The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical RomanceSienkiewicz, Henryk
History
The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Poland -- History -- Jagellons, 1386-1572 -- Fiction; Teutonic Knights -- History -- Fiction
Then he rushed forward; but before he could make his horse gallop,
Zbyszko perceived a most wonderful spectacle; he beheld a girl sitting
like a man, on a swift piebald horse, rushing toward them; she had a
crossbow in one hand and a boar-spear on her shoulders. Her floating hair
was full of hop strobiles; her face was bright like the dawn. Her shirt
was opened on the bosom, and she wore a _serdak_.[70] Having reached
them, she reined in her horse; for a while, her face expressed surprise,
hesitation, joy; finally, being scarcely able to believe her own eyes,
she began to cry in a childish voice:
"_Tatulo_,[71] _tatus_[71] dearest!"
In the twinkling of an eye, she jumped from her horse, and Zych
dismounted also to welcome her; she threw her arms around his neck. Fora
long time, Zbyszko heard only the sounds of kisses and these two words:
"_Tatulo!_ Jagula! _Tatulo!_ Jagula!" repeated in a joyful outburst.
Both retinues now approached, and Macko arrived also; they continued to
repeat: "_Tatulo!_ Jagula!" and still kissed each other. Finally Jagienka
asked:
"Then you decided to return from the war? Are you well?"
"From the war. Why should I not be well? And you? And the boys? Are they
well also? Yes, otherwise you would not run in the forest. But, my girl,
what are you doing here?"
"Don't you see that I am hunting?" answered Jagienka, laughing.
"In somebody else's woods?"
"The abbot gave me permission. He even sent me experienced huntsmen and a
pack of hounds."
Here she turned to the servants:
"Chase the dogs away, they will tear the skin!"
Then to Zych:
"Oj, how glad I am to see you!" And they again kissed each other. When
they were through, Jagna said:
"We are far from home; we followed the beast. I am sure it must be more
than ten miles; the horses are exhausted. What a large urus! Did you
notice? He must have at least three of my arrows in him; the last one
killed him."
"He was killed by the last, but it was not yours; this knight killed
him."
Jagienka threw her hair back and looked at Zbyszko sharply, but not very
friendly.
"Do you know who he is?" asked Zych.
"I do not know."
"No wonder you do not recognize him, because he has grown. Perhaps you
will recognize old Macko of Bogdaniec?"
"For God's sake! is that Macko of Bogdaniec?" exclaimed Jagienka.
Having approached the wagon, she kissed Macko's hand.
"It is you?"
"Yes, it is I; but I am obliged to ride in the wagon, because the Germans
wounded me."
"What Germans? The war was with the Tartars?"
"There was a war with the Tartars, but we were not in that war; we fought
in the war in Lithuania, Zbyszko and I."
"Where is Zbyszko?"
"Then you did not recognize Zbyszko?" said Macko smiling.
"Is that man Zbyszko?" exclaimed the girl, looking again at the young
knight.
"Yes, it is he."
"You must give him a kiss, because he is an old acquaintance of yours,"
said Zych, mirthfully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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