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
But when during the civil war between Grzymalits and Nalenczs, Bogdaniec
was again burned and the peasants scattered, Macko could not restore it,
although he toiled for several years. Finally he pledged the land to his
relative, the abbot, and with Zbyszko who was small, he went to Lithuania
to fight against the Germans.
But he had never forgotten about Bogdaniec. He went to Litwa hoping to
become rich from booty so as to return to Bogdaniec, redeem the land from
his pledge, colonize it with slaves, rebuild the _grodek_ and settle
Zbyszko on it. Therefore now, after Zbyszko's lucky deliverance, they
were discussing this matter at the house of the merchant, Amylej.
They had money enough to redeem the land they possessed quite a fortune
gathered from the booty, from the ransoms paid by the knights captured by
them, and from Witold's presents. They had received great benefit from
that fight with the two Fryzjan knights. The suits of armor alone, were
worth what was considered in those times quite a fortune; beside the
armor, they had captured wagons, people, clothes, money and rich
implements of war. The merchant Amylej had just purchased many of these
things, and among them two pieces of beautiful Flemish broadcloth. Macko
sold the splendid armor, because he thought that he would have no use for
it. The merchant sold it the next day to Marcin of Wrocimowice, whose
coat of arms was Polkoza. He sold it for a large sum, because in those
times the suits of armor made in Milan were considered the best in the
world and were expensive. Zbyszko regretted very much that they sold it.
"If God give you back your health," said he, to his uncle, "where will
you find another like it?"
"There, where I found this one; on some German," answered Macko. "But I
shall not escape death. The head of the spear will not come out from my
body. When I tried to pull it out with my hands, I pushed it in further.
And now there is no help."
"You must drink two or three pots of bear's grease."
"Bah! Father Cybek also said that would be a good thing. But where can I
get it here? In Bogdaniec one could very easily kill a bear!"
"Then we must go to Bogdaniec! Only you must not die on the road."
Old Macko looked at his nephew with tenderness.
"I know where you would like to go; to the Prince Janusz's court, or to
Jurand of Spychow, and fight the Germans of Chelminsko."
"I will not deny it. I would be glad to go to Warszawa with the princess'
court, or to go to Ciechanow; and I would remain as long as possible with
Danusia, because now she is not only my lady, but my love also. I tremble
when I think of her! I shall follow her even to the end of the world; but
now you are first. You did not desert me, therefore I will never abandon
you. We must go to Bogdaniec."
"You are a good man," said Macko.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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