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
"It is there," said the courtier, pointing at the door.
Zbyszko crossed himself, raised the curtain in the doorway, and entered
with throbbing heart. But he did not perceive Jurand and Danusia at once,
because the room was not only "crooked" but dark also. But after a while
he saw the fair head of the girl, who was sitting on her father's lap.
They did not hear him when he entered; therefore e stopped near the door,
and finally he said:
"May He be blessed!"
"For ages and ages," answered Jurand, rising.
At that moment Danusia sprang toward the young knight and having seized
him with both hands, began to scream:
"Zbyszku! _Tatus_[63] is here!"
Zbyszko kissed her hands; then he approached Jurand, and said:
"I came to bow to you; you know who I am."
And he bent slightly, making a movement with his hands as if he wished to
seize Jurand by his knees. But Jurand grasped his hand, turned him toward
the light and began to look at him.
Zbyszko had already regained his self-possession; therefore he looked
with curiosity at Jurand. He beheld before him a gigantic man with fallow
hair and moustache, with a face pitted with smallpox and one eye of
iron-like color. It seemed to him as if this eye would pierce him, and he
again became confused. Finally, not knowing what to say, but wishing to
say something to break the embarrassing silence, he asked:
"Then you are Jurand of Spychow, Danusia's father?"
But the other only pointed to an oaken bench, standing beside the chair
on which he sat himself and continued to look at Zbyszko, who finally
became impatient, and said:
"It is not pleasant for me to sit as though I were in a court."
Then Jurand said:
"You wanted to fight with Lichtenstein?"
"Yes!" answered Zbyszko.
In the eye of the Lord of Spychow shone a strange light and his stern
face began to brighten. After awhile he looked at Danusia and asked;
"And was it for her?"
"For no other! My uncle told you that I made a vow to her to tear the
peacock tufts from German heads. But now there shall be not only three of
them, but at least as many as I have fingers on both hands. In that way I
will help you to avenge the death of Danusia's mother."
"Woe to them!" answered Jurand.
Then there was silence again. But Zbyszko, having noticed that by showing
his hatred of the Germans, he would capture Jurand's heart, said:
"I will not forgive them! They nearly caused my death."
Here he turned to Danusia and added:
"She saved me."
"I know," said Jurand.
"Are you angry?"
"Since you made a vow to her, you must serve her, because such is the
knightly custom."
Zbyszko hesitated; but after awhile, he began to say with evident
uneasiness:
"Do you know that she covered my head with her veil? All the knights and
also the Franciscan who was with me holding the cross, heard her say: 'He
is mine!' Therefore I will be loyal to her until death, so help me God!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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