore
he felt a certain satisfaction that he would be protected by both
masters, but when Jagienka herself told him what was the truth, that
there was none to oppose him in Spychow and that his duty was to be with
Zbyszko, he gladly assented. Macko was not his immediate authority. It
was therefore an easy matter to justify himself before him, that he had
left Spychow at the command of his mistress to go to Zbyszko.
But Jagienka did it purposely, that the valiant and clever armor-bearer
might always be of assistance to Zbyszko and save him in many dangerous
situations. He had already shown his ability at the prince's hunting
party in which Zbyszko nearly perished from the attack of a urus; much
more so would he be useful in war, specially such as the present one on
the Zmudz frontier. Glowacz was so eager for the field, that when he left
Jurand with Jagienka he embraced her feet and said:
"I desire to kneel before you at once and beg you for a good word for my
journey."
"How is that?" asked Jagienka. "Do you want to go to-day?"
"Early to-morrow, so that the horses may rest during the night, for the
expedition to Zmudz is very far."
"Then go so that you may easily overtake Macko."
"It will be a hard task. The old gentleman is hardy in all kinds of toil,
and he is several days ahead of me. In order to shorten my way I shall
have to travel through Prussia, through pathless forests. Pan Macko has
letters from Lichtenstein which he can show when necessary; but I have
nothing to show, I shall therefore be obliged to make a free road for
myself."
Then he placed his hand upon his sword. At that Jagienka exclaimed:
"Be careful! It is necessary to travel as fast as possible, but on the
other hand you must be careful to avoid being caught and imprisoned by
the Knights of the Cross. Also be careful whilst you are in the wild
forests, for there are just now all kinds of gods whom the people of that
land who have not been converted to Christianity worship. I remember what
Macko and Zbyszko said about them in Zgorzelice."
"I too remember what they said about those gods, but I am not afraid of
them; they are puny things and no gods, and they have no power whatever.
I shall manage them as well as the Germans whom I shall meet in the field
and make it hot for them."
"But you can't kill gods! Tell me, what did you hear of them among the
Germans?"
Then the discreet Bohemian wrinkled his brow, stopped for a moment, and
said:
"Killing or no killing, we informed ourselves of everything, specially
Pan Macko, who is cunning and able to circumvent every German. He asks
for one thing or another, or pretends to salute, and says nothing that
might betray him, and whatever he says is to the point and draws his
information as the angler draws out the fish. If your grace will listen
patiently I will tell you: Some years ago, Prince Witold planned an
expedition against the Tartars, but wished to be at peace with the
Germans; he therefore ceded to them the province of Zmudz. Then there was
great friendship and peace. He allowed them to build castles. Bah, he
even assisted them. They, including the master, met at an island, where
they ate, drank and showed each other much friendship. They were even
permitted to hunt in those wild forests. When the poor people of Zmudz
rose in arms against the rule of the Order, Prince Witold helped the
Germans with his own soldiers. The people throughout Lithuania murmured
that the prince was against his own blood. All this the under-bailiff of
Szczytno related to us; he praised the courts of the Knights of the Cross
in Zmudz because they sent priests to that country to convert the people
to Christianity and feed them in time of dearth. Something of that kind
was done, for the grand master, who fears God more than the others,
ordered it. But instead of it, they gathered together the children and
sent them to Prussia, and they outraged the women in the presence of
their husbands and brothers; whoever dared to oppose it was hanged. This,
lady, is the cause of the present war."
"And Prince Witold?"
"The prince had his eyes shut for a long time to the wrongs of the
oppressed people of Zmudz, and he loved the Knights of the Cross. It is
not long since the princess, his wife, went to Prussia to visit Malborg.
They received her with great pomp, as though she were the queen of
Poland. That happened quite recently! They showered gifts upon her, and
gave numerous tourneys, feasts, and all kinds of fètes wherever she went.
The people thought that it would result in everlasting friendship between
the Knights of the Cross and Prince Witold. But suddenly his heart was
changed...."
"This confirms what I heard from my lamented father and Macko more than
once, that the prince often changed his heart."
"Not often toward the upright, but frequently toward the Knights of the
Cross, owing to the very reason that they themselves keep no faith, and
are unreliable in everything. They asked him to give up deserters to
them. His reply was that he would give up only those of ill repute, but
free men he would not, because, as such, they were entitled to live
wherever they chose. Just now they are soured and engaged in writing
letters, complaining against each other. The people of Zmudz, now in
Germany, heard of it; they left the garrisons, stirred up the people in
the small castles, and now they make raids in Prussia itself and Prince
Witold not only does not hinder them any longer, but he also laughs at
the German trouble, and assists the Zmudzians secretly."
"I understand," said Jagienka. "But if he assists them secretly, open war
is not yet declared."
"There is open war with the Zmudz people, but as a matter of fact there
is also war against Prince Witold. Germans are coming from all parts of
the country to defend their strongholds on the frontier and are
contemplating a great expedition to invade Zmudz. But they cannot execute
it before the winter season arrives, because it is a swampy country and
impossible for them to fight in, and where a Zmudz warrior could pass, a
German knight would stick fast. Winter, therefore, would be favorable to
the Germans. As soon as it begins to freeze, the whole German forces will
move, but Prince Witold will come to the aid of the Zmudz people. He will
come with the permission of the king of Poland, since the king is the
head of all great princes and, above all, Lithuania."
"Then there will be war against the king?"
"The people here, as well as in Germany, say that there will be war. The
Knights of the Cross are probably now collecting forces in all courts,
with cowls upon their heads like thieves. For every Knight of the Cross
knows that the king's army is no joke, and, most likely, the Polish
knights would easily vanquish them."
Jagienka sighed, and said:
"A boy is always more happy than a girl is. Here is proof of what I say.
You will go to the war, as Zbyszko and Macko went, and we shall remain
here, in Spychow."
"How can it be otherwise, lady? It is true that you remain here, but
perfectly secure. The name of Jurand I have learned in Szczytno, is still
a terror to the Germans, and if they learn that he is now at Spychow they
will be terrified at once."
"We know that they will not dare to come here, because the swamps and old