The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy. Генрик Сенкевич
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Pietrko of Miloslaw, Szczepiecki, Oderski and Tomko Lagoda. Who can enumerate all of them! Some of them had been hit with so many arrows, that after death they looked like porcupines; it was awful to look at them!"
Here he laughed as if he were telling a most amusing story, and at once he began to sing:
"You have learned what is a Tartar,
When he beat you and flew afar!"
"Well, and what then?" asked Zbyszko.
"Then the grand duke escaped; but he was as courageous as he usually is. The more you press him, the farther he jumps, like a hazelnut stick. We rushed to the Tavanian ford to defend those crossing over. There were with us a few knights from Poland. The second day, Edyga came with a swarm of Tartars; but he could not do a thing. Hej! When he wanted to pass the ford, we fought him so hard he could not do it. We killed and caught many of them. I myself caught five Tartars, and I sent them to Zgorzelice. You will see what dogheads they have."
"In Krakow, they say that the war may reach Poland also."
"Do they think Edyga is a fool! He knows well what kind of knights we have; and he also knows that the greatest knights remained home, because the queen was not pleased when Witold began the war on his own authority. Ej, he is cunning, that old Edyga! He understood at Tavania that the prince's army had increased and had gone far beyond the tenth-land!"
"But you returned?"
"Yes, I returned. There is nothing to do there. In Krakow I heard about you, and that you had started a little ahead of me."
Here he turned to Zbyszko:
"Hej! my lord, the last time I saw you, you were a small boy; and now, although there is no light, I suppose you are large like an urus. And you had your crossbows ready! One can see you have been in the war."
"War has nurtured me since childhood. Let my uncle tell you if I am lacking in experience."
"It is not necessary for your uncle to tell me anything; in Krakow, I saw the Pan of Taczew who told me about you. But I understand that the Mazur does not want to give you his daughter. I have nothing against you; but I like you. You will forget about that one when you see my Jagienka. She is a wonder!"
"I shall not forget, even if I see ten such as your Jagna."
"She will get the estate of Moczydoly for her dowry. Many will ask me for Jagna, do not fear?"
Zbyszko wanted to answer: "But not I!" But Zych of Zgorzelice began to sing:
"I will bend to your knees
And you for that, will give me the girl,
Give me the girl!"
"You are always happy and singing," said Macko.
"Well, and what do the blessed do in heaven."
"They sing."
"Well, then! And the damned cry. I prefer to go to those who sing rather than to those who cry; and St. Peter will say thus: 'We must let him into paradise; otherwise he will sing in hell, and that will not be right.' Look, the day breaks!"
In fact, daylight was coming. After awhile they arrived at a large glade. By the lake covering the greater part of the glade, some people were fishing; but seeing the armed men, they left their nets and immediately seized their picks and staffs and stood ready for battle.
"They thought we were robbers," said Zych, laughing. "Hej, fishermen! To whom do you belong?"
They stood for a while silently, looking distrustfully; but finally one of them having recognized that they were knights, answered:
"To the ksiondz, the abbot of Tulcza."
"Our relative," said Macko, "the same who holds Bogdaniec in pledge. These must be his forests; but he must have purchased them a short time ago."
"He did not buy them," answered Zych. "He was fighting about them with Wilk of Brzozowa and it seems that the abbot defeated Wilk. A year ago they were going to fight on horseback with spears and long swords for this part of the forest; but I do not know how it ended because I went away."
"Well, we are relatives," said Macko, "he will not quarrel with us."
"Perhaps; he is a chivalrous abbot who knows how to wear a helmet; but he is pious and he sings the mass beautifully. Don't you remember? When he shouts at mass, the swallows nested under the ceiling, fall from their nests. In that way God's glory increases."
"Certainly I remember! At ten steps he could blow the candles at the altar out. Has he been in Bogdaniec?"
"Yes, he was there. He settled five peasants on the land. He has also been at my house at Zgorzelice, because, as you know, he baptized Jagienka, of whom he is very fond and calls her little daughter."
"God will bless him if he be willing to leave me the peasants," said Macko.
"Owa! what will five peasants amount to! Then Jagienka will ask him and he will not refuse her."
Here the conversation stopped for a while, because over the dark forest and from the pink down, the bright sun had risen and lighted the environs. The knights greeted it with the customary: "May it be blessed!" and then having made the sign of the cross, they began their morning prayers.
Zych finished first and said to his companions:
"I hope to see you well soon. Hej! you have both changed. You, Macko, must regain your health. Jagienka will take care of you, because there is no woman in your house. One can see that you have a piece of iron between your ribs."
Here he turned toward Zbyszko:
"Show yourself also. Well, mighty God! I remember you when you were small and used to climb on the colts by the help of their tails; and now, what a knight! The face looks like that of a little lord; but the body like that of a sturdy man. Such can wrestle even with a bear."
"A bear is nothing for him!" said Macko. "He was younger than he is to-day, when that Fryzjan called him a beardless youth; and he resenting it, immediately pulled out the Fryzjan's mustaches."
"I know," interrupted Zych, "and you fought afterward, and captured their retinue. Pan of Taczew told me all about it:"
"There came a German very proud,
He was buried with sore snout;
Hoc! Hoc!"
Zbyszko wondered at Zych's long thin figure, at his thin face with its enormous nose and at his laughing round eyes.
"O!" said he, "with such a neighbor there will be no sadness, if God only restore my uncle's health."
"It is good to have a joyful neighbor, because with a jolly fellow there will be no quarrel," answered Zych. "Now listen to what I tell you. You have been away from home a long time, and you will not find much comfort in Bogdaniec. I do not say in the farming, because the abbot has taken care of that; he dug up a large piece of the forest and settled new peasants. But as he went there very often, you will find the larder empty; even in the house, there is hardly a bench or a bunch of straw to sleep on; and a sick man needs some comforts. You had better come with me to Zgorzelice. I will be glad to have you stay a month or two. During that time, Jagienka will take care of Bogdaniec. Rely on her and do not bother yourselves with anything. Zbyszko can go there, from time to time, to inspect the farming; I will bring the abbot to Zgorzelice, and you can settle your account with him. The girl will take good care of you, as of a father, and during illness, a woman's care is the best. Well, my dear friends, will you do as I ask you?"
"We know that you are a good man and you always were," answered Macko with emotion; "but don't you see, if I must die on account of this wound, I prefer to die in my own home. Then when one is home, although he is old, he can inquire about different things, can inspect and do many other things. If God order me to go to the other world, well, then I cannot help it! I cannot escape it even with better care. As for inconvenience, we are accustomed to that at the war. Even a bunch of straw is pleasant to that one who, during several years, has slept on the bare ground. But I thank you for your