The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy. Henryk Sienkiewicz
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rolling over the stones:
"Cut his head off! Cut his head off! Let the Krzyzak send it to Malborg to the grand master!"
Then he cried to the young Lithuanian prince standing near.
"Hold him, Jamont!"
The frightened Jamont put his trembling hands on Zbyszko's shoulders.
But the white-bearded castellan of Krakow, Topor of Tenczyn, raised his hand as a sign that he wished to speak; when everybody was quiet, he said:
"Gracious king! Let this comthur be convinced that not only your impetuous anger, but our laws will punish with death any who insult an envoy. Otherwise he will think that there are no Christian laws in this country. To-morrow I will judge the offender."
The last words he said quietly and as though no one could change his decision. Then he said to Jamont:
"Shut him in the tower. As for you, Pan of Taczew, you will be a witness."
"I will tell about the offence of this lad," answered Powala, looking at
Lichtenstein.
"He is right!" immediately said some knights. "He is only a lad! Why should the shame be put on us all!"
There was a moment of silence, and angry looks were cast at the Krzyzak. In the meanwhile Jamont conducted Zbyszko to the court-yard of the castle and intrusted him to the archers. In his young heart he pitied the prisoner, and this pity was increased by his natural hatred of the Germans. But he was a Lithuanian, accustomed to fulfill blindly the orders of the grand duke; being himself afraid of the king's wrath, he began to whisper to the young knight, with kindly persuasion:
"Do you know, what I would do if in your place? Hang myself! It will be the best! The korol[52] is angry; they will cut off your head. Why should you not make him joyful? Hang yourself, druh.[53] Such is the custom in my country."
Zbyszko, half dazed with shame and fear, at first did not seem to understand the words of the kniazik;[54] but finally he understood them and then he was amazed:
"What do you say?"
"Hang yourself! Why should they judge you. You will only afford pleasure for the king!" repeated Jamont.
"Hang your own self!" exclaimed the young wlodyka. "They have baptized you but your heathen skin remains on you. Do you not know that it is a sin for a Christian to kill himself?"
The kniaz shrugged his shoulders:
"It will not be according to your will. They will cut off your head just the same."
These words angered Zbyszko, and he wondered if it would be proper to challenge the bojarzynek[55] for a fight either on horseback or on foot, with swords or with axes; but he stifled this desire. He dropped his head sadly and surrounded by the archers, went silently to the tower.
In the meanwhile everybody's attention in the dining hall was turned to Danusia, who became pale with fright. She stood motionless like a wax figure in a church. But when she heard that they were going to execute Zbyszko, then she was seized with great fear; her mouth quivered and at once she began to cry so loudly and so pitifully, that all faces turned toward her and the king himself asked her:
"What is the matter with thee?"
"Gracious king!" said the Princess Anna, "she is the daughter of Jurand of Spychow and this unhappy knight made a vow to her. He promised her to tear three peacock tufts from the helmets of the Germans, and having noticed such a tuft on the helmet of this comthur, he thought that God himself had sent the Krzyzak. He did not attack him, lord, through malice, but through stupidity; therefore be merciful and do not punish him, we beseech you on our knees!"
Having said this she arose, seized Danusia by the hand, and rushed with her toward the king, who seeing this began to retire. But both kneeled before him and Danusia began to cry;
"Forgive Zbyszko, king, forgive Zbyszko!"
Because she was afraid, she hid her fair head between the folds of the king's dress, kissed his knees and trembled like a leaf. Anna Ziemowitowa kneeled on the other side and having clasped her hands, looked at the king on whose face there was visible great perplexity. He retired toward the chair, but did not push Danusia back, only waved his hands.
"Do not trouble me!" he cried. "The youth is guilty; he has brought disgrace on the country! They must execute him!"
But the little hands clung closer and closer to his knees and the child cried more and more pitifully:
"Forgive Zbyszko, king, forgive Zbyszko!"
Now the voices of some knights were heard to exclaim:
"Jurand of Spychow is a famous knight, and the cause of awe to the
Germans."
"And that youth fought bravely at Wilno!" added Powala.
But the king excused himself further, although he pitied Danusia.
"He is not guilty toward me and it is not I who can forgive him. Let the envoy of the Order pardon him, then I will pardon him also; but if the envoy will not, then he must die."
"Forgive him, sir!" exclaimed both of the princesses.
"Forgive, forgive!" repeated the voices of the knights.
Kuno closed his eyes and sat with uplifted forehead, as if he was delighted to see both princesses and such famous knights entreating him. Then his appearance changed; he dropped his head, crossed his hands on his breast and from a proud man became a humble one, and said with a soft, mild voice:
"Christ, our Saviour, forgave his enemies and even the malefactor on the cross."
"He is a true knight!" said Bishop Wysz.
"He is, he is!"
"How can I refuse to forgive," continued Kuno, "being not only a
Christian, but also a monk? Therefore I forgive him with all my heart, as
Christ's servant and friar!"
"Honor to him!" shouted Powala of Taczew.
"Honor!" repeated the others.
"But," said the Krzyzak, "I am here among you as an envoy and I carry in me the majesty of the whole Order which is Christ's Order. Whosoever offends me, therefore, offends the Order; and whosoever offends the Order, offends Christ himself; and such an offence, I, in the presence of God and the people, cannot forgive; and if your law does not punish it, let all Christian lords know."
After these words, there was a profound silence. Then after a while there could be heard here and there the gnashing of teeth, the heavy breathing of suppressed wrath and Danusia's sobbings.
By evening all hearts were in sympathy with Zbyszko. The same knights who in the morning were ready to cut him into pieces, were now considering how they could help him. The princesses determined to see the queen, and beseech her to prevail upon Lichtenstein to withdraw his complaint; or if necessary to write to the grand master of the Order, and ask him to command Kuno to give up the case. This plan seemed to be the best because Jadwiga was regarded with such unusual respect that if the grand master refused her request, it would make the pope angry and also all Christian lords. It was not likely that he would refuse because Konrad von Jungingen was a peaceable man. Unfortunately Bishop Wysz of Krakow, who was also the queen's physician, forbade them to mention even a word about this affair to the queen. "She never likes to hear about death sentences," he said, "and she takes even the question of a simple robber's death too seriously; she will worry much more if she hear about this young man who hopes to obtain mercy from her. But such anxiety will make her seriously ill, and her health is worth more to the whole kingdom than ten knightly heads." He finally said that if anyone should dare, notwithstanding what he had said, to disturb the queen, on that one he would cause the king's anger to rest and then he threatened such an one with excommunication.
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