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PART EIGHTH: CHAPTER III
Zbyszko was unable to overtake Hlawa, because the latter traveled day and
night, and only rested as much as was absolutely necessary to avoid the
breaking down of the horses, which only subsisted on grass, and were
consequently faint and unable to withstand such long marches as they
could in regions where oats could be easily procured. Hlawa neither
spared himself, nor took into consideration the advanced age and weakness
of Zygfried. The old knight suffered terribly, especially because the
sinewy Macko had previously wrenched his bones. But still worse were the
mosquitoes which swarmed in the humid wilderness, and as his hands were
bound and his legs fastened beneath the horse's belly, he was unable to
drive them away. Hlawa did not directly torture him in the least, but he
had no compassion for him, and only unfastened his right hand to enable
him to eat when he stopped for refreshment.
"Eat, ravening wolf, so that I may bring you alive to the lord of
Spychow." Such were the words of inducement to stimulate Zygfried's
appetite. At first Zygfried resolved to starve himself to death; but when
be heard the announcement that in such case Hlawa would forcibly open his
teeth with a knife and stuff the food down his throat, he gave up his
intention in order to avoid such a degradation of the Order and knightly
honor.
But the Bohemian was particularly anxious to arrive at Spychow before his
master, so that he might spare his adored young lady from shame. Simple,
but courageous and fearless, he was not void of knightly noble sentiment,
and he well understood that Jagienka would be humiliated if she were at
Spychow together with Danusia. "It will be possible to tell the bishop,
in Plock (he thought) that the old knight of Bogdaniec, owing to his
guardianship, thought it necessary to take her with him, and then, as
soon as it was known that she was the bishop's ward, and besides
Zgorzelice she was also entitled to the abbot's estate, then even the
_wojewoda's_ son would not be too great for her." That thought
contributed to soothe his troubled mind. The very reason of his conveying
good news to Spychow troubled his mind, as it would be the source of
misfortune to Jagienka.
The beautiful face of Sieciechowna, as red as an apple, often appeared
before his eyes. On such occasions, he would, if the road permitted,
tickle the horse's sides with his spurs, because he wanted to reach
Spychow as soon as possible.
They traveled along intricate roads, or rather no roads at all, through
the woods, going straight ahead as the reaper does. The Bohemian knew
that by pushing on a little toward the west and constantly in a southerly
direction, he would reach Mazowsze and then all would go well. During the
daytime he followed the sun, and at night he marched by the stars. The
wilderness in front of him appeared endless. Days and nights passed by.
More than once he thought that Zbyszko would not succeed in bringing the
woman through the terrible wilderness alive, where there was no food to
be procured, and where the horses must be guarded by night from wolves
and bears. During the daytime they had to get out of the way of herds of
bison and aurochs; where the terrible wild-boar sharpens his crooked
tusks against the roots of the pine-trees, and very often it happened
that those who made no use of the crossbow, or did not strike with the
pike into the sides of a deer or young boar, such passed whole days
without food.
"How will it be here," thought Hlawa, "with a maiden who is already
almost tortured to death!"
Now and then, it happened that they had to cross swamps and deep ravines,
which continuous spring rains filled for days with rushing streams.
Lakes, too, were not wanting in the wilderness, in which they saw at
sunset whole flocks of deer and elk disporting in the red transparent
waters.
Often they also perceived smoke which showed the presence of people. On
several occasions Hlawa approached such forest settlements, whence wild
people would issue, clothed with skins upon their naked bodies, armed
with clubs and bows, and looking from under their shaggy-tangled hair;
the men took them to be werewolves. It was necessary to take advantage of
their first astonishment whilst they were looking at the knights, and
leave them in the greatest haste.
Arrows whistled twice near the Bohemian's ears, and he heard the shouts
of "Wokili" (Germans!) But he preferred to run away rather than to make
himself known. Finally, after a few days he began to think that perhaps
he had already crossed the frontier, but there was nobody from whom he
could ascertain. Only when he met some colonists who spoke the Polish
language did he get the information, that he finally stood upon
Mazowszian soil.
There it was better, although the whole eastern part of Mazowsze was also
one wilderness. But it did not terminate uninhabitated as the other did.
When the Bohemian arrived at a colony they were less shy--perhaps because
they were not so much brought up in constant hatred, or that the Bohemian
could converse with them in Polish. The only trouble with them was the
boundless curiosity of the people who surrounded the travelers, and
overwhelmed them with questions. When they were informed that he carried
a prisoner, a Knight of the Cross, they said:
"Give him to us, sir, we will take care of him!"
They importuned the Bohemian so much, that he often became very angry
with them, but at the same time, he explained, that he could not grant
their request because the prisoner belonged to the prince. Then only they
relented. Later on when he arrived in the inhabited places among the
nobles and land-owners, he did not get off so easily. The hatred against
the Order was raging, because everywhere they still remembered vividly
the wrongs which the prince had suffered at its hands when, in time of
peace, the Knights of the Cross had kidnapped the prince near Zlotorja
and imprisoned him. They did not wish to dispatch Zygfried at once. But
here and there, one of the doughty Polish nobles would say: "Unbind him
and we will give him arms, and then challenge him to deadly combat." To
such the Bohemian would give a potent reason: that the right to vengeance
belonged to the unfortunate lord of Spychow, and one must not deprive him
of that privilege.
The journey through the inhabited region was easy; because there were
good roads and there was plenty of provender for the horses. The Bohemian
continued his uninterrupted march until after ten days' travel he arrived
before Corpus Christi day at Spychow.
He arrived in the evening, at the same time as when he had brought the
news from Macko, that he had left Szczytno for the Zmudz country. It also
happened now as before, that Jagienka, observing him through the window,
rushed toward him, and he fell at her feet. He was speechless for a
while. But she soon lifted him up and took him aside, as she did not wish
to interrogate him in the presence of others.
"What news?" she asked, trembling with impatience, and scarcely able to
catch her breath. "Is she alive? Well?"
"Alive! Well!"
"Has she been found?"
"She has. They rescued her."
"Praised be Jesus Christ!"
But whilst she spoke these words her face assumed a deathly pallor,
because all her hopes crumbled into dust.
However, her strength did not forsake her, neither did she lose
consciousness. After a moment she mastered herself entirely and enquired
again:
"When will she be here?"
"Within a few days! She is sick and the road is very bad."
"Is she sick?"
"Martyred. Her reason is confused with her tortures."
"Merciful Jesus!"
Silence reigned for a moment. Jagienka's lips became pale and they moved
as though in prayer.
"Did she recognize Zbyszko?" she asked again.
"She may have done so, but I am not sure, because I left at once, in
order to inform you, lady, of the news. That is the reason why I am
standing here."
"God reward you. Tell me how it happened!"
The Bohemian related briefly how they rescued Danusia, how they captured
the giant Arnold together with Zygfried. He also informed them that he
had brought Zygfried with him, because the young knight wished to present
him to Jurand so that the latter might avenge himself.
"I must now go to Jurand," said Jagienka, when he had finished.
Then she left, but Hlawa had not been long alone when Sieciechowna rushed
toward him from the next apartment; but either because not entirely
conscious, owing to the fatigue and exceeding great troubles he had
passed through, or owing to his yearning for her, he entirely forgot
himself when he saw her; suffice it to say he caught her by the waist,
pressed her to his breast and kissed her eyes, cheeks and mouth in such a
manner as though he had previously informed her of everything that was
necessary for her to know before the kissing began.
Perhaps he had already told her everything in spirit, when upon the road,
therefore he kissed her and kept on kissing endlessly. He embraced her so
strongly that she lost her breath. Yet she did not defend herself, at
first from surprise and then, from faintness, so that were it not for
Hlawa's powerful grasp she would have fallen to the ground.
Fortunately this did not last too long because distant steps were heard
on the stairs, and after a moment, Father Kaleb rushed into the room.
They then quickly separated, and the priest began to overwhelm him with
questions. But Hlawa was unable to catch his breath and replied with
difficulty. The priest thought that his condition was owing to fatigue.
But when the news of the finding of Danusia, her rescue and the presence
of her torturer in Spychow was confirmed by Hlawa, he fell upon his knees
to thank God for it. Meanwhile Hlawa quieted down a little, and when the
priest got up, he was able to repeat his story in a more intelligent and
quiet manner in what way Danusia had been found and how they had rescued
her.
"God did not deliver her," the priest said, whilst listening to his
narrative, "in order that her reason and soul should be restored whilst
she was in the darkness and in the power of the unclean. Let Jurand only
lay his saintly hand upon her, and offer only one of his prayers, and he
will restore her reason and health."
"Knight Jurand?" asked the Bohemian, with astonishment. "Does he possess
so much power? Can he become a saint whilst he is alive?"
"Before God he is considered a saint even whilst he is alive. But when he
dies the people will have one more patron saint in heaven;--a martyr."
"But you said, reverend father,'that if he were only to lay his saintly
hands upon the head of his daughter.' Has his right hand grown again? for
I know you prayed for it."
"I said: 'the hands,' as it is customary to say," replied the priest.
"But one hand is enough, if God will."
"Surely," answered Hlawa.
But in his voice there was something discouraging when he thought that it
appeared like a miracle. Jagienka's entrance interrupted further
conversation.
"Now I have informed him carefully of the news," she said. "To avoid the
death, which sudden joy might cause, but he fell with the cross in his
hands and prayed."
"I am sure that he will be in such a condition till morning, as he is
accustomed to lie prostrate in prayer whole nights," said Father Kaleb.
And so it happened; they called to see him several times and each time
they found him stretched on the ground, not asleep but in such a fervent
prayer that it bordered on perfect ecstasy. Now the watchman, whose duty
it was to watch according to custom over Spychow from the top of the
tower, said afterward that he observed that night an extraordinary
brightness in the house of the "Old lord."
Very early on the following morning when Jagienka called again to see
him, he showed his desire to see Hlawa and the prisoner. The prisoner was
brought before him immediately from the dungeon. He was tightly bound
with his hands crossed upon his chest. All, including Tolima, advanced
toward the old man.
But owing to a dark, cloudy day and the insufficient light of a
threatening tempest, which penetrated the bladder panes, the Bohemian was
unable to see Jurand well. But as soon as his keen eyes grew accustomed
to the darkness and looked upon him, he scarcely recognized him. The
gigantic man had dwindled to a giant skeleton. His face was so white that
it did not much differ from his snow-white hair, and when he bowed on the
arm of his chair, with his eyelids closed, he appeared to Hlawa like a
real corpse.
In front of the chair stood a table; upon it were a crucifix, a pitcher
of water, and a loaf of black bread in which stuck the _misericordia_,
that terrible knife which the knights made use of in dispatching the
wounded. Besides bread and water, Jurand enjoyed no other nourishment.
His only garment consisted of coarse sackcloth upon his naked body
fastened with a straw girdle. Such was the manner of living of that once
powerful and terrible knight of Spychow, since his return from his
captivity in Szczytno.
Now, when he heard them arrive, he kicked aside the tame she-wolf which
gnawed at his bare feet, It was then that Jurand appeared to the Bohemian
like a real corpse. There was suspense for a moment, because they
expected some sign from him ordering them to talk: but he sat motionless,
pale, and peaceful; his mouth, a little opened, had the real appearance
of one who is plunged in the everlasting sleep of death.
Jagienka finally announced that Hlawa was there, and gently enquired:
"Do you wish to hear him?"
Old Jurand nodded his head affirmatively, and the Bohemian began, for the
third time, to narrate briefly the story of the battles with the Germans
near Gotteswerder. He told him of the fight with Arnold von Baden and how
they had rescued Danusia. Not wishing to add new pains to the sufferings
of the old martyr and destroy the effect produced by the good news of
Danusia's rescue, he purposely avoided relating that her mind suffered
for a long time on account of terrible distress. But, on the other hand,
as his heart was filled with rancor against the Knights of the Cross, and
thirsting to see Zygfried receive his deserved terrible chastisement, he
purposely mentioned the fact that when they found her she was terrified,
emaciated and sick, and it was evident that they must have treated her as
executioners do, and had she remained longer in their terrible hands she
would have withered and perished as a little flower withers and perishes
when trodden under foot.
Whilst Hlawa recited the news, the sky was overcast and the clouds grew
darker, which showed the approach of a storm. The copper-colored masses
of clouds which hung over Spychow rolled more heavily upon one another.
Jurand was motionless and listened to the recital without any trembling,
so that he appeared to be in deep sleep. Nevertheless, he heard and
understood everything, for when Hlawa told the story of Danusia's woes,
two large drops of tears rolled down his cheeks from the hollows of his
eyes. Only one earthly feeling still remained in his breast, and that was
love for his child.
Then his blue lips began to move in prayer. The first distant
thunderclaps were heard outside. Now and then lightning illuminated the
windows. He prayed long, and again the tears trickled down upon his white
beard. When he finally ceased to pray, long silence reigned, which was so
much prolonged as to cause uneasiness to those present because they did
not know what to do.
Finally, old Tolima, who was Jurand's right hand, his companion in all
battles, and the chief guard of Spychow, said:
"That man of Hades, that werewolf Knight of the Cross who tortured you
and your child stands now before you. Give a sign what shall be done to
him, and in what manner we shall chastise him!"
Upon hearing these words, rays of light crossed Jurand's face and he
nodded to them to bring the prisoner near him. And in the twinkling of an
eye, two men grasped him by the shoulders and placed him in front of the
old man, who stretched out his hand to Zygfried's face, which he touched
as though to feel the outlines and recognize it for the last time. Then
he lowered his hand to Zygfried's chest upon which he felt his bound
hands, touched the fastening ropes, again closed his eyelids and bowed
his head.
They thought that he was absorbed in thought, but whether that was so or
not, it was not of long duration, because after a while he started out of
his reverie and pointed with his hand in the direction of the loaf of
bread, in which the ill-omened _misericordia_ stuck.
Then, Jagienka, the Bohemian, even old Tolima and all present held their
breath. It was a hundredfold well-deserved punishment, a righteous
revenge. Yet their hearts palpitated at the thought that the half-alive
old man should be groping to slash the bound prisoner.
But Jurand, seizing the knife in the middle, ran his finger along its
sharp edge, so that he might feel the thing he was cutting, and began to
sever the bonds upon Zygfried's arms.
At that sight, all were seized with amazement, because they understood
his desire and could scarcely believe it. However, that was too much for
them. Hlawa was the first to murmur; he was followed by Tolima and the
other men. Only the priest Kaleb began to ask, in a voice broken with
unrestrained weeping:
"Brother Jurand, what are your wishes? Do you intend to give the prisoner
his liberty?"
"It is so!" replied Jurand, nodding his head affirmatively.
"No punishment for him, nor vengeance? Is that your desire?"
"It is!" and he nodded again.
Open discontent was shown in the murmurs and anger of the men, but the
priest did not wish to belittle such an unheard-of deed of mercy. He
turned to the murmurers and exclaimed:
"Now who dares to oppose the saint? Down upon your knees!"
Then he knelt down himself and began to say:
"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom
come...."
And he repeated the Lord's Prayer to the end. At the words: "And forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," he
directed his eyes involuntarily toward Jurand, whose face actually
assumed an unearthly radiance.
That sight, and that expressive prayer crushed the hearts of all present;
even old Tolima, the confirmed, hardened warrior, made the sign of the
Holy Cross, and immediately embraced Jurand's feet and said:
"Lord, if you want your wishes to be accomplished, then the prisoner
should be led to the frontier."
"Yes!" nodded Jurand.
The storm approached nearer and nearer and the lightning more frequently
illuminated the windows.
Content of PART EIGHTH: CHAPTER III [Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel: The Knights of the Cross]
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