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
Therefore, Zbyszko was riding along, sad and unhappy. He did not think
about Bogdaniec, nor about Zgorzelice, but only how he should act. First,
it was necessary to ascertain the truth at the Mazowiecki court;
therefore, he rode hastily, only stopping for a short time at the houses
of noblemen, in the inns and in the cities to rest the horses. He had
never ceased to love Danusia; but while in Bogdaniec and Zgorzelice,
chatting almost every day with Jagienka and admiring her beauty, he had
not thought about Danusia often. Now she was constantly in his thoughts,
day and night. Even in his sleep, he saw her standing before him, with a
lute in her hands and a garland on her head. She stretched her hands
toward him, and Jurand drew her away. In the morning, when the dreams
disappeared, a greater longing came, and he loved this girl more than
ever now, when he was uncertain whether they had taken her from him or
not.
Sometimes he feared that they had married her against her will;
therefore, he was not angry with her, as she was only a child and could
not have her own will. But he was angry with Jurand and with Princess
Januszowna. He determined that he would not cease to serve her; even if
he found her somebody else's wife, he would deposit the peacocks' crests
at her feet.
Sometimes he was consoled by the thought of a great war. He felt that
during the war, he would forget about everything and that he would escape
all sorrows and griefs. The great war seemed suspended in the air. It was
not known whence the news came, because there was peace between the king
and the Order; nevertheless, wherever Zbyszko went, nothing else was
talked about. The people had a presentiment that it would come, and some
of them said openly: "Why were we united with Litwa, if not against those
wolves, the Knights of the Cross? Therefore we must finish with them once
for all, or they will destroy us." Others said: "Crazy monks! They are
not satisfied with Plowce! Death is over them, and still they have taken
the land of Dobrzyn."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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