The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance
ready to be cleaned afterward.
"Look," said Macko, forcibly grasping Zbyszko's arm to detain him if
possible for another moment, "he has taken the coats of mail and swords
purposely. Well, that one with the grey head must be...."
"Forward!" suddenly shouted Zbyszko.
And like a whirlwind he rushed into the clearing; the others did the
same, but they only succeeded in reaching Sanderus. The terrible Macko
caught hold of old Zygfried by the breast, bent him backward and in a
moment held him under him. Zbyszko and Arnold grasped each other like two
hawks, with their arms intertwined and began to struggle fiercely with
each other. The bearded German, who was with Sanderus, sprang toward the
sword, but he did not use it. Wit, Macko's servant, struck him with the
back of his axe, and stretched him upon the ground. Then they began to
bind Sanderus, according to Macko's order, but he, although he well knew
that it was so arranged beforehand, began to bellow as terribly as a
yearling calf whose throat is being cut by the butcher's knife.
But Zbyszko, though so strong that he could squeeze a branch of a tree
and cause the sap to run out, felt that he was not grasped by human
hands, but was in the hug of a bear. He also felt that if it were not for
the cost of mail which he had on, in case of having to fight with the
sword, the German giant would have crushed his ribs and perhaps the
spinal column too. The young knight lifted him a little from the ground,
but Arnold lifted him up higher still, and gathering all his strength he
tried to throw him to the ground so that he might not be able to rise
again.
But Zbyszko also clutched him with such terrible force that blood issued
from the German's eyes. Then he crooked his leg between Arnold's knees,
bent him sideways and struck him in the hollow of the knee, which threw
him to the ground. In reality both fell to the ground, the young knight
underneath; but at the same moment, Macko, who was observing all this,
threw the half doubled-up Zygfried into the hands of an attendant, and
rushed toward the prostrate fighters, and in the twinkling of an eye he
had bound the feet of Arnold with a belt; then he jumped, and sat down
upon him as upon a wild boar, took the _misericordia_ from his side, and
plunged it deep into his throat.
Arnold screamed horribly, and his hands involuntarily withdrew from
Zbyszko's sides. Then he began to moan not only with the pain of the
wound, but he also felt an indescribable pain in his back: where he had
received a blow from a club in his previous fight with Skirwoilla.
Macko grasped him with both hands and dragged him off Zbyszko, and
Zbyszko got up from the ground and sat down; he tried to stand up but
could not; he sat thus without being able to rise, for some time. His
face was pale and covered with perspiration. His eyes were bloodshot and
his lips were blue; and he looked in front of him as though half dazed.
"What is the matter?" asked Macko, in alarm.
"Nothing, but I am very tired. Help me to get up."
Macko put his hands under Zbyszko's arms and lifted him up at once.
"Can you stand?"
"I can."
"Do you feel pain?"
"Nothing, but I am short of breath."
Meanwhile the Bohemian, seeing apparently that the struggle in the farm
yard was all over, appeared in front of the hut, dragging the woman
servant of the Order by the neck. At that sight, Zbyszko forgot his
fatigue, his strength returned to him at once, and he rushed to the hut
as though he had never struggled with the terrible Arnold.
"Danuska! Danuska!" cried Zbyszko; but no answer came.
"Danuska! Danuska!" he repeated; then he remained silent. It was dark
within, for that reason he could see nothing at first. But instead, he
heard, proceeding from behind the stones which were heaped up behind the
fireplace, a quick and audible panting, like that of a little animal
hiding.
"Danuska! For God's sake. It is I! Zbyszko!"
Then he observed in the darkness, her eyes, wide open, terrified and
bewildered.
He rushed toward her and pressed her in his arms, but she did not
entirely recognize him, and tore herself away from his embrace, and began
to repeat in a subdued whisper:
"I am afraid! I am afraid! I am afraid!"
END OF PART SEVENTH.
PART EIGHTH.
CHAPTER I.
Neither loving words nor tender persuasion availed. Danusia recognized
nobody and did not regain consciousness. The only feeling which pervaded
her whole being was fear, a kind of fear shown by captured birds. When
food was brought to her she refused to eat it in the presence of others.
In the glances of rejection which she cast upon the food one could detect
habitual hunger. Left alone, she sprang upon the eatables like a ravenous
little wild beast. But when Zbyszko entered she rushed into the corner
and hid herself under a bundle of dry hops. Zbyszko opened his arms in
vain, he stretched out his hands in vain, with tears he begged her, but
unavailingly. She refused to issue from her hiding-place even when the
light was so arranged that she could recognize the outlines of Zbyszko's
face. It seemed as though she had lost her memory along with her senses.
He therefore gazed upon her emaciated pale face in which was depicted an
expression of dismay, her hollow eyes, her tattered dress, and his heart
cried out within him from pain at the thought in whose hands she had been
and how she had been treated. He was finally seized with such a terrible
rage that he grasped his sword and rushed toward Zygfried, and he would
have certainly killed him, had not Macko grasped him by the arm.
Then like enemies they struggled with each other. But the young man was
so much fatigued from his previous fight with the gigantic Arnold, that
the old knight prevailed. Twisting Zbyszko's wrist, he exclaimed:
"Are you mad?"
"Let me go!" he begged, gnashing his teeth, "for my heart bursts within
me."
"Let it burst! I will not let you go. It is better to dash your head to
pieces than disgrace yourself and the whole family."
And, clutching Zbyszko's hand, as with iron tongs, he said threateningly:
"See, revenge will not escape you; and you are a belted knight. How then
dare you kill a prisoner in bonds? You cannot help Danusia. What will be
the result? Nothing but disgrace. You say that kings and princes think it
proper to destroy their prisoners. Bah! That is not the case with us; and
what is feasible with them is not so with you. They have a kingdom,
cities, castles. But what have you? Knightly honor. Those who find no
fault with them will spit in your face. Consider, for God's sake!"
There was silence for a moment.
"Let me go!" Zbyszko repeated gloomily. "I will not kill him."
"Come to the fire, let us consult."
Macko led him by the hand to the fire which the servant stirred up near
the tar-ovens. There they sat down and Macko reflected for a moment, and
then said:
"You must also remember that you have promised this old dog to Jurand,
who will avenge his own and his daughter's tortures. He is the one who
will pay him, and do not you fear! In this you must please Jurand. It is
his affair and not yours. Jurand may do it, but you must not; he did not
capture him but will receive him as a present from you; he can even flay
him alive and none will blame him for it. Do you understand me?"
"I understand," replied Zbyszko. "You are right."
"You are evidently coming to your senses again. Should you again be
tempted by the devil, bear this also in your mind, that you have also
challenged Lichtenstein and other Knights of the Cross, and if you should
kill a defenceless captive and the men should publish your action, no
knight would accept your challenge, and he would be justified. God
forbid! We have enough misfortunes, but spare us shame. Let us rather
talk about what concerns our present doings and movements."
"Give your advice," said the young man.
"My advice is this: that serpent who was with Danusia ought to be killed;
but it does not become a knight to kill a woman. We shall therefore
deliver her into the hands of Prince Janusz. She plotted treason whilst
at the forest court of the prince and princess. Let the Mazovian courts
judge her. If they do not crush her upon the wheel for her crimes, then
they will offend God's justice. As long as we find no other woman to wait
upon Danusia, as long as she is wanted to serve her we must keep her
until some other old woman be found; then we will tie her to a horse's
tail. But now we must push on toward the Mazovian wilderness as soon as
possible.
"It cannot be done at once, it is dark already. By to-morrow, if God
will, Danusia may come to her senses."
"Let the horses rest well, and at daybreak we will start."
Further conversation was interrupted by Arnold von Baden, who was
stretched on his back at a distance, trussed by his own sword; he said
something in German. Old Macko got up and went to him, but as he did not
understand him he called the Bohemian.
But Hlawa could not come at once because he was busy about something
else. During the conversation, near the fire, he went directly to the
servant of the Order, put his hands around her neck, shook her like a
pear-tree, and said:
"Listen, you slut! Go into the shanty and prepare the fur bedding for the
young lady. But before you do that, dress her in your good apparel,
whilst you put upon your carcass the tattered rags which you have given
her.... May your mother suffer perdition!"
He was so angry that he could not control himself, and shook her so
savagely that her eyes bulged out. He would have twisted her neck, but he
thought better of it since she was still of some use; finally he let her
go, saying:
"After that I will hang you to a branch."
She embraced his knees in terror, but he kicked her. She rushed into the
shanty, threw herself at Danusia's feet and began to scream:
"Protect me. Do not permit!"
But Danusia closed her eyes, and uttered her customary suppressed
whisper: "I am afraid, I am afraid, I am afraid."
Then she lapsed into perfect silence, because that was the effect
whenever the woman approached her. She permitted the woman to undress,
wash and dress her in the new clothes. The woman prepared the bedding and
laid upon it Danusia, who had the appearance of a wooden or wax figure;
after which she sat down near the fireplace fearing to go out.
But the Bohemian entered after awhile. First he turned toward Danusia and
said:
"You are among friends, lady, so in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, sleep peacefully!"
Then he made the sign of the cross. Then not wishing to disturb her he
said to the servant in a low voice:
"You shall lie bound at the threshold; you must keep quiet and do not
frighten her; if not, I will break your neck. Get up, and come."
He led her out and bound her tightly, then he went to Zbyszko.
"I have ordered that lizard to dress the lady in her own garments, to
make her a soft bed, and the lady is asleep; better leave her alone
because she is scared. God grant that by to-morrow, after repose, she may
regain her presence of mind. You too must think of refreshment and rest."
"I shall sleep at her threshold," replied Zbyszko.
"Then I shall withdraw the slut from the threshold and place her near
that corpse with curled locks. But you must take refreshment now, because
there is a long road and no little fatigue before you."
Then he went and got some smoked meat and dried turnips which they had
procured in the Lithuanian camp; but he had scarcely put the meal in
front of Zbyszko when Macko called him to come to Arnold.
"Notice carefully, what this mass wishes, although I know a few German
words, I am unable to understand him."
"Bring him to the fire, sir, and have your conversation there," replied