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
Zbyszko looked at him with satisfaction. "Well, he will not fare well who
happens to feel your steel. God has given you great strength, but you
would act badly if you were to push it to excess, because humility is
becoming in the worthy armor-bearer."
The Bohemian shook his head as a sign that he would not waste his
strength, but would not spare it against the Germans.
Zbyszko smiled, not on account of what the armor bearer had said, but at
his own thoughts.
"The old gentleman will be glad when we return, and in Zgorzelice there
will also be joy."
Jagienka stood before Zbyszko's eyes as though she were sitting with him
in the sleigh. That always happened, whenever he thought of her he saw
her very distinctly.
"Well," he said to himself, "she will not be glad, for when I shall
return to Bogdaniec it will be with Danusia. Let her take somebody
else...." Here, the figures of Wills of Brzozowa, and young Cztan of
Rogow passed through his mind, and suddenly a disagreeable feeling crept
over him, because the girl might fall into the hands of one of them, and
he said to himself: "I wish I could find some better man, for those
fellows are beer-gulpers and gourmands, and the girl is upright." And he
thought of this and of that; of his uncle when he should learn what had
happened, it would be irksome, no matter how it turned out; but he
immediately consoled himself with the thought that with his uncle,
matters concerning kinship and wealth were always paramount, and these
could advance the interest of the family. Jagienka was indeed nearer, but
Jurand was a greater land owner than Zych of Zgorzelice. Moreover the
former could easily foresee that Macko could not be long opposed to such
a liaison, the more so when he should behold his nephew's love for
Danusia and her requital. He would grumble for a while, then he would be
glad and begin to love Danuska as his own daughter.
Suddenly his heart was moved with tenderness and yearning toward that
uncle who although a severe man, loved him like the pupil of his own eye;
that uncle cared for him on the battlefield more than for himself, he
took booty for him, and for his sake he was driven out from his estate.
Both of them were lonely in the world without near relatives, with only
distant ones like the abbot. Moreover, when the time arrived to separate
from each other, neither of them knew what to do, particularly the older
one, who no more desired anything for himself.
"Hej! he will be glad, he will be glad!" repeated Zbyszko to himself.
"Only one thing I should like,--that he should receive Jurand and me as
well as he would receive me by myself."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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