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
"I was in Szczytno and know what happened there," replied Rotgier, "and I
came here not as any one's messenger, but only because the experienced
and pious count of Insburk told me: 'Our master loves the pious prince
and trusts in his justice, therefore while I hasten to Malborg, you go to
Mazowsze and state our grievance, our disgrace, our misery. The just lord
will surely not praise a violator of peace and a cruel aggressor, who has
shed so much Christian blood, as though he were not Christ's servant but
Satan's.'" And then he commenced to narrate everything that had occurred
in Szczytno: How Jurand, who had been summoned by them to see whether the
girl whom they had taken away from the robbers was not his daughter,
instead of repaying that with thankfulness, had fallen into a fit; how he
had killed Danveld, Brother Godfried, the Englishmen Hugues, von Bracht
and two noble warriors, not counting the servants; how they, remembering
God's commandment and not wishing to kill, had finally been compelled to
coil the terrible man in a net, who had then turned his sword against
himself and wounded himself terribly; how lastly, not only in the castle
but also in the tower, there were people, who, in the midst of a wintry
gale during the night after the fight, had heard terrible laughter and
voices in the air calling: "Our Jurand! Wrongdoer of the cross! Shedder
of innocent blood! Our Jurand!"
And the whole story, especially the last words of the Teuton, made a
great impression upon all present. Terror fell upon them all. They were
simply overwhelmed with fear lest Jurand had actually summoned unclean
powers to his assistance, and deep silence followed. But the princess,
who was present at the audience, and who, loving Danusia, had a heart
full of inconsolable sorrow for her, turned with an unexpected question
to Rotgier: "You say, knight," she remarked, "that, after capturing the
girl, you thought her to be Jurand's daughter, and therefore summoned him
to Szczytno?"
"Yes, beloved lady," replied Rotgier.
"How could you have thought so, since you saw the real daughter of Jurand
with me in the Forest Court?"
At that Brother Rotgier became embarrassed, because he was not prepared
for such a question. The prince arose and fixed a severe look on the
Teuton, while Mikolaj of Dlugolas, Mrokota of Mocarzew, Jasko of
Jagielnica and other knights of Mazowsze instantly sprang toward the
brother, inquiring alternately with threatening voices:
"How could you have thought so? Speak, German I How could that be?"
And Brother Rotgier recovered himself and said: "We brethren do not raise
our eyes to women. In the Forest Court with the beloved princess there
were many court ladies, but which among them was Jurand's daughter, none
of us knew."
"Danveld knew," said Mikolaj of Dlugolas. "He even talked to her during
the hunt."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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