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
Toward evening Jurand spoke again, and began to inquire about those
brethren of the Order who were at the Forest Court, and Zbyszko narrated
everything--their complaints, their departure, the death of de Fourcy,
his follower's action in crushing Danveld's arm so terribly, and, as he
spoke, one circumstance recurred strikingly to his mind, namely the
presence in the Forest Court of that woman who brought the healing
balsams from Danveld. During the bait, he commenced therefore to inquire
of the Bohemian and Sanderus about her, but neither knew exactly what had
become of her. It seemed to them, that she had left either in company
with those people, who came for Danusia, or soon after them. It now
occurred to Zbyszko's mind, that this might have been some one sent for
the purpose of warning the people in case Jurand should happen to be at
the court in person. In that case they would not claim to have come from
Spychow, but could have prepared another missive to give to the princess
instead of Jurand's fictitious letter. All this had been arranged with
hellish dexterity, and the young knight, who so far had known the Teutons
only from the battlefield, thought for the first time, that the fist was
not sufficient for them, but that they must be overcome with the head as
well. This was a sullen thought for him, because his great sorrow and
pain had become concentrated into a desire for fight and blood. Even help
for Danusia in his mind took the form of a series of battles either in
troops or singly; and now he perceived that it might be necessary to
restrain his desire for revenge and splitting of heads, like a bear on a
chain, and seek new means of saving and recovering Danusia. While
thinking of this, he felt sorry that Macko was not with him. Macko was as
cunning as he was brave. He secretly determined to send Sanderus from
Spychow to Szczytno, in order to find that woman and to try to learn from
her what had happened to Danusia. He said to himself that, even if
Sanderus wished to betray him, he could do little harm in the matter, and
on the contrary might render great service, because his trade gained
admittance for him everywhere. However, he wished to consult Jurand
first, but postponed it until their arrival in Spychow, the more so
because night came on, and it seemed to him, that Jurand, sitting on a
knight's high saddle, had fallen asleep from fatigue, exhaustion and
great anxiety. But Jurand rode with a bowed head only because misfortune
weighed it down. And it was apparent that he was constantly thinking of
it, with a heart full of terrible dread, because he finally said:
"I would rather be frozen under Niedzborz! It was you that dug me out?"
"I, with others."
"And at the hunt, you saved my child?"
"What should I have done?"
"Will you help me now, too?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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