"In the first place, God's decrees are not well known; and then you must remember that every time he appears he has had special permission." "At any rate, I am glad that we shall not pass the night in the monastery. I would die from fear if I saw such an infernal giant." "Hej! I doubt it, because they say, he is very handsome." "If he were very beautiful, I would not want a kiss from such a man, from whose mouth one could smell sulphur." "I see that when the conversation is even about devils, you are still thinking about kisses." At these words the princess, Pan Mikolaj and both _wlodykas_ of Bogdaniec began to laugh. Danusia laughed also, following the example of the others. But Ofka of Jarzombkow turned her angry face toward Mikolaj of Dlugolas, and said: "I should prefer him to you." "Ej! Don't call the wolf out of the forest;" answered the merry Mazur; "the ghost often wanders on the high road, between Krakow and Tyniec, especially toward night; suppose he should hear you and appear to you in the form of a giant!" "Let the enchantment go on the dog!" answered Ofka. But at that moment Macko of Bogdaniec, who being seated on a high stallion, could see further than those who were in the carriage, reined in his horse, and said: "O, as God is dear to me, what is it?" "What?" "Some giant of the forest is coming!" "And the word became flesh!" exclaimed the princess. "Don't say that!" But Zbyszko arose in his stirrups and said: "It is true; the giant Walgierz; nobody else!" At this the coachman reined in the horses, but not dropping the reins, began to make the sign of the cross, because he also perceived on an opposite hill the gigantic figure of a horsemen. The princess had risen; but now she sat down, her face changed with fear. Danusia hid her face in the folds of the princess' dress. The courtiers, ladies and _rybalts_, who were on horseback behind the carriage, having heard the ill-omened name, began to surround the carriage. The men tried to laugh, but there was fear in their eyes; the young girls were pale; only Mikolaj of Dlugolas maintained his composure and wishing to tranquilize the princess, said: "Don't be frightened, gracious lady. The sun has not yet set; and even if it were night, Saint Ptolomeus will manage Walgierz." In the meanwhile, the unknown horseman, having mounted the top of the hill, stopped his horse and stood motionless. In the rays of the setting sun, one could see him very distinctly; his stature seemed greater than ordinary human dimensions. The space separating him from the princess' retinue was not more than three hundred steps. "Why is he stopping?" asked one of the _rybalts_. "Because we stopped," answered Macko. "He is looking toward us as if he would like to choose somebody," said another _rybalt_; "if I were sure he was a man and not an evil spirit, I would go and give him a blow on the head with the lute."