presented to

Xibran?

of tbc

\Hntverait? of Toronto

From the library of the late

A.M. Stewart, Esq., K.C. (University College, 1891)

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ AND JEREMIAH CURTIN, WARSAW, 1900.

TUB

KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

HBNRi

LDRBN OF THB SOIL," ETC.

AUTHOR/

TEE PC.

JEREMIAH CURTXN.

FIRST HALF.

WANT.

THE

KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

BY

HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ,

AUTHOR OF "QUO VADIS," "WITH FIRE AND SWORD, "CHILDREN OF THE SOIL," ETC.

AUTHORIZED AND UNABRIDGED^ TRANSLATION FROM THE POLISH BY

JEREMIAH CURTIN.

FIRST HALF.

BOSTON:

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

1918.

Copyright, 1899, 1900, r JEREMIAH CURTIN.

All rights reserved.

S. J. PABKHILL & Co., BOSTON, U.S.A,

TO

COUNTESS ANNA BRANITSKI OF VILLANOV.

MADAM, — You know the language -of this translation as accurately as you know Polish; you reverence what is true and beautiful in literature as well as in life; to you therefore I beg to dedicate these volumes.

JEREMIAH CURT1N.

WARSAW, May 1, 1900.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.

THE period embraced in " The Knights of the Cross " is one of the most dramatic and fruitful of results in European annals, — a period remarkable for work and endeavor, especially in the Slav world.

Among Western Slavs the great events were the Hussite wars and the union of Lithuania and Poland. The Hussite wars were caused by ideas of race and religion which were born in Bohemia. These ideas pro- duced results which, beyond doubt, were among the most striking in European experience. The period of Bohemian activity began in 1403 and ended in 1434, the year of the battle of Lipan, which closed the Bohemian epoch.

The marriage in 1386 of Queen Yadviga to Yagello, Grand Prince of Lithuania, brought Poland into inti- mate relations with all the regions owing allegiance to the Lithuanian dynasty, and made it possible to crush at Tannenberg the Knights of the Cross, whose object was the subjection of Poland and Lithuania, and a boundless extension of German influence in eastern Europe.

Bohemian struggles made the religious movement of the next century possible in Germany. The Polish victory at Tannenburg called forth that same movement. Had the Knights of the Cross been victorious at Tan- nenburg and found the East open to conquest and their apostolic labor, it is not conceivable that the German princes would have taken action against Rome, for such action would not have been what we call practical politics, and the German princes were pre-eminently

vii

Vlil TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.

practical. But when the road to the East was barred by Polish victory there was no way for Germany to meet Rome but with obedience or a new religion ; hence the German Reformation. Luther himself declared that he could not have succeeded had Huss not lived before him. Huss gave the intellectual experience needed by the Germans while Polish victory threw them back upon Germany and thus forced the issue between Roman and German tendencies.

The history ending at Tannenberg is of profound interest, whether we consider the objects sought for on each side, or the details involved in the policy and the acts, diplomatic and military, of the two opposing forces.

The struggle between German and Slav began long before the Knights of the Cross were in existence. Originating in earlier ages in what undoubtedly was mere race opposition, it grew envenomed at the begin- ning of the ninth century, after the restoration, or more correctly, perhaps, after the creation of the Western Empire in 800, in the person of Charlemagne. This new Roman Empire was German; there was little of Roman in it save the claim to universal dominion. This pretension to empire was reinforced greatly by association with the Church, whose unbending resolve it was to bring all men to the doctrine of Christ, that is, to bring them within its own fold and jurisdiction.

The position of peoples outside the Empire and the Church, that is, people independent and not Christian, who refused the rule of the Empire and the teachings of the Church, was that of rebels against Imperial authority, and dupes of Satan.

The position was aggravated intensely by the fact that those peoples were forced to accept political subjec- tion and the new religion together. Political subjec- tion meant that the subordinated race went into contempt and inferiority, was thrust down to a servile condition ;

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE. ix

the race lost land, freedom, language, race institutions, primitive ideas, and that aboriginal philosophy which all races have without exception, no matter what be their color or what territory they occupy.

North Germany from the Elbe eastward is German- ized Slav territory ; the struggle to conquer the region between the Elbe and the Oder lasted till the end of the twelfth century, the process of Germanizing lasted during centuries afterward. Those of the Slav leaders in this region who were of use in managing the people and were willing to associate themselves with the invaders retained their positions and became German. The present ducal houses of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Mecklenburg-Schwerin are of this kind, Slav in origin.

After the fall of those Slavs between the Elbe and the Oder the German (Roman) Empire and Poland stood face to face.

Omitting details for which there is no space here it suffices to state that the early leaders of the Poles saw at once the supreme need in their own case of separat- ing religion from other questions. The first historic ruler of Poland, Miezko I., 963-992, married a Bohe- mian princess and introduced Christianity himself. He forestalled the Germans and deprived them of the apostolic part of their aggressive movement, and one great excuse for conquest.

Being Christianized the Poles maintained themselves against the Germans, but as they were Christian they felt obliged to extend Christianity to places embraced within their territory or connected with it.

Along the Baltic from the Vistula to the Niemen lived the Prussians, a division of the Lithuanian stock. The Lithuanians are not exactly Slavs, but they are much nearer to the Slavs than to any other people, and are among the most interesting members of the great Aryan race. In their language are preserved verbal

X TKANSLATOK'S NOTE.

forms which are more primitive than those retained in Sanscrit, and with the single exception of the Gaelic of Ireland and Scotland it has preserved in actual use the most primitive forms of Aryan speech, though its gram- matical methods are not so primitive as some used in the Gaelic.

The Prussians had a great love for their own primi- tive racial religion and for their independence; this religion and this independence they considered as in- separable. They inhabited a portion, or what was con- sidered a portion, of the territory of Konrad, Prince of Mazovia, who tried to convert them; but instead of suc- ceeding in his attempt he met with failure, and the Prussians took revenge by invading that part of his ter- ritory which was purely Polish and Christian, and which was known as Mazovia, immediately south of and bordering on Prussia, which, as stated already, touched on the Baltic and extended from the Vistula to the Niemen. The chief town of Mazovia was Warsaw, which became afterward the capital of Poland.

Among measures taken by Konrad to convert Prussia was the formation of a military order called the Brothers of Dobryn. These Brothers the Prussians defeated terribly in

In 1226 Konrad called in the Knights of the Cross to aid in converting the stubborn Prussians, and en- dowed them with land outside of Prussia, reserving sovereign rights to himself, at least implicitly. The Knights, however, intended from the very first to take the territory from Konrad and erect a great German State in the east of Europe on Slav and Lithuanian ruins. They had no intention of performing apostolic labor without enjoying the highest earthly reward for

it, that is, sovereign authority^ -^^_____

— Before he had received the grant from Konrad, the Grand Master of the Order obtained a privilege from

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE. xi

the Emperor Frederick II., who in virtue of his pre- tended universal dominion bestowed the land which Konrad might give for the use of the Knights, and in addition all territory which the Order could win by conquest.

The work of conquest and conversion began. A crusade against Prussia was announced throughout Europe. From Poland alone went twenty thousand men to assist in the labor.

Soon, however, Konrad wished to define his sovereign rights more explicitly. The Order insisted on complete independence. In 1234 a false1 document was pre- parecT and presented by the Grand Master to Pope Gregory IX. as the deed of donation from Konrad. The Pope accepted the gift, gave the territory in fief to the Order, informed Konrad, August, 1234, of the posi- tion of the Knights, and enjoined on him to aid them with all means in his power.

Konrad of Mazovia was in an awkward position. He had brought in of his own will a foreign power which had all western Europe and the Holy See to support it, which had, moreover, unbounded means of discredit- ing the Poles ; and these means the Order never failed in using to the utmost.

In half a century after their coming the Knights, aided by volunteers and strengthened by contributions from the rest of Europe had subjugated and converted Prussia, and considered Lithuania and Poland as sure conquests, to be made at their own leisure and in great part at the expense of Western Christendom. is was the power which fell j

| The German military Order of TheTeutonic iSights, / or Knights of the Cross, was founded in Palestine in I 1190 to succeed an Order of Knight Hospitallers, also \ German, which was founded about 1128.

Dzieje Narodu Polskiego Dr. A. Lewicki, p. 82, Warsaw, 1899.

MAP OF POLAND

AND THE

TERRITORY OF THE ORDER

BEFORE THE BATTLE OF GRUNWALD

afnttm. on. if umt. umn MI COMHUH

MAP SHOWING

CHANGES RESULTING

FROM THE BATTLE OF

GRUNWALD

\ H IHN G A R Y

THE

- KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

CHAPTEE I.

IN Tynets, at the Savage Bull, an inn which belonged to the monastery, were sitting a number of persons, listening to the tales of a veteran warrior, who had come from distant parts, and was relating adventures through which he had passed in war and on the road.

He was a bearded man, in the vigor of life, broad shoul- dered, almost immense, but spare of -flesh; his hair was caught up in a net ornamented with beads ; he wore a leathern coat with impressions made on it by armor; his belt was formed entirely of bronze squares; under this belt was a knife in a horn sheath ; at his side hung a short travelling- sword.

Right there near him, behind the table, sat a youth with long hair and a gladsome expression of eye, evidently the man's comrade, or perhaps his armor-bearer, for he was also in travelling-apparel, and wore a similar coat, on which were impressions of armor. The rest of the society was composed of two country people from the neighborhood of Cracow and three citizens in red folding caps, the sharp- pointed tops of which hung down on one side a whole yard.

The innkeeper, a German wearing a yellow cowl and collar with indented edge, was pouring to them from a pitcher into earthen tankards substantial beer, and listening with interest to the narrative of warlike adventures.

But with still greater interest did the citizens listen. In those days the hatred which, during the time of Lokietek, distinguished citizens from knightly landowners, had de- creased notably; citizens held their heads higher than in later centuries. They were still called at that time " des aller durchluchtigsten Kuniges und Herren"1 and their readi-

1 See note at the end of Volume II. VOL. r. — 1

2 THE KSIG1ITS OF THE CROSS.

ness "ad concessionem pecuniarum " (to pay money) wag esteemed; hence it happened frequently that merchants were seen drinking in inns on the footing of lord brother with nobles. Nobles were even glad to see them, for mer- chants, as persons who possessed ready coin, paid usually for men with escutcheons.

So this time they sat and conversed, winking from moment to moment at the innkeeper to replenish the tankards.

"Then, noble knights," said one of the merchants, "ye have examined a piece of the world ? "

" Not many of those now assembling in Cracow from all parts have seen as much," answered the knight.

"And not a few will assemble," continued the citizen. " Great feasts, and great happiness for the kingdom! They say, too, and it is certain, that the king has ordered for the queen a brocade bed embroidered with pearls, and above it a canopy. There will be festivals and tournaments within barriers, such as the world has not seen to this day."

" Interrupt not the knight, Gossip Gamroth," said a second merchant.

" I am not interrupting him, Gossip Eyertreter, but I think that he himself will be glad to know what people are saying, for surely he is going to Cracow. As it is, we shall not re- turn to the city to-day, for the gates would be closed before us; and at night insects, hatched among chips, do not let people sleep, so we have time for everything."

" But you answer one word with twenty. You are growing old, Gamroth."

" Still I can carry a piece of damp cloth under my arm."

" Oh, indeed ! but such cloth that light passes through it, as through a sieve."

Further conversation was interrupted by the warrior.

" It is sure," said he, " that I shall stop in Cracow, for 1 have heard of the tournaments, and shall be glad to try my strength in the lists, — and this nephew of mine here also, who, though young and beardless, has seen more than one coat of mail on the ground."

The guests looked at the youth, who smiled jo}^ously, and, when he had put his long hair behind his ears with both hands, raised the tankard of beer to his lips.

" Even if we wished to return," added the old knight, "we have no place to which we could go."

" How is that ? "asked one of the nobles. "Whence are ye, and what are your names? "

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 3

" I am called Matsko of Bogdanets, and this stripling is the son of my brother ; his name is Zbyshko. Our shield is the Blunted Horseshoe, with watchword Hail ! "

" Where is your Bogdanets? "

"Oh, better ask me, lord brother, where it was, for it exists no longer. Even during the wars of the Grymaliti and Nalentchi our Bogdanets was burned to its foundations, and what we had there people took from us ; our serving-men fled. The place was left naked, for neighboring land-tillers went farther into the wilderness. I with my brother, the father of this stripling, built up our castle anew, but the next year water swept it away from us. After that my brother died, and then I was alone with his orphan. * I shall not stay here,' thought I. At that time people were talking of war, and of this, that Yasko of Olesnitsa, whom King Vladislav sent to Vilno to succeed Mikolai of Moskorzov, was seeking knights diligently throughout Poland. As I knew Yanko, the worthy abbot of Tulcha, I pledged my land to.him, and with borrowed money bought arms and horses. I found for myself the out- fit usual in war, this lad, who was twelve then, I seated on a pony, and away to Yasko of Olesnitsa."

"With this stripling ?"

" My dear, he was not even a stripling at that time, but he was a sturdy little fellow. At twelve he could put his cross- bow on the ground, press with his stomach, and so turn the bow crank that no Englishman whom we saw at Vilno could do better."

"Was he so strong?"

" He carried my helmet at twelve, and when thirteen win- ters old he carried my shield."

" Then there was no lack of wars there? "

" Thanks to Vitold, there was not. The prince was al- ways urging the Knights of the Cross, and every year they sent expeditions to Lithuania against Vilno. Various nations went with them : English, who are the first of bowmen, French, Germans, Bohemians, Swiss, and Burgundians. They felled forests, built fortresses on the way, and at last harried Lithu- ania savagely with fire and sword, so that all the people who dwelt in that land wished to leave it, and search out another, even at the end of the world, — even among sons of Belial, if only far from Germans."

" It was reported here that all Lithuanians wished to go away with their children and wives; we did not believe that,"

4 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

"But I saw it. Hei! had it not been for Mikolai of Moskorzov, and Yasko of Olesnitsa, and without boasting, had it not been for us, Vilno would not now be existing."

" We know. Ye would not surrender the castle."

" And we did not. Listen, then, attentively to what I tell you ; for I am a man who has served, I am a warrior of ex- perience. People of the old time said in their day, ' Lithu- ania is venomous,' and they spoke truly. The Lithuanians fight well single-handed, but in the open field they cannot measure with the knightlaood. When the horses of the Ger- mans sink in swamps, or when they are in a dense forest, it is different."

" The Germans are good knights! " exclaimed the citizens.

4 'They stand like a wall, man to man, in iron armor, so covered that hardly is the eye of a dog brother of them to be seen through his vizor. And they go in line. It used to happen that the Lithuanians would strike them and be scat- tered like sand, and if they were not scattered the Germans put them down like a pavement and trampled them. But the Germans are not alone, for all nations in the world serve with the Knights of the Cross. Ah, those strangers are gallant! More than once a foreign knight would bend for- ward, lower his lance, and even before battle strike all alone into a whole army, like a falcon into a flock."

" Christ ! " called out Gamroth. " Who is the best among the foreigners ? "

"It depends on the weapon. At the crossbow the Eng- lish are best ; they pierce armor through and through with a shaft, and hit a clove a hundred steps distant. The Chehs cut terribly with axes. At the two-handed sword no one surpasses the German. The Swiss delight in breaking thick helmets with iron flails. But the greatest knights are those who come from the French land. They will fight with thee on foot or on horseback, and hurl terribly valiant words at thee ; words which thou wilt not at all understand, for their speech is as if one were to rattle a tin plate, though these people are God-fearing. They have accused us, through Ger- man interpreters, of defending Pagans and Saracens against Knights of the Cross, and have bound themselves to prove it by a knightly duel. There is to be a judgment of God between four of their knights and four of ours ; the meeting is appointed at the court of Vatslav, the Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia."

Here greater curiosity seized the country people and the

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 5

merchants, so that they stretched their necks over the tank- ards toward Matsko of Bogdanets and inquired,—

" And of ours who will meet the French? Tell quickly! "

Matsko raised his beer to his lips, drank, and answered :

" Ei ! have no fear for our men. They are Yan of Vlosh- chova, castellan of Dobryn; Mikolai of Vashmuntov; Yasko of Dakov ; and Yarosh of Chehov. All are knights to be proud of, deadly fellows. Whether they do battle with lance, sword, or axe — it is nothing new to them ! Men's eyes will have something to look at, and their ears something to hear. I have said, put foot on the throat of a French- man and he will send knightly words at thee. So help me God and the Holy Cross ! as the French talk, so do ours slay."

" There will be glory, if God bless us," said one of the nobles.

4 ' And Saint Stanislav ! " added another. Then, turning to Matsko, he continued: "Well, now go on! You have glorified the Germans and other knights, saying that they are brave and that they broke Lithuanians easily. But against you was it not more difficult? Did they go against you with the same willingness? How did God favor? Give praise to our side ! "

Evidently Matsko was no braggart, hence he answered modestly, —

" Whoso is fresh from distant lands strikes us willingly, but after he has tried us once and a second time he has not the same courage, for our people are stubborn. We have been reproached often with this stubbornness. ' Ye despise death,' say our enemies, ' but ye help the Saracens, and for this ye will be damned ! ' But in us stubbornness increases, for what they say is untrue. The double kingdom bap- tized Lithuania, and all people there confess Christ the Lord, though not every one does so with knowledge. We know that when a devil was cast out of the cathedral in Plotsk, our gracious lord gave command to set up a candle to him, and priests had to tell the king that it was improper to do that. Well, how must it be in the case of a common man? More than one says to himself: 'The prince has given command to be christened, he has given command to bow down to Christ, so I bow down ; but why should I spare a pot of curds on the ancient pagan devils, why not throw them a toasted turnip, or pour to them beer foam? Un- less I do so my horses will drop dead, or my cows will be

6 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

sick, or their milk will grow bloody, or there will be harm to the harvest.' Many act in this way, and fall under sus- picion. But they act thus through ignorance and through fear of devils. Formerly those devils had pleasant lives. They had their groves, their houses, horses to ride on, and they received tithes. But now the groves are cut down, they have nothing to eat; bells are rung in the towns, so this vileness is confined in the deepest forests and howls there in anguish. If a Lithuanian goes to the forest among pines, one devil or another pulls him by the coat, and says 'Give!' Some give, but there are bold fellows who give nothing, and even catch the devils. One man poured roasted peas into an ox bladder, and thirteen devils crawled in right away. He shut them in with a service- wood plug and took them for sale to the Franciscan monks in Vilno, who gave him twenty groshes with gladness, so as to destroy the ene- mies of Christ's name. I myself saw that bladder, and a disgusting odor entered a man's nostrils at a distance from it; by such odors do foul spirits express their terror of holy water. "

" But who counted the thirteen devils?" asked the mer- chant Gamroth, cleverly.

"A Lithuanian who saw them crawl in counted. It was evident that they were there, for that was shown by the stench, but no one would take out the plug."

"Those are wonders, wonders ! " cried one of the nobles.

" I have looked my fill at great wonders not a few. We cannot say that those Lithuanian people are pleasant, everything about them is strange. They ai-e shaggy, and hardly a prince among them curls his hair ; they eat roasted turnips, preferring them to all other food, for they say that turnips increase bravery. They live in the same house with their cattle and their serpents, they know no moderation in eating and drinking. They hold nrnrried women in no esteem, but maidens they reverence highly and recognize great power in them ; so if any maiden rubs a man's stomacli with dried sycamore, gripes leave him that moment."

"Well, one would not be sorry to have the gripes if the maiden were shapely," called out Eyertreter.

" Ask Zbyshko," replied Matsko of Bogclanets.

Zbyshko laughed till the bench shook beneath him. " There are wonderful maidens among them!" said he. "Was not Ryngalla wonderful?"

" What Ryngalla? Some gay one? Tell us immediately."

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 7

u Have ye not heard of Ryngalla? " inquired Matsko.

" Not a word."

"Well, she is Prince Vitold's sister, and was the wife of Henryk <; Prince of Mazovia."

"How is that? What Prince Henryk? There was only one Mazovian prince of that name, the bishop elect of Plotsk, but he died."

" The same man. A dispensation was to come from Rome to him, but death gave him the first dispensation ; evi- dently he did not delight the Lord over much with his con- duct. I was sent in that time with a letter from Yasko of Olesnitsa, to Prince Vitold, when Prince Henryk came from King Vladislav to Ritterswerder, as the bishop elect of Plotsk. The war had already become disagreeable to Vitold for this reason specially, that he could not take Vilno, and to our king his own brothers and their loose conduct had become disagreeable. The king, seeing then greater skill and more wisdom in Vitold than in his own brothers, sent the bishop to him with proposals to leave the Knights of the Cross and incline to obedience, for which the government of Lithuania would be given him. Vitold, always eager for change, listened to the pleasant message. There were feasts and tournaments. The bishop mounted a horse with delight, and exhibited his knightly prowess in the lists, though other bishops did not approve of this conduct. By nature all princes of Mazovia are strong, and it is notorious that even maidens of that stock break horseshoes easily. So one day the prince bishop swept three knights of ours from their saddles, another day five, and me among them, while the horse under Zbyshko he put on his haunches. He received all rewards from the hands of the marvellous Ryngalla, be- fore whom he knelt in full armor. And they so fell in love that at feasts attendant clerics drew him away by the sleeves from her, and Vitold restrained the princess his sister. Then the prince bishop said : ' I give a dispensation to myself, and the pope will confirm it, if not the pope in Rome, he of Avignon, and we will have the marriage straightway, or I shall be consumed.' It was a great offence against God, but Vitold did not wish to offend the king's envoy. Then the young couple went to Suraj, and later to Slutsk, to the great grief of this Zbyshko here, who, in German fashion, had chosen Princess Ryngalla as the lady of his heart, and vowed fealty till death to her."

" Indeed, this is true ! " broke in Zbyshko. " But after-

8 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

ward people said that Princess Ryngalla, understanding that it was not proper for her to be married to the bishop elect (for though married, he had no wish to abandon his spiritual dignity), and because such a marriage could not be blessed by the Lord, poisoned her husband. Hearing of this, I prayed a holy hermit near Lublin to free me from my vow."

" He was a hermit indeed," answered Matsko, with a smile, " but I am not sure that he was holy, for we came upon him one Friday in the forest, where he was cracking bear-bones with an axe, and sucking out the marrow till there was gurgling in his throat."

" But he said that marrow was not flesh, and besides that he had a dispensation to eat it, for he had miraculous visions in sleep after eating marrow, and could prophesy on the morrow till mid-day."

" Well, well," replied Matsko. "But the wonderful R}7n- galla is a widow, and she may summon thee to service."

" She would summon me in vain, for I shall choose an- other lady to serve till death, and besides I shall find a wife."

" First find the belt of a knight."

" Of course! but will there not be tournaments after the queen's delivery ? Before that, or after it, the king will belt more than one man. I shall challenge every one. The prince would not have unseated me had my horse not sat on his haunches."

' ' There will be better men there than thou. "

Then a nobleman from near Cracow exclaimed, —

"By the dear God! in presence of the queen will appear, not such men as thou, but the most renowned knights on earth: Zavisha of Garbov, and Farurey and Dobko of Olesnitsa, and Povala of Tachev, and Pashko Zlodye of Bis- kupitsi, and Yasko Nashan, and Abdank of Gora, and Andrei of Brohotsitsi, and Krystin of Ostrov, and Yakov of Kobylani! How couldst thou cope with these, with whom no man can cope either here or at the court of Bohemia or Hun- gary. What sayest thou, art thou better than they ? How old art thou?"

"Eighteen," replied Zbyshko.

"Then each man of them could bend thee between his fingers."

"We shall see."

"I have heard," said Matsko, "that the king rewards

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 9

bountifully knights returning from the Lithuanian war. Say ye who come from the capital if that be true ? "

"True as God lives!" said one of the nobles. " The bountifulness of the king is known throughout the world, but now it will not be easy to squeeze up to him, for in Cracow it is just swarming with guests who are assembling to be there during the delivery of the queen and the christen- ing, wishing thus to show honor and fealty to our king. The King of Hungary is to be there, and they say the Roman Emperor too, and various princes, counts, and knights as numerous as poppy seed, because each man hopes that he will not go away empty-handed. They have said, even, that Pope Boniface himself will come ; he also needs the aid and favor of our lord against his enem3T in Avignon. In such a throng it will not be easy to gain audience, but if it be gained, and our lord's feet embraced, he will care for a man of merit bountifully, be assured."

' ' Then I will embrace his feet, for I have rendered ser- vice, and if there be war I will go again. I have gained booty, and received something from Prince Vitold as reward. 1 feel no need, but my evening years are coming, and in old age, when strength leaves his bones, a man is glad to have a quiet corner."

4 ; The king was rejoiced to see those who returned from Lithuania under Yasko of Olesuitsa, and they are all eating fatly at present."

" Well ! I did not return at that time, I warred on ; for ye should know that that peace between the king and Prince Vitold was ground out upon the Germans. The prince re- covered his hostages cunningly, and then attacked the Order. He stormed and burnt castles, slew knights, cut down a mul- titude of people. The Germans wished to take revenge in company with Swidrygello, who fled to them. There was a great expedition again. Conrad himself, the Grand Master, went with it, leading immense forces. They besieged Vilno, strove to storm castles from great towers, tried to take them by treason, but had no success in anything ! And in their retreat so many fell that not one half escaped. We took the field once more against the brother of the Grand Master, Ulrich of Jungingen, burgomaster of Sambia. But Ulrich was afraid of the prince and fled with weeping. Since that flight there is peace, and they are building up Vilno anew. A certain holy monk, who could walk on red-hot iron barefoot, prophesied that thenceforth while the world was

10 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

the world Vilno would not see near its walls an armed Ger- man. But if that be true, whose hands did the work? "

Matsko of Bogdanets stretched forth his hands, which were broad and strong beyond measure ; others began to nod and add, —

u Yes, yes ! he is right in what he says."

But further conversation was interrupted by a noise com- ing through the windows, from which the panes had been taken because the night was bright and warm. From afar was heard a clinking, the voices of people, the snorting of horses, and songs. Those present were astonished, for the hour was late and the moon had risen high in the heavens. The innkeeper, a German, ran out to the court of the inn, but before the guests could drain the last tankard he returned still more hurriedly.

" Some court is coming ! " exclaimed he.

A moment later at the door appeared a youth in a blue kaftan, and on his head a red folding cap. He stopped, looked at the company, and seeing the host said, —

" Wipe the tables there and trim the lights ; Princess Anna Danuta will halt here to rest."

Then he turned away. In the inn there was a movement, the host called to his servants and the guests looked at one another with astonishment.

u Princess Anna Danuta! " said one of the citizens ; " that is the daughter of Keistut ; she is wife of Yanush of Mazovia. She has passed two weeks already in Cracow, but went out to Zator, to Prince Vatslav on a visit, and now is returning of course."

" Gossip Gamroth," said the second citizen, " let us go to the hay in the barn ; this company is too high for us."

" I do not wonder that they travel at night," remarked Matsko, " for it is hot in the day-time; but why come to an jnn when there is a cloister near by ? "

Here he turned to Zbyshko.

"A sister, a full sister of the wonderful Ryngalla. Dost understand?"

"But there must be many Mazovian damsels with her, bei ! " said Zbyshko,

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 11

CHAPTER II.

MEANWHILE the princess passed in. She was a smiling- faced, middle-aged lady, dressed in a red mantle and a green, closely fitting robe ; at her hips was a golden girdle, which dropped downward in front and was fastened low with a great clasp. Behind the lady walked damsels of her court, some older, others not full-grown yet ; most of them had gar- lands of roses and lilies on their heads, and lutes in their hands. Some carried whole bunches of fresh flowers, evi- dently plucked along the road. The room was filled, for after the damsels came a number of courtiers and young boys. All entered briskly, with gladness in their faces, con- versing loudly, or singing, as if intoxicated with the beautiful evening and bright moonlight. Among the courtiers were two choristers, one with a lute, the other with a guitar at his girdle. One of the damsels, quite young yet, perhaps twelve years of age, carried behind the princess a lute adorned with brass nails.

' ' May Jesus Christ be praised ! " said the princess, halting in the middle of the room.

" For the ages of ages. Amen ! " answered those present, making low bows as they spoke.

" Bat where is the host? "

The German, hearing the summons, pushed forward and knelt in German fashion.

" We shall stop here for rest and refreshment," said the lady. " But move about briskly, for we are hungry."

The citizens had departed already, but now the two city nobles, and Matsko of Bogdanets with young Zbyshko, un- willing to disturb the court, bowed a second time with the intention of leaving the room; but the princess detained them.

" Ye are nobles, ye will not interrupt ! Make the acquaint- ance of our courtiers. Whence is God conducting you? "

At once they announced their names, their escutcheons, their service, and the villages by which they entitled them- selves. It was only when the lady heard from Matsko whence he was returning that she clapped her hands, and said, —

12 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

" See, here is luck ! Tell us of Vilno ; tell of my brother and sister. Will Prince Vitold come to the delivery of the queen and to the christening?"

" He would like to come, but not knowing whether he will be able, he has sent a silver cradle in advance by -priests and boyars, as a gift to the queen. I and my nephew have come to guard this cradle on the road."

" Then is the cradle here? I should like to see it. Is it all silver?"

"All silver, but it is not here. They have taken it to Cracow."

' ' But what are ye doing in Tynets ? "

"We have turned back to visit the procurator of the cloister, our relative, and confide to the care of the worthy monks what war has given us, and what the Prince has bestowed."

"Then God has shown favor? Was the booty consider- able? But tell us why my brother was uncertain of coming."

" Because he is preparing an expedition against the Tartars."

"I know that, but it troubles me, since the queen has prophesied an unhappy end to it, and what she prophesies always comes true."

Matsko smiled.

" Our lady is saintly, there is no denying that," said he, v- but a host of our knighthood will go with Prince Vitold, splendid men ; to meet them will not be easy for any force."

" And ye will not go ? "

"No, for I was sent with others to take the cradle; be- sides I have not taken armor from my body for five years," said Matsko, pointing to the impressions of the armor on his elkskin coat. "Only let me rest, then I will go; and if I should not go I will give Zbyshko, this nephew of mine, to Pan Spytek of Melshtyn, under whose lead all our knights will enroll themselves."

Princess Anna looked at the stately figure of Zbyshko, but further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a monk from the cloister, who, when he had greeted the prin- cess, began humbly to reproach her for not having sent a courier with the announcement of her coming, and for not halting at the monastery instead of a common inn, which was unworthy of her dignity. There was no lack in the monas- tery of houses and edifices in which even an ordinary person could find entertainment, and what would be done in case of

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 13

majesty, especially that of the spouse of a prince from whose ancestors and relatives the abbey had received so many benefactions ?

" We have stopped only to rest our limbs," said the prin- cess, good-humoredly ; "in the morning we must go to Cracow. We have slept enough in the day, and are travel- ling at night, because it is cool ; and as it was past cock-crow I did not wish to rouse the pious monks, especially with a company which has singing and dancing more in mind than rest."

But when the monk continued to insist, she added, —

" No. We will remain here. A good hour will pass in listening to worldly songs; we shall be at the church for morning mass, to begin the day with God."

" There will be a mass for the prosperity of the gracious prince and princess," said the monk.

4 ' The prince, my consort, will come only after four or five days."

' ' The Lord God has power to send fortune from afar ; but meanwhile let it be permitted us poor people to bring even wine from the cloister."

" We shall thank you for it gladly," said the princess.

uHei! Danusia, Danusia ! " called she, when the monk had gone ; " come out on the bench and rejoice our heart with that same song which thou gavest us in Zator."

Thereupon the courtiers placed a bench quickly in the mid die of the room. The choristers sat, one at each end of it, between them stood that young girl who had borne behind the princess the lute adorned with brass nails. On her head was a garland, her hair was flowing over her shoulders ; her robe was blue, her shoes red, with long tips. Standing on the bench she seemed a child, but at the same time a wonder- ful child, — a church statue, as it were, or a marionette. It was evident also that this was not the first time that she stood up and sang to the princess, for not the slightest confusion was evident in her.

" Go on, Danusia, go on! " cried the damsels.

She held the lute in front of her, raised her head like a bird about to sing, and closing her eyes, began in her silvery voice, —

•' Oh had I wings as a wild goose, I would fly after Yasek, I would fly after him to Silesia ! "

14 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

The choristers accompanied her promptly, one on a guitar, the other on a large lute ; the princess, who loved worldly songs beyond everything, swayed her head from side to side, and the little maiden sang on in a thin, childlike, fresh voice. It was like the singing of birds in a forest in springtime.

" I would sit on a fence in Silesia, Look at me, Yasek dear, Look at the poor little orphan."

And again the choristers accompanied.

Young Zbyshko of Bogdanets, accustomed from childhood to war and its stern images, had never seen anything like that in his life. He nudged in the shoulder a Mazovian standing near by, and inquired, —

" Who is she ? "

" She is a maiden of Princess Anna's suite. There is no lack of choristers with us who amuse the court; but she is the dearest little chorister of all, and the princess listens to no person's songs with such eagerness as to hers."

"That is no wonder to me. I thought her a real angel, and I cannot gaze at her sufficiently. What is her name? "

"But have you not heard? — Danusia. Her father is Yurand of Spyhov, a wealthy and valiant count, who is of those in advance of the banner."

" Hei ! human eyes have not seen the like of her."

" All love her, for her singing, and her beauty."

" But who is her knight? "

" She is a child yet."

Conversation was interrupted a second time by Danusia's singing.

From one side Zbyshko gazed at her, — at her bright hair, her raised head, her half-closed eyes, and at her whole figure, illuminated both by the light of the wax candles and the light of the moon-rays coming in through the open window ; and he was more and more astonished. It seemed to him that he had seen her sometime, but he could not remember where, — in a dream, or at Cracow, in a church window. Then he pushed the courtier, and asked in a low voice, —

" Is she of your court, then? "

" Her mother came from Lithuania with Princess Anna Danuta, who gave her in marriage to Yurand of Spyhov. She was beautiful and of a great family, beloved of the prin- cess beyond other damsels, and loving the princess herself. For this reason she named her daughter Anna Danuta. Five

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 15

years ago, when the Germans fell upon our court at Zlotoria, she died of fright. Princess Anna took the little girl at that time, and is rearing her. Her father comes often to the court, and is glad when he sees his child in good health and beloved of the princess. But, as often as he looks at her, he sheds tears thinking of his dead one ; and then he turns against the Germans, to seek vengeance for the terrible wrong which they wrought on him. No man loved his own wife more than he up to that time in all Mazovia, and he has slain a host of Germans already in revenge for her."

Zbyshko's eyes gleamed in one moment, and the veins thickened on his forehead.

" Then did the Germans kill her mother? " asked he.

" They killed her, and they did not kill her. She died of fright. Five years ago there was peace ; no one was thinking of war, and each man went about with no feeling of danger. The prince went to build a castle in Zlotoria, without troops, but with his court, as is usual in peace time. Just then the German traitors attacked us without declaration of war, without cause. Forgetting the fear of God, and all the bene- factions which they had received from his ancestors, they lashed the prince to a horse, bore him away, and slew his people. The prince sat long in captivity among them, and only when King Vladislav threatened war did they set him free, out of fear; but during that attack Danusia's mother died, for her heart rose in her throat, and it choked her."

"And you were present? What is your name? I have forgotten."

" I am Mikolai of Dlugolyas ; my surname is Obuh. I was present at the attack. I saw a German, with peacock-plumes on his helmet, strap Danusia's mother to his saddle, and saw her grow white before his eyes. They cut me down with a halberd, the mark of which I bear yet."

Then he showed a deep scar which extended from beneath his hair to his brow.

A moment of silence followed. Zbyshko fell to gazing at Dannsia again, and inquired, —

" And you say that she has no knight? "

But he did not await the answer, for at that moment the singing ceased. One of the choristers, a large, weighty man, stood up on a sudden ; by this the bench tipped at one end ; Danusia tottered, spread out her arms ; but before she could fall, or jump off, Zbyshko sprang forward with the speed of a wildcat, and caught her in his arms. The princess, who at

16 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

the first moment screamed out from fear, began at once to laugh, and said, —

4 * Here is Danusia's knight ! Come hither, young knight, and give us our dear little songstress ! "

" He caught her gallantly!" cried voices among the courtiers.

Zbyshko went toward the princess, holding Danusia at his breast; she, clinging to his neck with one arm, raised the lute high with the other, fearing lest she might break it. Her face was smiling and gladdened, though she was some- what frightened.

Meanwhile the youth, on reaching the princess, placed Danusia before her ; then kneeling and raising his head, he said, with a boldness marvellous at his age, —

" Let it be according to your words, gracious lady ! It is time for this charming maiden to have her knight ; and it is time, too, for me to have my lady, whose beauty and virtue I shall recognize ; so with your leave I will make vows to this one, and be faithful to her unto death in all trials."

Astonishment shot over the face of the princess, not be- cause of Zbj'shko's words, but because all had happened so suddenly. The custom of knightly vows was not Polish, it is true; but Mazovia, being on the German boundary, and see- ing knights frequently from even distant lands, was ac- quainted with that custom better than other provinces, and accepted it rather early. The princess had heard of it also still earlier, at the court of her renowned father, where all Western customs were looked on as law, and as models for the noblest warriors. For these reasons she did not find in Zbyshko's wish anything to offend her or Danusia. On the contrary, she was glad that this little girl, who was dear to her, should begin to attract the hearts and eyes of knights. So with delighted face she turned to the little maid.

" Danusia, Danusia ! dost wish to have thy knight? "

The blond-haired Danusia sprang up three times in her red shoes, and then, seizing the princess by the neck, began to cry, with as much delight as if they had offered her a plaything permitted only to older persons for amusement :

"I do, I do, I do!"

The princess laughed till her eyes were filled with tears, but at last the lady, freeing herself from Danusia's arms, said to Zbyshko, —

"Well! make the vow! make the vow! What dost thou vow to her ? "

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 17

Zbyshko, who amidst the laughter had preserved an un- shaken dignity, spoke up with equal seriousness, without ris- ing from his knee, —

" I vow to her that when I reach Cracow I will hang my shield in front of an inn, and on it a declaration, which a cleric learned in letters will write for me : that Panna Danusia, daughter of Yurand, is the most beautiful and virtuous among the damsels who inhabit all kingdoms. And should any man deny this I will do battle with him till I perish or he perishes, unless he should prefer to go into slavery."

"Well done! It is clear that thou knowest knightly customs. And what more ? "

u And, since I have learned from Pan Mikolai that Panna Danusia's mother yielded her last breath through the act of a German with peacock-plumes on his helmet, I vow to gird my body with a hempen cord, and, though it should eat me to the bone, I will not remove the cord till I have slain three German knights, torn three such plumes from their helmets, and placed them at the feet of my lady."

At this the princess grew serious and inquired, —

" Art thou not making this vow to raise laughter? "

" So help me God and the Holy Cross," answered Zbyshko, " I will repeat this vow in the church before priests."

"It is praiseworthy to give battle to the fierce enemy of our race, but I grieve for thee, since thou art young and mayst perish easily."

Then pushed forward Matsko of Bogdanets. Till that moment, like a man of past times he had merely shrugged his shoulders ; now he thought fit to speak.

"As to that be not troubled, gracious lady. Death in battle may meet any man, and to a noble, whether old or young, this is even praiseworthy. But war is no wonder to this lad, for though years are lacking him, it has hap- pened him more than once to fight on horseback and on foot with lance or axe, with a long or a short sword, with a shield or without one. For a knight to make vows to a damsel whom he looks on with gladness is a novel cus- tom, but as Zbyshko has promised his three peacock-plumes I make no reproach. He has harried the Germans, let him harry them again; and if from that harrying a pair of German heads should burst, he will have only the more glory."

"I see that the affair is not with some common youth," said the princess, and she turned to Danusia. " Sit thou in VOL. i. — 2

18 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

my place, as the first person at present, but do not laugh, for it is not becoming."

Danusia took Princess Anna's place and wished to feign seriousness, but her blue eyes laughed at the kneeling Zbyshko, and she was unable to restrain herself from moving her feet through delight.

" Give him thy gloves," said the princess.

Danusia drew off her gloves wrhich she gave to Zbyshko, who took them with great respect.

" I will fasten these to my helmet," said he, pressing them to his lips, "and whoso tries to get them, woe to him." Then be kissed Danusia's hands, and after the hands her feet, and rose. But that moment his former seriousness deserted him, and great joy filled his heart because thence- forth he would pass as a mature man before all that court ; so, shaking Danusia's gloves, he cried, half in joy, half in anger,—

"Come on, dog brothers with your peacock-plumes! Come on ! "

But at that moment the same monk entered the inn who had been there before; and with him two others, older than he. Behind them monastery servants bore wicker baskets, and in them vessels of wine, and various dainties collected quickly. Those two fell to greeting the princess and re- proaching her for not having gone to the monastery ; but she explained a second time that, since she had slept and the whole court had slept in the daytime, they were travelling at night, hence needed no sleep ; and not wishing to rouse the distinguished abbot, or the worthy monks, she preferred to halt at the inn and rest their limbs there.

After many courteous phrases they decided finally on this : that after matins and early mass the princess and her court would accept a meal and rest in the monastery. Besides the Mazovians, the hospitable monks invited the landowners of Cracow, and Matsko of Bogdanets, who intended in every case to go to the monastery and leave there the property which he had won in war, or had received as gifts from the bountiful Vitold, and which was intended to free Bogdanets from pledge. Young Zbyshko had not heard the 'invitations, for he had run to his own and his uncle's wagons, which were under guard of their attendants, so as to dress and stand in more befitting' costume before Danusia and the princess. Taking his boxes from the wagon, he commanded to bear them to the servants' room, and he dressed there. First he

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 19

arranged his hair hurriedly and thrust it into a silk net, in which were interwoven amber beads with real pearls in front. Then he put on a " jacket" of white silk embroidered with gold griffins, and at the bottom with ornamented border; above this he girded himself with a double gilded girdle, from which depended a small sword in a scabbard inlaid with silver and ivory. All this was new, gleaming, and not stained with any blood, though taken as booty from a young Frisian knight, serving with the Knights of the Cross. Next, Zbyshko put on very beautiful trousers, one leg of which was striped red and green, the other yellow and violet : both ended above in many-colored squares. When he had put on purple shoes with long, pointed toes, splendid and fresh, he betook himself to the general room.

When he stood on the threshold the sight of him made in- deed a strong impression on all. The princess, when she saw what a beautiful knight had made vows to Danusia, was de- lighted still more, and Danusia at the first moment sprang toward him like a deer. But, whether she was restrained by the beauty of the youth, or the voices of admiration from the courtiers, she stopped before she had run to him ; so that, halting a step distant from Zbyshko, she dropped her eyes suddenly, and clasping her hands began, blushing and con- fused, to twist her fingers.

But after her came up others : the princess herself, the courtiers, the damsels, the choristers and the monks ; for all wished to look at him more closely. The Mazovian maidens gazed at Zbyshko as at a rainbow, each regretting that he had not chosen her. The elder ones admired the costliness of the dress ; and round him was formed a circle of the* curious ; Zbyshko stood in the centre with a boastful smile on his face, turning somewhat on the spot where he stood, so that they might look at him better.

"Who is that? " asked one of the monks.

"That is a young knight, the nephew of this lord here/* replied the princess, pointing to Matsko; " he has just now made a vow to Danusia."

The monks showed no astonishment, since such vows bound to nothing. Vows were made frequently to married ladies, and in notable families, among whom Western customs were known, almost every lady had her knight. If a knight made vows to a damsel, he did not become'her betrothed thereby; on the contrary, she took another for Iwsltand most frequently ; but he, in so far as lie possessed

20 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

the virtue of constancy, did not cease in fealty to her, but he married another.

Danusia's youth astonished the monks somewhat more, but not over much, for in that age youths of sixteen became castellans. The great queen Yadviga herself was only fifteen when she came from Hungary, and girls of thirteen were given in marriage. Besides, they were looking more in that moment at Zbyshko than Danusia, and were listening to Matsko, who, proud of his nephew, had begun to relate how the young man had come to possess such famous apparel.

" A year and nine weeks ago," said he, " we were invited to feasts by Saxon knights ; and with them as guest was a certain knight from the distant nation of the Frisians, who dwell far away at the edge of the ocean, and he had with him his son, three years older than Zbyshko. Once at a feast that son told Zbyshko unbecomingly that he had neither beard nor moustache. Zbyshko, being quick-tem- pered, would not listen to this calmly, but seizing him at once by the lips plucked out all the hair from them, for which afterward we fought for death or servitude."

' ' How is that ? Did you fight ? " asked Mikolai.

"I did, for the father took his son's part, and I Zbysh- ko's ; so we fought, four of us, in presence of the guests, on a space of trampled earth. We made an agreement of this sort, that whoso conquered should take the wagons and horses and servants of the conquered. And God favored us. We slew those Frisians, though with no little toil, for they lacked neither courage nor strength; and we took "amous booty. There were four wagons, for each wagon a pair of draught-horses four immense stallions, nine servants, and two excellent suits of armor, such as one might find rarely with our people. The head-pieces we broke, it is true, in the battle, but the Lord Jesus consoled us with other things, for in a box bound famously with iron were suits of costly apparel, and that suit in which Zbyshko has now arrayed himself was with them."

At this the two nobles from Cracow, and all the Mazovians looked with greater respect on the uncle and nephew, and Mikolai, surnamed Obuh, said, —

" Ye are, I see, unyielding, stern men."

"We believe now that this young man will get the three peacock-plumes."

Matsko smiled, wherewith in his stern face there was something quite predatory.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 21

Meanwhile the monastery servants had drawn forth from the wicker baskets wine and tidbits, and from the servants' quarters girls had begun to bring plates full of smoking fried eggs flanked with sausages from which went forth a pronounced and savory odor of wild-boar flesh. At sight of this a desire to eat seized all, and they moved toward the tables.

No one, however, took a place earlier than the princess. When she had sat down at the middle of the table she com- manded Danusia and Zbyshko to sit side by side, and then said to Zbyshko, —

"It is proper that thou eat from one dish with Danusia, but act not as other knights do with their ladies, bring not thy foot to hers under the table, touch not her knees, for she is too young."

" I will not, gracious lady," replied he, " unless after two or three years, when the Lord Jesus will permit me to per- form my vow, and when this berry will ripen ; and as to tread- ing on her feet, I could not do that if I wished, for they are hanging in the air."

"True!" answered the princess, "and it is pleasant to see that thou hast decent manners."

Then followed silence, for all had begun to eat. Zbyshko cut the fattest bits of sausage and gave them to Danusia, or put them directly into her mouth, and she, glad that so stately a knight was serving her, ate with full cheeks, blink- ing and smiling, now at him, now at the princess.

After the plates had been cleared the monastery servants poured out sweet, fragrant wine, to men in abundance, to women sparingly; but Zbyshko's knightliness appeared specially when they brought in full measures of nuts from the monastery; native wild nuts, and, rare in that time, Italian nuts brought from afar, which the company seized very eagerly, so that after a while throughout the whole room nothing was heard save the noise of nutshells cracked between jaws. It would be vain to suppose that Zbyshko thought only of himself, for he preferred to show the prin- cess and Danusia his knightly strength and abstinence rather than lower himself in their eyes through greed for dainties. Taking from moment to moment a handful of nuts, whether Italian or native, he did not put them between his teeth as did others, but squeezed them with his iron fingers, cracked the shells, and gave clean kernels to Danusia. He invented even an amusement for her. After he had

22 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

removed the kernels he put his hand to his lips and blew the shells suddenly with his mighty breath to the ceiling. Danusia laughed so much that the princess, fearing lest the ghi might choke herself, commanded him to abandon the amusement. Seeing, however, Danusia's delight, she asked, —

" Well, Danusia, is it nice to have thy knight? "

" Oi, nice! " answered the maiden. And putting forth a rosy finger she touched Zbyshko's white silk jacket, with- drew the finger suddenly, and asked, —

' ' And will he be mine to-morrow ? "

" To-morrow, in a week, and till death," answered Zbyshko.

The supper came to an end when, after the nuts, sweet pancakes full of berries were brought to them. Some of the courtiers wished to dance, others preferred to hear the singing of the choristers, or of Danusia; but toward the end of the supper Danusia's eyelids began to grow heavy ; her head dropped first to one side, then to the other ; once and a second time she looked at the princess, then at Zbyshko ; again she rubbed hei eyes with her fists and immediately rested with great confidence against the knight's shoulder, and fell asleep.

" Is she asleep?" asked the ^Kncess. " Now thou hast, thy < lady.' "

" She is dearer to me 'sleeping than another in a dance." answered Zbyshko, sitting erect and motionless so as not to rouse the maiden.

But not even the playing and singing of the choristers roused her. Some kept time to the music with their feet, others accompanied by beating the dishes, but the greater the noise the better she slept, with her mouth open, like a little fish. She woke only when, at cock-crow and the sound of church bells, all moved from the table crying, —

" To matins ! to matins ! "

" We will go on foot to praise God," said the princess.

And taking the awakened Danusia by her hand, she went forth first from the inn, and after her the whole court. The night had grown pale. On the eastern sky a slight bright- ness was visible, green at the top, rosy below that, and under all a narrow golden ribbon as it were, which widened as one looked at it. On the west the moon seemed to withdraw before that brightness. The dawn became rosier and clearer each instant. The world awoke wet from abundant dew, refreshed and joyful

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 23

" God has given fine weather, but the heat will be Violent," said the courtiers.

"That is no harm," answered Pan Mikolai, quieting them, " we shall take a sleep at the cloister and reach Cracow about evening."

" For another feast, surely."

" There are feasts every day now in Cracow, and after the • tournaments there will be greater ones."

" We shall see how Danusia's knight will exhibit himself."

"Ei! They are in some sort men of oak! Have ye heard what they said of that battle of four?"

" Perhaps they will join our court, for they are counselling together about something."

And really they were counselling, for Matsko was not greatly rejoiced over what had happened ; moving, there- fore, in the rear of the retinue, and lingering purposely, so as to speak more at freedom, he said, —

" In truth there is no profit for thee in this. I shall push up to the king somehow, even with this court, and mayhap I shall gain something. I should like wonderfully to get some little castle or town. Well, we shall see. In good time we shall redeem Bogdanets from pledge, for what thy fathers possessed we must ssess also. But whence are we to get men? Those who the abbot settled he will take back again ; land without men has no value, so mark what I say : Make vows to whom it may please thee, or make them not, but go with Pan Melshtyn to Prince Vitold against the Tartars. Should the expedition be summoned before the queen's delivery, wait not for delivery or tournaments, but go, for there may be profit. Thou knowest how bountiful Prince Vitold is, and he knows thee already ; acquit thyself manfully, he will reward thee well. And above all, if God favor, thou mayst get captives beyond number. The Tar- tars are like ants in the world. In case of victory there will be sixty for each warrior."

Here Matsko, who was greedy for land and labor, began to imagine, —

" God give me a blessing to drive in about fifty men and settle them in Bogdanets. We should open a strip of wilder- ness and increase, both of us. And knowest thou, that no- where wilt thou collect so many men as thou mayst collect there."

But Zbyshko shook his head.

24 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

"Oh, I should find horse boys who live on horse carrion, people unused to land work ! What good would they be in Bogdanets? Besides, I have vowed to get three German pea- cock-plumes. Where should I find them among Tartars?"

"Thou hast vowed, for thou art stupid, and so are the vows."

"But my noble and knightly honor, how with that? "

' ' How was it with Ryngalla ? "

" Ryngalla poisoned the prince, and the hermit absolved me."

"The abbot in Tynets will absolve thee. An abbot is better than a hermit; that man looked more like a robber than a monk."

" I want no absolution."

Matsko stopped, and asked with evident anger, —

"Well, how will it be?"

" Go yourself to Vitold, for I will not go."

" Thou knecht! But who will bow down before the king? And art thou not sorry for my bones ? "

" A tree might fall on your bones and not break them. But even were I sorry for you I am unwilling to go to Vitold."

"What wilt thou do? "Wilt thou be a falconer, or a chorister at the Mazovian court ? "

"Is a falconer something evil? Since it is your wish to grumble rather than listen, then grumble."

"Where wilt thou go? Is Bogdanets nothing to thee? Wilt thou plow in it with thy nails, without men? "

" Not true! you have argued bravely with your Tartars. Have you heard what the people of Rus say, — ' Thou wilt find as many Tartars as there are corpses of them on the field, but no man will seize a captive, for no man can overtake o Tartar in the steppe.' On what could I overtake one ! On those heavy stallions which we took from the Frisians? And what booty could I find? Mangy sheepskin coats, nothing else ! And only when I return rich to Bogdauets will they call me comes (count)."

Matsko was silent, for there was much justice in Zbyshko's words, and only after a while did he say, —

" But Prince Vitold would reward thee."

" Oh yes ! you know ; he rewards one man too much and gives another nothing."

" Then tell me, whither art thou going?"

"To Yurand, of Spyhov."

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 25

Matsko twisted the belt of his skin kaftan with anger, and said, —

" God daze thy eyes ! "

"Listen," answered Zbyshko, calmly. "I have talked with Pan Mikolai, and he says that Yurand is seeking ven- geance on the Germans for his wife. I will go and assist him. You have said, first of all, that it is nothing wonder- ful for me to fight with Germans, for I know them, and I know methods against them. Secondly, I shall find the pea- eock-phmies there at the boundary more quickly, and third, you know that no common man wears a peacock-plume above his head, so that if the Lord Jesus will grant the crests, he will grant booty at the same time. Finally, a captive taken there is not a Tartar. To settle such a one in the forest is not the same as — Pity me, O God ! "

" What ! hast lost thy reason, boy? There is no war now, and -God knows when there will be."

"Oh, simplicity! The bears have made peace with the bee-keepers; bears injure no bee-nests now, they eat no honey. Ha ! ha ! But is it news to you that, though great armies are not warring, and though the king and the Grand Master have put their seals to parchment, there is always a terrible uproar on the boundary ? If some one takes cattle, a number of villages will be burnt for each cow, and castles will be attacked. But what as to seizing boys and maidens and merchants on the highways ? Do you remember earlier times, of which you yourself have told me ? Was it hard for that Nalench who seized forty men who were going to the Knights of the Cross? He put them under the ground and would not let them out till the Grand Master sent him a wagon full of coin. Yurand of Spyhov does nothing else but seize Germans, and near the boundary there is work at hand always."

For a while they walked on in silence ; meanwhile the day- light came, and bright sun-rays lighted the cliffs on which the monastery was built.

" God can give luck everywhere," said Matsko at last, with a satisfied voice. " Pray that He give it thee."

" It is sure that His favor is everything ! "

" And think of Bogdanets, for thou wilt not persuade me that thou hast the wish to go to Bogdanets, and not to Yurand of Spyhov, for that chatterer."

" Speak not in that way, or I shall be angry. I look on her with gladness and do not deny it ; that is a different vow

26 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CKOSS.

from the one to Ryngalla. Hast thou met a more beautiful maiden ? "

" What is her beauty to me? Take her when she grows up, if she is the daughter of a great comes."

Zbyshko's face grew bright with a kindly smile.

"That may happen too. No other lady, no other wife. When your bones grow weak you will nurse my grandchildren and hers."

Then Matsko smiled in turn, and he said, entirely pacified:

" Hail! Hail! Storms of them, and let them be like hail! Joy for old age, and salvation after death. Give that to us, O Jesus."

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 27

CHAPiER III.

PRINCESS Anna Danuta, Matsko, and Zbyshko, had been in Tynets before, but in the retinue were courtiers who saw it for the first time, and these, when they raised their eyes, looked with astonishment on the magnificent abbey, on the indented walls running along cliffs above precipices, on edifices standing now on the slopes of the mountain, now within battlements piled up, lofty, and shining in gold from the rising sun. By these noble walls, edifices, houses, and buildings destined for various uses, and the gardens lying at the foot of the mountain, and carefully cultivated fields which the eye took in from above, it was possible at the first glance to recognize ancient inexhaustible wealth, to which people from poor Mazovia were not accustomed, and at which they must unavoidably be astonished. There existed, it is true, old and wealthy Benedictine monasteries in other parts of the kingdom, as, for example, in Lubush on the Odra, in Plotsk, in Great Poland, in Mogilno, and other places, but none could compare with Tynets, whose possessions exceeded not only dependent principalities, but whose incomes might rouse envy even in kings at that period.

Among the courtiers, therefore, astonishment increased, and some of them were almost unwilling to believe their own eyes. Meanwhile the princess, wishing to shorten the road for herself, and rouse the curiosity of her attendant damsels, fell to begging one of the monks to relate the old and terrible tale of Valger the Charming, which had been told her in Cracow, though not with much detail.

Hearing this, the damsels gathered in a close flock around the lady and walked up the mountain-side slowly in the early rays of the sun, looking like a troop of moving flowers.

"Let the tale of Valger be told by Brother Hidulf, to whom he appeared on a certain night," said one monk, look- ing at another, a man of gray years already, who with a body somewhat bent walked at the side of Pa*n Mikolai.

"• Have you seen him with your own eyes, pious father?" asked the princess

28 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

"I have seen him," replied the monk, gloomily; " f 01 times are granted when God's will permits him to leave his hellish underground dwelling and show himself in the light."

" When does this happen? "

The monk glanced at the other two and was silent, for there was a tradition that Valger's ghost was to appear when the morals of the Knights of the Cross should become lax and the monks think more than was proper of worldly pleasures and wealth. No one wished to confess aloud that it was said also that the ghost foretold war or other misfortunes; so Brother Hidulf, after a moment's silence, said, —

" His ghost heralds nothing good."

" I should not like to see him," said the princess, making the sign of the cross on herself ; ' ' but why is he in hell ? — since, as I hear, he only avenged too severely a personal wrong."

"Though during his whole life he had been virtuous," answered the monk, sternly, "he would have been damned in every case, for he lived during pagan times, and was not cleansed by holy baptism."

At these words the brows of the princess contracted with pain, for she remembered that her mighty father, whom she had loved with her whole soul, had died also in pagan error, and must burn through all eternity.

" We are listening," said she after a moment of silence.

Brother Hidulf began his narrative, —

"There lived in pagan times a wealthy count, who be- en use of great beauty was called Valger the Charming. This country, as far as the eye sees, belonged to him, and on expeditions, besides footmen he led forth a hundred spearmen, for all nobles on the west to Opole and on the east to Sandomir were his vassals. No man could count his cattle, and in Tyuets he had a fortress filled with coin, just as the Knights of the Cross have in Malborg at present."

" I know they have ! " interrupted Princess Anna.

" And he was like a giant," continued the monk, — "he tore up oak trees by the roots ; and in beauty, in playing on the lute, and in singing, no man on earth could compare with him. But once, when he was at the court of the King of France, the king's daughter, Helgunda, fell in love with him. Her father had wished to give her to a convent for the glory of God, but she fled with Valger to Tynets, where

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 29

they lived in vileness, for no priest would give them Chris- tian marriage. In Vislitsa lived Vislav the Beautiful, of the race of King Popiel. Once this Vislav, during the absence of Valger, fell to ravaging the lands of Tynets. Valger conquered him and brought him to Tynets, not re- membering that every woman who looked on Vislav was ready straightway to desert father, mother, and husband, so be it that she could satisfy her desire. And so it happened with Helgunda. She invented such bonds for Valger that though he was a giant, though he tore up oak trees, he was not able to break the bonds, and she delivered him to Vislav, who took him to Vislitsa. But Vislav had a sister named Rynga. When she heard Valger singing in an underground dungeon she fell in love with him straightway, and freed him from under the earth. When he had slain Helguuda and Vislav with a sword, Valger left their bodies to the crows and returned to Tynets with Rynga."

44 Did not he do what was right? " inquired the princess.

"If he had received baptism, and given Tynets to the Benedictines," answered Hidulf, " perhaps God would have remitted his sins, but since he did not do that the earth swallowed him."

" Were the Benedictines in this kingdom at that time? "

" The Benedictines were not in this kingdom, for pagans alone lived here then."

"In such case how could he receive baptism, or give away Tynets? "

" He could not, and for that very reason he is condemned to endless torments in hell," replied the monk, with dignity.

" Surely he speaks the truth ! " said a number of voices.

They were now approaching the main gate of the monas- tery, in which the abbot at the head of a numerous retinue of monks and nobles was waiting for the princess. There were always many laymen, " messengers, advocates, pro- curators," and monastery officials there. Many landholders, even great nobles, held countless cloister lands by feudal tenure, rather exceptional in Poland, and these, as vassals, were glad to appear at the court of the " suzerain," where near the high altar it was easy to receive a grant, an abate- ment, and every kind of benefaction, — dependent frequently on some small service, clever word, or a moment of good- humor in the mighty abbot. While preparing for solemni- ties in the capital many also of such vassals assembled from distant places ; those of them for whom it was difficult, be-

30 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

cause of the throng, to find an inn in Cracow, found lodg- ings in Tynets. For these reasons the Abbas centum villarum (abbot of a hundred villas) might greet the princess with a retinue still more numerous than common.

He was a man of lofty stature, with an austere and wise face, with a head shaven on the crown, but lower down, above the ears, encircled by a garland of hair growing gray. On his forehead was a scar from a wound received evidently during years of young knighthood ; eyes penetrating, haughty, looked out from beneath dark brows. He was dressed in a habit like other monks, but over it was a black mantle lined with purple, and on his neck a gold chain from the end of which depended a cross, also gold and inlaid with precious stones, the emblem of his dignity as abbot. His whole •bearing indicated a man haughty, accustomed to command, and self-confident. But he greeted the princess cordially, and even with humility, for he remembered that her husband came of that stock of Mazovian princes from which King Vladislav and Kazimir the Great were descended on the female side, and at present the reigning queen was the mistress of one of the broadest realms on earth. He passed the threshold of the gate, therefore, inclined his head low, and, when he had made the sign of the cross over Anna Danuta and the whole court, with a golden tube which he held in the fingers of his right hand, he said, —

' ' Be greeted, gracious lady, at the poor threshold of monks. May Saint Benedict of Murcia, Saint Maurice, Saint Boniface, and Saint Benedict of Anagni, and also Saint John of Ptolomeus, our patrons who dwell in eternal light, endow thee with health and with happiness ; may they bless thee seven times daily through every period of thy life."

" They would have to be deaf not to hear the words of so great an abbot," said the princess, courteously; "all the more since we have come here to mass, during which we shall place ourselves under their protection."

Then she extended her hand to him, which he, kneeling with courtliness on one knee, kissed in knightly fashion ; after that they passed in through the gateway without delay. Those inside were waiting evidently for mass to begin, for at that moment the bells great and small were rung, trum- peters sounded shrill trumpets at the church door, in honor of the princess, while others beat enormous kettle-drums made of ruddy copper and covered with rawhide ; these gave forth

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 31

a roaring sound. On the princess, who was not born in a Christian country, every church had thus far produced a deep impression, but that church of Tynets produced it all the more, since in respect of grandeur there were few others to compare with it. Gloom filled the depth of the sanctuary. Only at the high altar were trembling rows of various lights mingled with the glitter of candles, illuminating the gilding and the carving. A monk in full vestments came out with the chalice, bowed to the princess, and began mass. Directly rose the smoke of abundant incense, which, hiding the priest and the altar, went upward in quiet clusters, increasing the mysterious solemnity of the church.

Anna Dauuta bent her head backward, and spreading her hands at the height of her face began to pray earnestly. But when the organ — organs were rare in churches at that time — shook the whole nave with majestic thunder, filled it with angeis' voices, scattering as it were the song of the nightingale, the eyes of the princess were uplifted, on her face besides devotion and awe was depicted delight beyond limit, and it might seem to one looking at her that she was some blessed one, gazing at heaven opened in miraculous vision.

Thus prayed the daughter of Keistnt, born in paganism. Though in daily life, like all people of that period, she men- tioned the name of God in a friendly and intimate manner, in the house of the Lord she raised her eyes in childlike dread, and in subjection to a mysterious and infinite power.

In a like pious manner, though with less awe, did the whole court pray. Zbyshko knelt outside the stalls among the Mazovians, for only the princess and her damsels were inside, and he committed himself to the guardianship of God, and at moments looked at Danusia, who sat with closed eyes near the princess ; and he thought that in truth there was worth in becoming the knight of such a maiden, hut also that he had promised her no common thing. Under the "jacket" which he had won, he had girded on tiie hempen rope, but that was only one part of the vow, after which he had to accomplish the other, which was incomparably more difficult. So now, when the wine and beer which he had drunk in the inn had gone from his head, he was troubled in no slight degree as to the manner in which he should accom- plish it. There was no war. In the disturbance on the boundary it was indeed easy for him to meet an armed Ger- man, break his skull, or lay down his own head. This he

32 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

had told Matsko also. "But," thought he, "not every German wears peacock or ostrich plumes on his helmet : " of guests of the Knights of the Cross only certain counts, and of the Knights of the Cross themselves only comturs, and then not every one. If there should be no war, years might pass before he could find his three plumes. This too came to his head, that not being belted, he could only chal- lenge unbelted men to combat in battle. He hoped, it is true, to receive the belt of a knight from the king in time of the tournaments which were promised after the christen- ing, for he had earned it long before — but what next? He would go to Yurand of Spyhov, and assist him ; he would crush warriors as far as possible, and that would be the end. But common warriors were not knights with peacock-plumes on their helmets.

In this suffering and uncertainty, seeing that without the special favor of God he would not do much, he began to pray: "Grant, O Jesus, war with the Knights of the Cross, and the Germans who are the enemies of this kingdom and of us all; and rub out those men who are more ready to serve the chieftain of hell than they are to serve Thee, bear- ing in their hearts hatred against us, most angry of all that our king and queen, having baptized Lithuania, prevent them from cutting down Thy servants with the sword. For which anger chastise them.

4 'And I, sinful Zbyshko, am penitent before Thee and im- plore aid from Thy five wounds to send me, at the earliest, three noted Germans with peacock-plumes on their helmets, and permit me in Thy mercy to slay them, because I have vowed those plumes to Panna Danusia, the daughter of Yurand; she is Thy servant, and I have sworn on my knightly honor. And of what is found on the slain I will bestow the tenth part on Thy church faithfully, so that Thou, sweet Jesus, may receive profit and honor from me ; and know Thou that I promise with a sincere heart, and not idly. And as this is true, so help me. Amen."

But as he prayed, his heart melted more and more from devotion, and he added a new promise, that after freeing Bogdanets from pledge he would give to the church all the wax which the bees should make during a whole year. He hoped that his uncle Matsko would not oppose this, and the Lord Jesus especially would be rejoiced at having wax for candles, and from wishing to receive it at the earliest would help him the sooner. This thought seemed so just that de-

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 33

light filled Zbyshko's soul thoroughly. He was almost cer- tain now that he would be heard, that war would come soon, and even should it not come he would get his own in every case. He felt in his hands and feet a strength so great that he would at that moment have attacked a whole company. He thought, even, that when he had made the promises to God he might have added two more Germans to Danusia. The young man's impulsiveness urged him to this, but pru- dence gained the victory, for he feared to weary God's patience by excessive demand.

His confidence, however, increased when, after mass and a long repose, to which the whole court gave itself, he heard a conversation which the abbot held with Anna Danuta at breakfast.

The wives of princes and kings in that age, through devo- tion, and because of lordly gifts, which the Order did not spare on them, showed the Knights of the Cross great friend- ship. Even the saintly Yadviga restrained, while her life lasted, the hand of her powerful husband raised above them. Anna Danuta alone, having experienced the Order's cruel in- justice in her family, hated the Knights from her whole soul. So when the abbot inquired about Mazovia and its affairs she fell to accusing the Knights of the Cross bitterly.

" What is to be done in a principality which has such neigh- bors ? There is peace, as it were ; embassies and messages pass, but still we cannot be sure of the day or the hour. The man at the border who lies down to sleep in the evening never knows but he may wake up in bonds, or with a sword- edge at his throat, or a burning roof above his head. Oaths, seals, and parchments give no security against betrayal. It was not otherwise at Zlotoria, when in time of profound peace the prince was snatched away into captivity. The Knights of the Cross declared that his castle might become a threat to them. But castles are made for defence, not attack ; and what prince is .there who has not the right to build castles on his own land, or repair them ? Neither weak nor strong are respected by the Knights of the Cross ; the weak they despise, and they strive to bring the strong down to ruin. To him who does them good they return evil. Is there in the world an Order which has received in other king- doms such benefactions as they have received from Polish princes ? And how have they paid for them ? With hatred, with ravaging of lands, with war and betrayal. As to com- plaint, it is useless. It is useless to complain to the Apos-

VOL. I. — 3

34 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

tolic See itself, for living in pride and malice they disobey the Pope of Rome even. They have sent now, as it were, an embassy on the occasion of the queen's delivery, and for the coming christening, but only because they wish to turn away the wrath of the powerful king, which has been roused by their deeds in Lithuania. In their hearts, however, they are always meditating the ruin of this kingdom and the whole Polish race."

The abbot listened attentively and agreed, but said after- ward, —

" I know that the comtur, Lichtenstein, has come to Cra- cow at the head of an embassy ; he is a brother highly es- teemed in the Order for his distinguished family, his bravery, and his wisdom. Perhaps you will see him here soon, gra- cious lady, for he sent me notice yesterday that, wishing to pray before our relics, he would come on a visit to Tynets."

When she heard this the princess began to raise new complaints.

"People declare, and God grant with truth, that a great war will come soon, — a war in which there will be on one side the Polish kingdom and all peoples whose speech resembles ours, and on the other all Germans and the Knights of the Cioss. Very likely there is a prophecy of some saint touch- ing this."

44 Of Saint Bridget," interrupted the learned abbot ; " eight years ago she was reckoned among the saints. The pious Peter of Alvaster, and Mathew of Linkoping wrote down her visions, in which a great war is really predicted."

Zbyshko quivered with delight at these words, and unable to restrain himself asked, —

' ' And is it to come soon ? "

The abbot, occupied with the princess, did not hear, or perhaps feigned not to hear, this question.

" Young knights among us," continued the princess, " are delighted with this war, but those who are older and more sober of judgment speak thus : ' Not the Germans do we fear, though great is their pride and strength.; not swords and lances, but the relics which the Knights have do we fear, for against them the strength of man is as nothing.' "

Here Princess Anna looked with fear at the abbot and added in a low voice : "Likely they have the true wood of the Holy Cross; how, then, is it possible to war with them?"

" The King of the French sent it to them," answered the abbot.

THE KNIGHTS OP THE CROSS. 35

A moment of silence followed, after which was heard the voice of Mikolai, surnamed Obuh, a man of experience and training.

" I was in captivity among the Knights," said he, "and I saw processions at which that great sacred relic was carried. But besides, there is in the cloister at Oliva a number of others most important, without which the Order would not have risen to such power."

At this the Benedictines stretched their necks toward the speaker, and asked with great curiosity, —

"Will you tell us what they are?"

u There is a border from the robe of the Most Holy Virgin, there is a back tooth of Mary Magdalen, and branches from the fiery bush in which God the Father appeared to Moses ; there is a hand of Saint Liberius ; and as to bones of other saints, a man could not count them on his toes and fingers."

"How war with them?" repeated the princess, with a sigh.

The abbot wrinkled his lofty forehead, stopped for a moment, then said, —

"It is difficult to war with them, if only for the reason that they are monks and bear the cross on their mantles ; but if they have exceeded the measure in sin, residence among them may become hateful to those relics, and in that hour not only will the relics not add, but they will detract from them, so as to fall into more pious hands. May God spare Christian blood, but should a great war come there are relics also in our kingdom which will act on our side. The voice in the vision of Saint Bridget said : ' I have placed them as bees of usefulness and fixed them on the border of Christian lands. But behold they have risen against me, they care not for souls and spare not the bodies of people who, out of error, turned to the Catholic faith, and to me. The}7 have made slaves of these people and fail to teach them God's commands ; depriving them of the holy sacraments, they con- demn them to greater torments of hell than if they had re- mained in paganism. And they make war to satisfy their greed.' Therefore have confidence in God, gracious lady, for their days are numbered rather than yours ; but mean- while receive with thankful heart this tube here, in which is a toe of Saint Ptolomeus. one of our patrons."

The princess stretched forth her hand trembling from de- light, and on her knees received the tube, which she pressed to her lips immediately. The delight of the lady was shared

36 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

by the courtiers and the damsels, for no one doubted that blessing and prosperity would be diffused over all, and per- haps over the whole principality from such a gift. Zbyshko also felt happy, for it seemed to him that war ought to follow straightway after the Cracow festivities.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 37

CHAPTEE IV.

IT was well on in the afternoon when the princess with her retinue moved out of hospitable Tynets for Cracow. Knights of that period, before entering the larger cities or castles to visit notable personages, arrayed themselves frequently in full battle armor. It was the custom, it is true, to remove this immediately after passing the gates. At castles the host himself invited them with the time-honored words, " Remove your armor, noble lords, for ye have come to friends ; " none the less, however, the "war" entrance was considered the most showy, and enhanced the significance of the knight. In accordance with this showiness, Matsko and Zbyshko arrayed themselves in their excellent mail and shoulder-pieces which they had won from the Frisian knights, — bright, gleam- ing, and adorned on the edges with an inlaid thread of gold. Pan Mikolai, who had seen much of the world and many knights in his life, and who was no common judge of military matters, saw at once that that mail was forged by armorers of Milan, the most famous in the world, — mail of such quality that only the richest knights could afford it ; a suit was equal in value to a good estate. He inferred from this that those Frisians must have been famous knights in their nation, and he looked with increased respect at Matsko and Zbyshko. Their helmets, though also not of the poorest, were less rich ; but their gigantic stallions, beautifully caparisoned, roused admiration and envy among the courtiers. Matsko and Zbyshko, sitting on immensely high saddles, looked down on the whole court. Each held a long lance in his hand ; each had a sword at his side, and an axe at his saddle. They had sent their shields, it is true, for convenience, to the wagons; but even without them, they looked as if marching to battle, not to the city.

Both rode near the carriage, in which, on the rear seat, was the princess with Danusia, In front, the stately lady Ofka, the widow of Krystin of Yarzambek, and old Pan Mikolai. Danusia looked with great interest at the iron knights ; and the princess, taking from her bosom repeatedly the tube with the relic of St. Ptolomeus, raised it to her lips.

38 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS,

" I am terribly curious to know what bones are inside," said she at last ; " but I will not open it myself, through fear of offending the saint. Let the bishop open it in Cracow."

" Oh, better not let it out of your hands," said the cautious Pan Mikolai; "it is too desirable."

" Mayhap you speak justly," said the princess, after a moment's hesitation; then she added: "No one has given me such consolation for a long time as that worthy abbot, — first with this gift, and second because he allayed my fear of the Knights of the Cross."

"He speaks wisely and justly," said Matsko. "The Germans hacl at Vilno various relics, especially because they wished to convince their guests that the war was against pagans. Well, and what came of this? Our people saw that if they spat on their hands and struck out with the axe straight from the ear, a helmet and a head fell. The saints give aid ; it would be a sin to say otherwise ; but they aid only the honest who go in a right cause to do battle in God's name. So I think, gracious lady, that when it comes to a great war, though all other Germans were to help the Knights, we shall beat them to the earth, since our people are more numerous ; and the Lord Jesus has put greater strength in our bones. And as to relics, have we not in the monastery of the Holy Cross the wood of the Holy Cross ? "

"True, as God is dear to me!" answered the princess. " But it will remain in the monastery, and they will take theirs to the field with them."

" It is all one ! Nothing is far from God's power."

" Is that true? Will you tell how it is?" asked the prin- cess, turning to the wise Mikolai.

"Every bishop will bear witness to this," answered he. " It is far to Rome, but the pope governs the world, — what must it be in the case of God ! "

These words calmed the princess completely ; so she turned the conversation to Tynets and its magnificence. In genera! the Mazovians were astonished, not only by the wealth of the cloister, but by the wealth and also the beauty of the whole country through which they were passing. Round about were large and wealthy villages ; at the sides of these, gardens full of fruit trees, linden groves, with storks' nests on the lindens, and on the ground beehives with straw covers. Along the road on one side and the other extended grain fields of all sorts. At moments the wind bent a sea of wheat ears still partly green ; among these, thick as stars in the sky, twinkled heads

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 39

of the blue-star thistle and the bright red poppy. Here and there, far beyond the fields, darkened a pine wood ; here and there, bathed in sunlight, oak and alder groves rejoiced the eye ; here and there were damp, grassy meadows, and wet places above which mews were circling ; next were hills occu- pied by cottages, and then fields. Clearly, that country was inhabited by a numerous and industrious people enamoured of land ; and as far as the eye saw, the region seemed to be not only flowing with milk and honey, but happy and peaceful.

" This is the royal management of Kazimir," said the prin- cess ; " one would like to live here, and never die."

" The Lord Jesus smiles on this land," said Mikolai ; " and the blessing of God is upon it. How could it be otherwise, since here, when they begin to ring bells, there is no corner to which the sound does not penetrate? It is known, indeed, that evil spirits, unable to endure this, must flee to the Hungarian boundary, into deep fir woods."

"Then it is a wonder to me," said Pani Ofka, "that Valger the Charming, of whom the monks have been telling us, can appear in Tynets, for they ring the bells there seven times daily."

This remark troubled Mikolai for a moment, and he answered only after some meditation, —

"First, the decisions of God are inscrutable ; and second, consider for yourselves that Valger receives a special per- mission each time."

' ' Be that as it may, I am glad that we shall not pass a night in the cloister. I should die of terror if such a hellish giant appeared to me."

" Ei ! that is not known, for they say that he is wonder- fully charming."

' ' Though he were the most beautiful, I would not have a kiss from one whose mouth is breathing sulphur."

"Ah, even when devils are mentioned, kissing is in your head."

At these words the princess, and with her Pan Mikolai and the two nobles from Bogdanets, fell to laughing. Danusia, following the example of others, laughed without knowing why ; for this reason Ofka turned an angry face to Mikolai, and said, —

"I would prefer him to you."

"Ei! do not call the wolf from the forest," answered the Mazovian, joyfully, " for a hellish fury drags along the road frequently between Cracow and Tynets ; and especially toward

40 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

evening he may hear you, and appear the next moment in the form of the giant."

" The charm on a clog ! " answered Ofka.

But at that moment Matsko, who, sitting on his. lofty stal- lion, could see farther than those in the carriage, reined in his steed, and said, —

" Oh, as God is dear to me ! What is that? "

"What?"

" Some giant is rising from behind the hill before us."

" The word has become flesh ! " cried the princess. " Do not say anything ! "

But Zbyshko rose in his stirrups, and said: " As I am alive, the giant Valger, no one else ! "

From terror the driver stopped the horses, and, without letting the reins out of his hands, fell to making the sign of the cross ; for now he too saw from his seat the gigantic figure of a horseman on the opposite eminence.

The princess stood up, but sat down immediately with a face changed by fear. Danusia hid her head in the folds of the princess's robe. The courtiers, the damsels, and the choristers, who rode behind, when they heard the ominous name, began to gather closely around the carriage. The men feigned laughter yet, but alarm was in their eyes ; tire damsels grew pale ; but Mikolai, who had eaten bread from more than one oven, preserved a calm countenance ; and, wishing to pacify the princess, he said, —

" Fear not, gracious lady. The sun has not set, and even were it night Saint Ptolomeus could hold his own against Vfvlger."

Meanwhile the unknown horseman, having ascended the prolonged summit of the hill, reined in his horse and stood motionless. He was perfectly visible in the rays of the set- ting sun, and really his form seemed to exceed the usual dimensions of men. The distance between him and the prin- cess's retinue was not more than three hundred yards.

" Why has he stopped? " asked one of the choristers.

"Because we too have stopped," answered Matsko.

" He is looking toward us, as if to take his choice," re- marked the second chorister. " If I knew that he was a man, and not the evil one, I would go and strike him on the head with my lute."

The women, now thoroughly terrified, began to pray aloud, but Zbyshko, wishing to exhibit his courage before the prin- cess and Danusia, said, —

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 41

" I will go anyhow. What is Valger to me? "

At this Danusia began to call, half in tears: " Zbyshko! Zbyshko ! " but he had ridden forward and was advancing more quickly, confident that, even should he find the real Valger, he would pierce him with his lance.

"He seems a giant," said Matsko, who had a quick eye, *' because he stands on the hilltop. He is large indeed, but an ordinary man — nothing more. I will go, and not let a quarrel spring up between him and Zbyshko."

Zbyshko, advancing at a trot, was thinking whether to lower his lance at once, or only see, when near by, how that man on the eminence looked. He decided to see first, and soon convinced himself that that thought was better, for as he approached the unknown lost his uncommon proportions. The man rode a gigantic steed, larger than Zbyshko's stallion, and was immense himself, but he did not surpass human measure. Besides, he was without armor ; he wore a velvet, bell-shaped cap and a white linen mantle, which kept away dust; from under the mantle peeped forth green apparel. Standing on the hilltop the knight's head was raised and he was praying. Evidently he had halted to finish his evening prayer.

' ' Ei, what kind of a Valger is he ? " thought the young man.

He had ridden up so near that he could reach the unknown with a lance. The stranger, seeing before him a splendidly armed knight, smiled kindly, and said, —

" Praised be Jesus Christ."

44 For the ages of ages."

uls not that the court of the Princess of Mazovia down there?"

" It is."

" Then ye are coming from Tynets?"

But there was no answer to that question, for Zbyshko was so astonished that he did not even hear it. He stood for a moment as if turned to stone, not believing his own eyes. About twenty-five rods beyond the unknown man he saw between ten and twenty mounted warriors, at the head of whom, but considerably in advance, rode a knight in com- plete shining armor and a white mantle, on which was a black cross ; on his head was a steel helmet with a splendid peacock-plume on the crest of it.

" A Knight of the Cross ! " muttered Zbyshko.

And he thought that his prayer had been heard; that

42 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

God in His mercy had sent him such a German as he had prayed for in Tynets ; that he ought to take advantage of God's favor. Hence, without hesitating an instant, before all this had flashed through his head, before he had time to re- cover from his astonishment, he bent in the saddle, lowered his lance half the distance to his horse's ear, and giving his family watchword " Hail ! hail ! " rushed against the Knight of the Cross as fast as his horse could spring.

The knight was astonished also ; he reined in his steed and without lowering the lance which was standing in his stirrup, looked forward, uncertain whether the attack was on him.

" Lower your lance ! " shouted Zbyshko, striking the iron points of his stirrups into the flanks of his stallion. " Hail ! hail ! "

The distance between them was decreasing. The Knight, seeing that the attack was really against him, reined in his steed, presented his weapon, and Zbyshko's lance was just about to strike his breast when that instant some mighty hand broke it right near the part which Zbyshko held, as if it had been a dried reed ; then that same hand pulled back the reins of the young man's stallion with such force that the beast buried his forefeet in the earth and stood as if fixed there.

' ' Madman, what art thou doing ? " called a deep, threatening voice. "Thou art attacking an envoy, insulting the king!"

Zbyshko looked and recognized that same gigantic man who, mistaken for Valger, had frightened a while before Prin- cess Anna's court ladies.

" Let me go against the German! Who art thou? " cried he, grasping at the handle of his axe.

" Away with the axe ! — by the dear God ! Away with the axe, I say, or I will whirl thee from the horse ! " cried the unknown, still more threateningly. " Thou hast insulted the majesty of the king, thou wilt be tried."

Then he turned to the people who were following the knight and shouted, —

" Come hither! "

Meanwhile Matsko had ridden up with an alarmed and ominous face. He understood clearly that Zbyshko had acted like a madman, and that deadly results might come of the affair; still, he was ready for battle. The entire retinue of the unknown knight and of the Knight of the Cross were barely fifteen persons, armed some with darts and some with

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 43

crossbows. Two men in complete armor might meet them, r-nd not without hope of victory. Matsko thought, there- fore, that if judgment were awaiting them in the sequel it might be better to avoid it, break through those people, and hide somewhere till the storm had passed. So his face con- tracted at once, like the snout of a wolf which is ready to bite, and thrusting his horse in between Zbyshko and the unknown, he inquired, grasping his sword at the same time, —

" Who are you? Whence is your right? "

"My right is from this," answered the unknown, "that the king has commanded me to guard the peace of the region about here ; people call me Povala of Tachev."

At these words Matsko and Zbyshko looked at the knight, sheathed their weapons, already half drawn, and dropped their heads. It was not that fear flew around them, but they inclined their foreheads before a loudly mentioned and widely known name ; for Povala of Tachev was a noble of renowned stock and a wealthy lord, possessing many lands around Radom ; he was also one of the most famous knights of the kingdom. Choristers celebrated him in songs, as a pattern of honor and bravery, exalting his name equally with that of Zavisha of Garbov, and Farurey, and Skarbek of Gora, and Dobko of Olesnitsa, and Yasko Nanshan, and Mikolai of Moskorzov, and Zyndram of Mashkovitse. At that moment he represented the person of the king ; hence for a man to attack him was the same as to put his head under the axe of an executioner.

So Matsko, when he Tiad recovered, said, in a voice full of respect, —

" Honor and obeisa.ice to you, O lord, to your glory and bravery."

"Obeisance to you also, O lord, though I should prefer not to make acquaintance with you on such an unpleasant occasion," replied Povala.

" How is that? " inquired Matsko.

But Povala turned to Zbyshko: " What is the best that thou hast done, young lad? On the public highway thou hast attacked an envoy near the king ! Knowest thou what awaits thee for that? "

" He attacked an e:.voy because he is young and foolish; for that reason it is easier for him to act than consider," said Matsko. "But judge him not severely, for I will tell the wholf story."

44 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

"It is not I who will judge him. My part is merely to put bonds on him."

" How is that? " asked Matsko casting a gloomy glance at the whole assembly of people.

" According to the king's command."

At these words silence came on them.

" He is a noble," said Matsko at length.

' ' Then let him swear on his knightly honor that he will appear before any court."

" I will swear on my honor ! " cried Zbyshko.

" That is well. What is thy name ? "

Matsko mentioned his name and escutcheon.

"If of the court of the princess, pray her to intercede for thee before the king."

' ' We are not of the court. We are journeying from Lithuania, from Prince Vitold. Would to God that we had not met any court ! From the meeting misfortune has come to this youth."

Here Matsko began to relate what had happened in the inn; hence he spoke of the meeting with the court of the princess, and Zbyshko's vow, but at last he was seized by sudden anger against Zbyshko, through whose thoughtless- ness they had fallen into such a grievous position, and turn- ing to him he cried, —

" Would to God that thou hadst fallen at Vilno! What wert thou thinking of, young wild boar?"

" Oh," said Zbyshko, "after the vow, I prayed to the Lord Jesus to grant me Germans, and I promised Him gifts ; so when I saw peacock-plumes, and under them a mantle with a black cross, straightway some voice in me cried: ' Strike the German., for this is a miracle ! ' Well, I rushed forward — who would not have rushed forward?"

" Hear me," interrupted Povala, " I do not wish you evil, for I see clearly that this youth has offended more through giddiness peculiar to his age than through malice. I should be glad to take no note of his act, and go on as if nothing had happened. But I can do so only in case this comtur should promise not to complain to the king. Pray him on that point; mayhap he will take compassion on the youth."

' ' I should rather go to judgment than bow before a Knight of the Cross; it does not become my honor as a noble."

Povala looked at him severe!}7 and said: "Thou art acting ill. Thy elders know better than thou what is proper, and

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 45

what is not proper, for the honor of a knight. People have heard of me also, and I will say this to thee, that had I done a deed like thine I should not be ashamed to beg forgive- ness for it."

Zbyshko blushed, but casting his eyes around, he said: "The ground is even here, if it were a little trampled. Rather than pray the German, I should prefer to meet him on horseback or on foot to the death, or to slavery."

"Thou art stupid !" said Matsko. "How couldst thou do battle with an envoy ? It is not for thee to do battle with him, or him with thee, a beardless youth."

" Forgive, noble lord," said he, turning to Povala. " The boy has become insolent because of the war. Better not let him talk to the German, for he would offend him a second time. I will beg, and if after his mission is ended that comtur wishes to fight in an inclosure, man against man, I will meet him."

" He is a knight of great family, who will not meet every- one," answered Povala.

" Is he? But do I not wear a belt and spurs? A prince might meet me."

"That is true, but speak not to him of battle unless he mentions it himself; I fear lest he might grow malignant against you. Well, may God aid you ! "

" I will go to take thy trouble on myself," said Matsko to his nephew, " but wait here."

Then he approached the Knight of the Cross, who, having halted some yards distant, 'was sitting motionless on his horse, which was as large as a camel. The man himself looked like a cast-iron statue, and listened with supreme indifference to the above conversation. Matsko, during long years of war, had learned German; so now he began to explain to the comtur in that language what had happened. He laid blame on the youth and impulsive character of the young man to whom it had seemed that God , himself had sent a knight with a peacock-plume, and finally began to beg forgiveness for Zbyshko.

But the comtur's face did not quiver. Stiff and erect, with raised head, he looked with his steel eyes at the speak- ing Matsko with as much indifference and at the same time with as much unconcern as if he were not looking at the knight or even at a man, but at a stake or a fence. Matsko noted this, and though his words did not cease to be polite, the soul in him began evidently to storm ; he spoke with

46 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

increasing constraint, and on his sunburnt cheeks a flush appeared. It was evident that in presence of that cool inso- lence he struggled not to grit his teeth and burst out in awful anger.

Povala saw this, and, having a good heart, resolved to give aid. He too, during the years of his youth, had sought various knightly adventures at the Hungarian, Austrian, Burgundian, and Bohemian courts, — adventures which made his name widely famous ; he had learned German, so now he spoke to Matsko in that language, in a voice conciliatory and purposely facetious, —

" You see, gentlemen, that the noble comtur considers the whole affair as not worth one word. Not only in our kingdom, but everywhere, striplings are without perfect reason ; such a knight as he will not war against children, either with the sword or the law."

Lichtenstein, in answer, pouted with his yellow moustaches, and without saying a word urged his horse forward, passing Matsko and Zbyshko; but wild anger began to raise the hair under their helmets, and their hands quivered toward their swords.

" Wait, son of the Order! " said the elder master of Bog- danets through his set teeth, "I make the vow now, and will find thee when thou hast ceased to be an envoy."

"That will come later," said Povala, whose heart had begun also to be filled with blood. " Let the princess speak for you now, otherwise woe to the young man."

Then he rode after Lichtenstein, stopped him, and for some time they conversed with animation. Matsko and Zbyshko noticed that the German did not look on Povala with such a haughty face as on them, and this brought them to still greater anger. After a time Povala turned toward the two men, and waiting awhile till the Knight of the Cross had gone forward, he said, —

" 1 have spoken on your behalf, but that is an unrelenting man. He says that he will refrain from making complaint only in case you do what he wishes."

"What does he wish ?"

44 ' I will stop to greet the princess of Mazovia,' said he ; ' let them ride up to where we are, come down from their horses, take off their helmets, and on the ground, with bare heads, beg of me.'" Here Povala looked quickly at Zbyshko, and added: " This is difficult for men of noble birth — I un- derstand, but I must forewarn thee that if thou wilt not do

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 47

this it is unknown what awaits thee, perhaps the sword of the executioner."

The faces of Matsko and Zbyshko became as of stone. Silence followed a second time.

" Well, and what?" asked Povala.

" Only this," answered Zbyshko, calmly, and with such dignity as if in one moment twenty years had been added to his age: "The power of God is above people."

"'What does that mean? "

"This, that even had I two heads, and were the execu- tioner to cut off both, I have one honor, which I am not free to disgrace."

At this Povala grew serious, and turning to Matsko inquired, —

" What do you say ? "

" I say," answered Matsko, gloomily, " that I have reared this lad from infancy ; besides, our whole family is in him, for I am old; but he cannot do that, even if he had to die."

Here his stern face quivered, and all at once love for his nephew burst forth in him with such strength that he seized the youth in his iron inclosed arms and cried, —

"Zbyshko! Zbyshko!"

The young knight was astonished, and said, yielding to the embrace of his uncle, —

" Oh, I did not think that you loved me so ! ."

"I see that you are true knights," said Povala, with emotion, " and since the young man has sworn on his honor to appear, I will not bind him ; such people as you may be trusted. Be of good cheer. The German will stay a day in Tynets ; so I shall see the king first, and will so explain the affair as to offend him least. It is fortunate that I was able to break the lance — very fortunate! "

" If I must give my head," said Zbyshko, " I ought at least to have had the pleasure of breaking the bones of that German."

" Thou wishest to defend thy honor, but this thou dost not understand, that thou wouldst have disgraced our whole nation," answered Povala, impatiently.

" I understand that, and therefore I am sorry."

"Do you know," continued Povala, turning to Matsko, "that if this stripling escapes in any way you will have to hood him as falcons are hooded ; otherwise he will not die his own death/'

48 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CEOSS.

" He might escape if you gentlemen would conceal from the king what has happened."

" But what shall we do with the German? I cannot tie his tongue in a knot, of course."

"True! true!"

Thus speaking they advanced toward the retinue of the princess. Povala's attendants, who before mixed with Lichtenstein's people, now rode behind them. From afar were visible among Mazovian caps the waving peacock- plumes of the Knight of the Cross, and his bright helmet gleaming in the sun.

" The Knights of the Cross have a wonderful nature," said Povala of Tachev, as if roused from meditation. "When a Knight of the Cross is in trouble he is as reasonable as a Franciscan, as mild as a lamb, and as sweet as honey, so that a better man thou wilt not find in the world ; but let him once feel strength behind him, none is more swollen with pride, with none wilt thou find less mercy. It is evident that the Lord Jesus gave them flint instead of hearts. I have observed very many nations, and more than once have I seen a true knight spare the weaker, saying to himself, ' My honor will not be increased if I trample on the pros- trate.' But just when the weaker is down the Knight of the Cross is most unbending. Hold him by the head and he will not be proud; if thou act otherwise woe to thee. Take this envoy ; he required right away, not merely your prayer for pardon, but your disgrace. I am glad that that will not happen."

" There is no waiting for it! " called out Zbyshko.

After these words they rode up to the retinue and joined the court of the princess.

The envoy of the Knights of the Cross, when he saw them, assumed immediately an expression of pride and contempt. But they feigned not to see him. Zbyshko halted at Danu- sia's side and told her joyfully that Cracow was clearly visi- ble from the hill. Matsko began to tell a chorister of the uncommon strength of Povala, the lord of Tachev, who broke a spear in Zbyshko's hand as if it had been a dry reed.

" But why did he break it? " asked the chorister.

' ' Because the young man had levelled it at the German, but only in jest."

The chorister, who was a noble and a man of experience, did not think such a jest very becoming, but seeing that

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 49

Matsko spoke of it lightly he did not look on the matter with seriousness. Meanwhile such bearing began to annoy the German. He looked once and a second time at Zbyshko, then at Matsko ; at last he understood that they would not dismount, and paid no attention to him purposely. Then something, as it were steel, glittered in his eyes, and straight- way he took leave. At the moment when he started Povala could not restrain himself, and said to him at parting, —

" Advance without fear, brave knight. This country is in peace and no one will attack you, unless some boy in a jest."

"Though manners are strange in this country, I have sought not your protection, but your society," answered Lichtenstein ; " indeed I think that we shall meet again, both at this court and elsewhere."

In the last words sounded a hidden threat; therefore Povala answered seriously, —

"God grant." Then he inclined and turned away; after- ward he shrugged his shoulders and said in an undertone, but still loud enough to be heard by those nearest him, —

" Dry bones! I could sweep thee from the saddle with the point of my lance, and hold thee in the air during three 4 Our Fathers.' "

Then he began to converse with the princess, whom he knew well. Anna Danuta asked what he was doing on the highway, and he informed her that he was riding at com- mand of the king to maintain order in the neighborhood, where, because of the great number of guests coming from all parts to Cracow, a dispute might arise very easily. And as a proof he related that of which he had been himself a witness a little while earlier. Thinking, however, that there would be time enough to beg the intercession of the princess for Zbyshko when the need came, he did not attach too much significance to the event, not wishing to interrupt gladsome- ness. In fact, the princess even laughed at Zbyshko for his haste to get peacock-plumes. Others, learning of the broken lance, admired the lord of Tachev because he had broken it so easily with one hand.

Povala, being a little boastful, was pleased in his heart that they were glorifying him, and at last began to tell of the deeds which had made him famous, especially in Burgundy at the court of Philip the Bold. Once in time of a tourna- ment, after he had broken the spear of a knight of the Ardennes, he caught him by the waist, drew him from his saddle and hurled him up a spear's length in the air, though the VOL. i. — 4

50 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

in an of Ardennes was clad from head to foot in iron armor. Philip the Bold presented him with a gold chain for the deed, and the princess gave him a velvet slipper, which he wore on his helmet thenceforward.

On hearing this narrative all were greatly astonished, except Pan Mikolai, who said, —

" There are no such men in these effeminate days as during my youth, or men like those of whom my father told me. If a noble at present succeeds in tearing open a breastplate, or stretching a crossbow without a crank, or twisting an iron cutlass between sticks he is called a man of might and exalts himself above others. But formerly young girls used to do those things."

"I will not deny that formerly people were stronger," answered Povala, " but even to-day strong men may be found. The Lord Jesus was not sparing of strength in my bones, still I will not say that I am the strongest in the king- dom. Have you ever seen Zavisha of Garbov? He could overcome me."

" I have seen him. He has shoulders as broad as the bell of Cracow."

" And Dobko of Olesnitsa? Once he was at a tournament which the Knights of the Cross held in Torun ; he stretched out twelve knights with great glory to himself and our nation."

"But our Mazovian, Stashko Tsolek was stronger than you, or Zavisha, or Dobko. It was said that he took a green stick in his hand and squeezed sap from it."

" I will squeeze sap from one too ! " exclaimed Zbyshko.

And before any one could ask him for a trial, he sprang to the roadside, broke off a good twig from a tree, and there, before the eyes of the princess and Danusia, he pressed it near one end with such force that the sap began really to fall in drops on the road.

" Ei! " cried Pani Ofka at sight of this, " do not go to war; it would be a pity for feuch a man to die before marriage."

" It would be a pity," repeated Matsko, growing gloomy on a sudden.

But Pan Mikolai began to laugh, and the princess joined him. Others, however, praised Zbyshko's strength aloud, and since in those times an iron hand was esteemed above all other qualities, the damsels cried to Danusia: "Be glad!" And she was glad, though she did not understano well what she could gain from that morsel of squeezed wood. Zbyshko,

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 51

forgetting the Knight of the Cross altogether, had such a lofty look that Mikolai, wishing to bring him to moderation, said, —

" It is useless to plume thyself with strength, for there are stronger than thou. I have not seen what thou hast done, but my father was witness of something better which hap- pened at the court of Carolus, the Roman Emperor. King Kazimir went on a visit to him with many courtiers, among whom was this Stashko Tsolek, famous for strength and sou of the voevoda Andrei. The emperor boasted that among his men he had a certain Cheh who could grasp a bear around the body and smother him immediately. Then they had a spectacle and the Cheh smothered two bears, one after the other. Our king was greatly mortified, and not to go away shamefaced he said : ' But my Tsolek will not let himself be put to shame.' They appointed a wrestling match to come three days later. Knights and ladies assembled, and after three days the Cheh grappled with Tsolek in the courtyard of the castle ; but the struggle did not last long, for barely had they embraced when Tsolek broke the Cheh's back, crushed in all his ribs and only let him out of his arms when dead, to the great glory of our king. Tsolek, surnamed Boiiebreaker from that day, once carried up into a tower a great bell which twenty townspeople could not stir from the earth."

" But how many years old was he? " inquired Zbyshko.

" He was young."

Meanwhile Povala, riding at the right near the princess, bent at last toward her ear and told her the whole truth con- cerning the seriousness of what had happened, and at the same time begged her to support him, for he would take the part of Zbyshko, who might have to answer grievously for his act. The princess, whom Zbyshko pleased, received the intelligence with sadness, and was greatly alarmed.

" The bishop of Cracow has a liking for me," said Povala. " I can implore him, ana the queen too, for the more inter- cessors there are, the better for the young man."

" Should the queen take his part a hair will not fall from his head," said Anna Danuta ; "the king honors her greatly .for her saintliness and her dower, especially now when the ceproach of sterility is taken from her. But in Cracow is «".lso the beloved sister of the king, Princess Alexandra ; go to her. I too will do what I can, but she is his sister while 1 am a cousin."

52 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

" The king loves you also, gracious lady."

" Ei, not as her," replied, the princess, with a certain sadness ; " for me one link of a chain, for her a whole chain ; for me a fox skin, for her a sable. The king loves none of his relatives as he does Alexandra. There is no day when she goes away empty-handed."

Thus conversing they approached Cracow. The road, crowded beginning with Tynets, was still more crowded. They met landholders going to the city at the head of their men ; some were in armor, others in summer garments and straw hats ; some on horseback, others in wagons with their wives and daughters, who wished to see the long promised tournaments. In places the entire road was crowded with the wagons of merchants, who were not permitted to pass Cracow, and thus deprive the city of numerous toll dues. In those wagons were carried salt, wax, wheat, fish, oxhides, hemp, wood. Others leaving the city were laden with cloth, kegs of beer, and the most various merchandise of the city. Cracow was now quite visible ; the gardens of the king, of lords and of townspeople surrounded the city on all sides ; beyond them were the walls and the church towers. The nearer they came, the greater the movement, and at the gates it was difficult to pass amid the universal activity.

" This is the city ! there is not in the world another such," said Matsko.

" It is always like a fair," said one of the choristers. " Is it long since you were here ? "

" Long. And I wonder at Cracow as if I were looking at it for the first time, as we come now from wild countries."

* ' They say that Cracow has grown immensely through King Yagello."

" That is true. From the time that the Grand Prince of Lithuania ascended the throne, the vast regions of Lithuania and Rus have become open to the traffic of Cracow ; because of this the city has increased day by day in population, in wealth, and in buildings ; it has become one of the most important in the world."

" The cities of the Knights of the Cross are respectable too," said the weighty chorister again.

6 'If we could only get at them!" said Matsko. "There would be a respectable booty ! "

But Povala was thinking of something else, namely, that young Zbyshko, who had offended only through stupid im- pulsiveness, was going into the jaws of the wolf as it were.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 53

The lord of Tachev, stern and stubborn in time of war, had a real dovelike heart in his mighty breast ; since he knew better than others what was waiting for the offender, pity for the youth seized the knight.

" I am meditating and meditating," said he to the princess, " whether to tell the king what has happened, or not tell him. If the German knight does not complain, there will be no case, but it he is to complain it would be better to tell earlier, so that our lord should not flame up in sudden anger."

" If the Knight of the Cross can ruin any man, he will ruin him," said the princess. " But I first of all will tell the young man to join our court. Perhaps the king will not punish a courtier of ours so severely."

Then she called Zbyshko, who, learning what the question was, sprang from his horse, seized her feet, and with the utmost delight agreed to be her attendant, not only because of greater safety, but because he could in that way remain near Danusia.

' ' Where are you to lodge ? " asked Povala of Matsko.

" In an inn."

" There is no room in the inns this long time."

4 'Then I will go to a merchant, an acquaintance, Amyley, Perhaps he will shelter us for the night."

" But I say to you, come as guests to me. Your nephew might lodge in the castle with the courtiers of the princess, but it will be better for him not to be under the hand of the king. What the king would do in his first anger, he would not do in his second. It is certain also that you will divide your property, wagons, and servants, and to do that, time is needed. With me, as it is known to you, you will be safe and comfortable."

Matsko, though troubled a little that Povala was thinking so much of their safety, thanked him with gratitude, and they entered the city. But there he and Zbyshko forgot again for a time their troubles at sight of the wonders sur- rounding them. In Lithuania and on the boundary they had seen only single castles, and of more considerable towns only Vilno, — badly built, and burnt, all in ashes and ruins. In Cracow the stone houses of merchants were often more splendid than the castle of the Grand Prince in Lithuania. Many houses were of wood, it is true, but many of those astonished the beholder by the loftiness of the walls and the roofs, with windows of glass, the panes fitted into lead sashes, panes which so reflected the rays of the setting sun

54 THE KNIGHTS OF Till: CKOSS.

that one might suppose the house burning. But along streets near the market were large houses of red brick, or entirely of stone, lofty, ornamented with plates and the cross charm on the walls. They stood one at the side of the other, like soldiers in line, some wide, others narrow, as narrow as nine ells, but erect, with arched ceiling — often with the picture of the Passion, or with the image of the Most Holy Virgin over the gate. On some streets were two rows of houses, above them a strip of sky, below a street entirely paved with stones, and on both sides as far as the eye could see, shops and shops, rich, full of the most excel- lent, ofttimes wonderful or wholly unknown goods, on which Matsko, accustomed to continual war and taking of booty, looked with an eye somewhat greedy. But the public buildings brought both to still greater astonishment; the church of the Virgin Mary in the square, then other churches, the cloth market, the city hall with an enormous "cellar" in which they sold Schweidnitz beer, cloth shops, the immense mercatorium intended for foreign merchants, also a building in which the city weights were kept, barber-shops, baths, places for smelting copper, wax, gold, and silver, breweries, whole mountains of kegs around the so-called Schrotamt, — in a word, plenty and wealth, which a man unacquainted with the city, even though the wealthy owner of a u town," could not imagine to himself.

Povala conducted Matsko and Zbyshko to his house on Saint Ann Street, commanded to give them a spacious room, intrusted them to attendants, and went himself to the castle ; from which he returned for supper rather late in the evening with a number of his friends. They used meat and wine in abundance and supped joyously ; but the host himself was somehow anxious, and when at last the guests went away he said to Matsko, — •

"I have spoken to a canon skilled in writing and in /aw ; he tells me that insult to an envoy is a capital offence. Pray to God, therefore, that Lichtenstein make no complaint."

When they heard this both knights, though at supper they had in some degree passed the measure, went to rest with hearts that were not so joyous. Matsko could not sleep, and some time after they had lain down he called to his nephew, —

" Zbyshko ! "

"But what?"

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 55

" Well, taking everything into account, I think that they will cut off thy head."

"Do you think so?" asked Zbyshko, with a drowsy voice. And turning to the wall he fell asleep sweetly, for he was wearied by the road.

Next day the two owners of Bogdanets together with Povala went to early mass in the Cathedral, through piety and to see the guests who had assembled at the castle. In- deed Povala had met a multitude of acquaintances on the road, and among them many knights famous at home and abroad ; on these young Zbyshko looked with admiration, promising himself in spirit that if the affair with Lichtenstein should leave him unharmed, he would strive to equal them in bravery and every virtue. One of those knights, Topor- chyk, a relative of the castellan of Cracow told him about the return from Rome of Voitseh Yastrembets. a scholastic, who had gone with a letter from the king to Pope Boniface IX., inviting him to Cracow. Boniface accepted the invita- tion, and though he expressed doubt as to whether he could come in person, he empowered his ambassador to hold in his name the infant at the font, and begged at the same time, as a proof of his love for both kingdoms, to name the child Bonifacius or Bonifacia.

They spoke also of the approaching arrival of Sigismond of Hungary, and expected it surely ; for Sigismond, whether invited or not, went always to places where there was a chance of feasts, visits, and tournaments, in which he took part with delight, desiring to be renowned universally as a ruler, a singer, and one of the first of knights. Povala, Zavisha of Garbov, Dobko of Olesnitsa, Nashan, and other men of similar measure remembered with a smile how, during former visits of Sigismond, King Vladislav had begged them in secret not to push too hard in the tournament, and to spare the "Hungarian guest," whose vanity, known through- out the world, was so great that in case of failure it brought tears Prom his eyes. But the greatest attention among the knighthood was roused by the affair of Vitold. Wonders were related of the splendor of that cradle of pure silver, which princes and boyars of Lithuania had brought from Vitold and his wife Anna. Before divine service groups of people were formed as is usual ; these related news to each other. In one of those groups Matsko, when he heard of the cradle, described the richness of the gift, but still more Vitold's intended immense expedition against the Tar-

56 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

tars; he was covered with questions about it. The expe- dition was nearly ready, for great armies had moved to Eastern Rus, and in case of success it would extend the supremacy of King Yagello over almost half the earth, to the unknown depths of Asia, — to the boundaries of Persia, and the banks of the Aral. Matsko, who formerly had been near the person of Vitold, and who was able to know his plans therefore, knew how to tell them in detail, and even so eloquently that before the bell had sounded for mass a crowd of the curious had formed around him in front of the cathedral. " It was a question, "he said, "of an expedition in favor of the Cross. Vitold himself, though called Grand Prince, rules Lithuania by appointment of Yagello, and is merely viceroy. His merit, therefore, will fall on the king. And what glory for newly baptized Lithuania, and for Polish power, if their united armies shall carry the Cross to regions in which if the name of the Saviour has ever been mentioned, it was onlv to be blasphemed, regions in which the foot of a Pole or Lithuanian has never stood up to this time! The expelled Tohtamysh, if Polish and Lithuanian troops seat him again on the last Kipchak throne, will call himself * son ' of King Vladislav and, as he has promised, will bow down to the Cross together with the whole Golden Horde."

They listened to these words with attention, but many did not know well what the question was, — whom was Vitold to assist? against whom was he to war? Hence some said :

" Tell us clearly, with whom is the war? "

44 With Timur the Lame," answered Matsko.

A moment of silence followed. The ears of Western knighthood had been struck more than once, it is true, by the names of the Golden, Blue, and Azoff Hordes, as well as various others, but Tartar questions and domestic wars between individual Hordes were not clearly known to them. On the other hand, one could not find a single man in Europe of that day who had not heard of the awful Timur the Lame, or Tamerlane, whose name was repeated with not less dread than the name of Attila aforetime. Was he not "lord of the world" and "lord of times," ruler of twenty-seven conquered kingdoms, ruler of Muscovite Rus, ruler of Siberia, China to India, Bagdad, Ispahan, Aleppo, Damascus, — a man whose shadow fell across the sands of Arabia onto Egypt, and across the Bosphorus onto the Byzantine Empire, destroyer of the human race, mon- strous builder of pyramids made of human skulls, victor

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 57

in all battles, defeated in none, " master of souls and bodies " ?

Tohtamysh had been seated by Tamerlane on the throne of the Blue aud the Golden Hordes, and recognized as " son." But when Tohtamysh's lordship extended from the Aral to the Crimea, over more lands than there were in all remaining Europe, the " sou '' wished to be independent ; therefore, de- prived of his throne by ' ' one finger " of the terrible father, he fled to the Lithuanian prince imploring aid. It was this man precisely whom Vitold intended to conduct back to his kingdom, but to do so he would have first to measure strength with the world-ruling Limper. For this reason his name pro- duced a powerful impression on the listeners, and after a time of silence one of the oldest knights, Kazko of Yaglov, said, —

u It is not a dispute with some trifling man."

" But it is about some trifling thing," said Pan Mikolai, prudently. " What profit to us if far off there beyond the tenth land a Tohtamysh, instead of a Kutluk, rules the sons of Belial?"

4 'Tohtamysh would receive the Christian faith," answered Matsko.

" He would receive it, but he has not received it. Is it possible to believe dog brothers, who do not confess Christ?"

"But it is a worthy deed to lay down one's life for the name of Christ," replied Povala.

"And for the honor of knighthood," added Toporchykj " among us are men who will go. Pan Spytko of Melshtyn has a young and beloved wife, but he has gone to Prince Vitold for the expedition."

"And no wonder," put in Yasko Nashan; "though a man had the foulest sin on his soul, he would receive sure forgiveness for his part in such a war, and certain salvation."

" And glory for the ages of ages," said Povala. " If there is to be a war, let it be a war, and that it is not with some common person is all the better. Timur conquered the world and has twenty-seven kingdoms under him. What a glory for our people to rub him out."

" Why should we not ? " answered Toporchyk, " even if he possessed a hundred kingdoms, let others fear him, not we! Ye speak worthily ! Only call together ten thousand good lancers — we will ride through the world."

" What people should finish the Limper if not ours?"

58 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

So spoke the knights, and Zbyshko wondered wh}7 the desire had not come to him earlier of going into the wild steppes with Vitold. During his stay in Vilno he had wished to see Cracow, the court, take part in knightly tournaments, but now he thought that here he might find condemnation and infamy, while there, at the worst, he would find a death full of glory. But Kazko of Yaglov, a hundred years old, whose neck was trembling from age, and who had a mind answering to his age, cast cold water on the willingness of the knighthood.

u Ye are foolish," said he. "Has no one of you heard that the image of Christ has spoken to the queen? And if the Saviour himself admits her to such confidence, why should the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity, be less gracious. For this reason she sees future things, as if they were happening in her presence, and she said this — "

Here he stopped, shook his head for a moment, and then continued, —

" I have forgotten what she did say, but I will recall it directly."

And he began to think ; they waited with attention, for the opinion was universal that the queen saw future events.

" Aha ! I have it ! " said he at last. " The queen said that if all the knighthood of this country should go with Prince Vitold against the Limper, pagan power might be crushed. But that cannot be, because of the dishonesty of Christians. It is necessary to guard our boundaries against Chehs, and Hungarians, and against the Knights of the Cross, for it is not possible to trust any one. And if only a handful of Poles go with Vitold, Timur will finish them, or his voevodas will, for they command countless legions."

" But there is peace at present," said Toporchyk, " and the Order itself will give some aid, perhaps, to Vitold. The Knights of the Cross cannot act otherwise, even for shame's sake ; they must show the holy father that they are ready to fight against pagans. People say at court that Kuno Lichteustein is here not only for the christening, but also to counsel with the king."

" Ah, hero he is ! " exclaimed Matsko, with astonishment.

" True! " said Povala, looking around. "As God lives, it is he! He stayed a short time with the abbot; he must have left Tynets before daybreak."

" He was in haste for some reason," said Matsko, gloomily.

Meanwhile Kuno Liolitenstein passed near them. Matskc

THE KNIGHTS OF Til ft CROSS. 59

recognized him by the cross embroidered on his mantle, but the envoy knew neither him nor Zbyshko, because the first time he had seen them they were in helmets, and in a hel- met, even with raised vizor, it was possible to see only a small part of the face. While passing he nodded toward Povala and Toporchyk, then, with his attendants, he as- cended the steps of the cathedral, with an important and majestic tread.

Just at that moment the bells sounded, announcing that mass would begin soon, and frightening a flock of daws and doves gathered in the towers. Matsko and Zbyshko, some- what disturbed by the quick return of Lichtenstein, entered the church with others. But the old man was now the more disturbed, for the king's court took all the young knight's attention. Never in his life had Zbyshko seen anything so imposing as that church and that assembly. On the right and on the left he was surrounded by the most famous men of the kingdom, renowned in counsel, or in war. Many of those whose wisdom had effected the marriage of ths Grand Prince of Lithuania with the marvellous young Queen of Poland had died, but some were still living, and on them people looked with uncommon respect. The youth- ful knight could not gaze enough at the noble figure of Yasko of Tenchyn, the castellan of Cracow, in which se- verity and dignity were blended with uprightness ; he admired the wise and dignified faces of other counsellors, and the strong visages of knights with hair cut straight above their brows and falling in long locks at the sides of their heads and behind. Some wore nets, others only ribbons holding the hair in order. Foreign guests, envoys of the King of Rome, Bohemians, Hungarians, Austrians, with their attendants, astonished with the great elegance of their dresses ; the princes and boyars of Lithuania, stand- ing near the side of the king, in spite of the summer and the burning days, for show's sake wore shubas lined with costly fur; the Russian princes, in stiff and broad garments, looked, on the background of the walls and the gilding of the church, like Byzantine pictures.

But Zbyshko waited with the greatest curiosity for the entrance of the king and queen, and forced his way up as much as possible toward the stalls, beyond which, near the altar, were two velvet cushions, — for the royal couple always heard mass on their knees. Indeed, people did not Wait long; the king entered first, by the door of the sacristy,

60 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

and before he had come in front of the altar it was possible to observe him well. He had black hair, dishevelled and growing somewhat thin above his forehead ; at the sides it was put back over his ears ; his face was dark, entirely shaven, nose aquiline and rather pointed ; around his mouth there were wrinkles ; his eyes were black, small, and glitter- ing. He looked on every side, as if he wished before reach- ing the front of the altar to make estimate of all people in the church. His countenance had a kindly expression, but also the watchful one of a man who, elevated by fortune beyond his own hopes, has to think continually whether his acts correspond to his office, and who fears malicious blame. But for this reason specially there was in his face and his movements a certain impatience. It was easy to divine that his anger must be sudden, and that he was always that same prince who, roused by the wiles of the Knights of the Cross, had cried to their envoys: "Thou strikest at me with a parchment, but I at thee with a dart ! "

Now, however, a great and sincere piety restrained his native quick temper. Not only the newly converted princes of Lithuania, but also Polish magnates, pious from the exam- ple of grandfather and great-grandfather, were edified at sight of the king in the church. Often he put the cushion aside, and knelt, for greater mortification, on the bare stones ; often he raised his hands, and held them raised till they fell of them- selves from fatigue. He heard at least three masses daily, and heard them almost with eagerness. The exposure of the chalice and the sound of the bell at the Elevation always filled his soul with ecstasy, enthusiasm, and awe. At the end of mass he went forth from the church as if he had been roused from sleep, calmed and mild; soon courtiers discovered that that was the best time to beg him for gifts or forgiveness.

Yadviga entered by the sacristy door. Knights nearest the stalls, when they saw her, though mass had not begun, knelt at once, yielding involuntary honor to her, as to a saint. Zbyshko did the same, for in all that congregation no one doubted that he had really before him a saint, whose image would in time adorn the altars of churches. More especially during recent years the severe penitential life of Yadviga had caused this, that besides the honor due a queen, they rendered her honor well-nigh religious. From mouth to mouth among lords and people passed reports of miracles wrought by her. It was said that the touch of her hand cared the sick; that people deprived of strength in their members

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 61

recovered it by putting on old robes of the queen. Trust- worthy witnesses affirmed that with their own ears they had heard Christ speaking to her from the altar. Foreign monarchs gave her honor on their knees ; even the insolent Knights of the Cross respected her, and feared to offend her. Pope Boniface IX. called her a saint and the chosen daughter of the Church. The world considered her acts, and remem- bered that that was a child of the house of Anjou and of the Polish Piasts ; that she was a daughter of the powerful Ludvik ; that she was reared at the most brilliant of courts ; that she was the most beautiful of maidens in the kingdom; that she had renounced happiness, renounced a maiden's first love, and married as queen the "wild" prince of Lithuania, so as to bend with him to the foot of the Cross the last pagan people in Europe. What the power of all the Germans, the power of the Knights of the Cross, their crusading expedi- tions, and a sea of blood had not effected, her single word had effected. Never had apostolic labor been joined with such devotion ; never had woman's beauty been illuminated by such angelic goodness and such quiet sorrow.

Therefore minstrels in all the courts of Europe celebrated her ; knights from the most remote lands came to Cracow to see that " Polish Queen ; " her own people, whose strength and glory she had increased by her alliance with Yagello, loved her as the sight of their eyes. Only one great grief had weighed upon her and the nation, — God through long years had refused posterity to this His chosen one.

But when at last that misfortune had passed, the news of the implored blessing spread like lightning from the Baltic to the Black Sea, to the Carpathians, and filled all peo- ple of the immense commonwealth with delight. It was received joyfully even at foreign courts, but not at the capi- tal of the Knights of the Cross. In Rome they sang a "Te Deum." In Poland the final conviction was reached that whatever the " holy lady" might ask of God would be given beyond doubt.

So people came to implore her to ask health for them ; deputations came from provinces and districts, begging that in proportion as the need might be she would pray for rain, for good weather, for crops, for a favorable harvest, a good yield of honey, for abundance of fish in the lakes, and beasts in the forests. Terrible knights from border castles and towns, who, according to customs received from the Germans, toiled at robbery or war among themselves, at one reminder

62 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

from her sheathed their swords ; freed prisoners without ran* som; returned stolen herds; and gave hands to one another in concord. Every misfortune, every poverty hurried to the gates of the castle of Cracow. Her pure spirit penetrated the hearts of men, softened the lot of subjects, the pride of lords, the harshness of judges, and soared like the light of happiness, like an angel of justice and peace above the whole country.

All were waiting then with beating hearts for the day of blessing.

The knights looked diligently at the form of the queen, so as to infer how long they would have to wait for the coming heir or heiress to the throne. Vysh, the bishop of Cracow, who was besides the most skilful physician in the country, and even celebrated abroad, did not predict yet a quick deliv- ery. If they were making preparations, it was because it was the custom of the age to begin every solemnity at the earliest, and continue it whole weeks. In fact, the lady's form, though somewhat more pronounced, preserved so far its usual outlines. She wore robes that were even too simple. Reared in a brilliant court, and being the most beautiful of contemporary princesses, she had been enamoured of costly materials, — chains, pearls, gold bracelets and rings ; but at this time, and even for some years, not only did she wear the robes of a nun, but she covered her face, lest the thought of her beauty might rouse worldly pride in her. In vain did Yagello, when he learned of her changed condition, recom mend, in the ecstasy of his delight, to adorn the bedchamber with cloth of gold, brocade, and precious stones. She an- swered that, having renounced show long before, she remem- bered that the time of birth was often the time of death ; and hence it was not amidst jewels, but with silent humility, that she ought to receive the favor with which God was visiting her.

The gold and precious stones went meanwhile to the Academy or to the work of sending newly baptized Lithuan- ian youths to foreign universities.

The queen agreed to change her religious appearance only in this, that from the time when the hope of motherhood had become perfect certainty she would not hide her face, con- sidering justly that the dress of a penitent did not befit her from that moment forward.

And in fact all eyes rested now in love on that wonderful face, to which neither gold nor precious stones could add

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 63

ornament. The queen walked slowly from the sacristy to the altar with her eyes uplifted, in one hand a book, in the other a rosary. Zbyshko saw the lily-colored face, the blue eyes, the features simply angelic, full of peace, goodness, mercy, and his heart began to beat like a hammer. He knew that by command of God he ought to love his king and his queen, and he had loved them in his own way, but now his heart seethed up in him on a sudden with great love, which comes not of command, but which bursts forth of itself, like a flame, and is at once both the greatest honor and humility, and a wish for sacrifice. Zbyshko was young and impulsive ; hence a desire seized him to show that love and faithfulness of a subject knight, to do something for her, to fly some- where, to slay some one, to capture something, and lay down his head at the same time. "I will go even with Prince Vitold," said he to himself, " for how else can I serve the saintly lady, if there is no war near at hand?" It did not even come to his head that he could serve otherwise than with a sword, or a javelin, or an axe, but to make up for that he was ready to go alone against the whole power of Timur the Lame. He wanted to mount his horse immediately after mass and begin — what? He himself did not know. He knew only that he could not restrain himself, that his hands were burning, that his whole soul within him was burning.

So again he forgot altogether the danger which was threat- ening him. He forgot even Danusia for a while, and when she came to his mind because of the childlike singing which was heard all at once in the church, he had a feeling that that was "something else." To Danusia he had promised faithfulness, he had promised three Germans, and he would keep that promise ; but the queen was above all women, and when he thought how many he would like to kill for the queen he saw in front of him whole legions of breastplates, helmets, ostrich and peacock plumes, and felt that according to his wish that was still too little.

Meanwhile he did not take his eyes from her, asking in his swollen heart, " With what prayer can I honor her?" for he judged that it was not possible to pray for the queen in com- mon fashion. He knew how to say, " Pater noster, qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen Tuum," for a certain Franciscan in Vilno had taught him those words ; perhaps the monk himself did not know more, perhaps Zbyshko had forgotten the rest; it is enough that he was unable to say the whole Pater noster (Our Father), so he began to repeat in succes-

64 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

sion those few words which in his soul meant, "Give our beloved lady health, and life, and happiness — and think more of her than of all others." And since this was said by a man over whose head judgment and punishment were hang- ing, there was not in that whole church a more sincere prayer.

At the end of mass Zbyshko thought that if it were per- mitted him to stand before the queen, fall on his face and embrace her feet, then even let the end of the world come. But the first mass was followed by a second, and then a third ; after that the lady went to her apartments, for usually she fasted till mid-clay, and took no part in joyful break- fasts at which, for the amusement of the king and guests, jesters and jugglers appeared. But old Pan Mikolai came and summoned him to the princess.

"At the table thou wilt serve me and Danusia, as my attendant," said the princess ; " and may it be granted thee to please the king with some amusing word or act, by which thou wilt win his heart to thyself. If the German knight recognizes thee, perhaps he will not make a complaint, seeing that at the king's table thou art serving me."

Zbyshko kissed the princess's hand, then turned to Danusia, and though he was more used to war and battles than to courtly customs, he knew evidently what a knight ought to do on seeing the lady of his thoughts in the morning, for he stepped back and assuming an expression of surprise ex- claimed, while making the sign of the cross, —

" In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! "

" But why does Zbyshko make the sign of the cross?" inquired Danusia, raising her blue eyes to him.

"Because, lovely damsel, so much beauty has been added to thee that I wonder."

But Pan Mikolai, as an old man, did not like new foreign knightly customs, hence he shrugged his shoulders, and said, —

' ' Why wilt thou lose time for nothing and talk about her beauty? That is a chit which has hardly risen above the earth."

Zbyshko looked at him immediately with indignation.

"You are mad to call her that," said he, growing pale from anger. " Know this, that if your years were less I would command at once to trample earth behind the castle, and let my death or yours come ! "

" Be quiet, stripling ! I could manage thee even to-day! "

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 65

" Be quiet! " repeated the princess. " Instead of thinking of thy own head, thou art looking for other quarrels ! I ought to have found a more sedate knight for Danusia. But I tell thee this, if thou hast a wish to quarrel move hence to whatever place may please thee, for here such men are not needed."

Zbyshko, put to shame by the words of the princess, be- gan to beg her pardon, thinking, meanwhile, that if Pan Mikolai had a grown-up son he would challenge him to a combat sometime, on foot or on horseback, unless the word were forgiven. He determined, however, to deport himself like a dove in the king's chambers, and not to challenge any one unless knightly honor commanded it absolutely.

The sound of trumpets announced that the meal was ready; so Princess Anna, taking Danusia by the hand, withdrew to the king's apartments, before which lay dignitaries and knights stood awaiting her arrival. The Princess Alexan- dra had entered first, for as sister of the king she occupied a higher place at the table. Straightway the room was filled with foreign guests, invited local dignitaries, and knights. The king sat at the head of the table, having at his side the bishop of Cracow and Voitseh Yastrembets, who, though lower in dignity than mitred persons, sat as ambassador of the pope, at the right hand of the king. The two princesses occupied the succeeding places. Beyond Anna Danuta in a broad arm-chair, Yan, the former archbishop of Gnesen, had disposed himself comfortably. He was a prince descended from the Piasts of Silesia, a son of Bolko III., Prince of Opole. Zbyshko had heard of him at the court of Vitold, and now, standing behind the princess and Danusia, he recog- nized the man at once by his immensely abundant hair, twisted in rolls like a holy-water sprinkler. At the courts of Polish princes they called him Kropidlo, and even the Knights of the Cross gave him the name " Grapidla." * He was famed for joyfulness and frivolity. Having received the pallium for the archbishopric of Gnesen against the will of the king he wished to occupy it with armed hand ; expelled from the office for this and exiled, he connected himself with the Knights of the Cross, who gave him the poor bishopric of Kamen. Understanding at last that it was better to be in accord with a powerful king, he implored Yagello's forgiveness, returned to the country, and was wait-

1 This is a German mispronunciation of Kropidlo, a sprinkler. Kro- pidlo is derived from kropic, to sprinkle. VOL. i. — 5

66 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

ing till a see should be vacant, hoping to receive it from the hands of his kindly lord. In fact he was not deceived ; meanwhile he was endeavoring to win the king's heart with pleasant jests. But the former inclination towards the Knights of the Cross had remained with him, and even then, at the court of Yagello, though not looked upon too favorably by knights and dignitaries, he sought the society of Lichtenstein, and was glad to sit next him at table.

Zbyshko, standing behind Princess Anna's chair, found himself so near the Knight of the Cross that he could touch him with his hand. In fact his hands began to itch immedi- ately and to move ; but that was involuntary, for he restrained his impulsiveness, and did not permit himself any erratic thought. Still he could not refrain from casting occasional glances that were somewhat greedy at Lichtenstein's flax- colored head, which was growing bald behind, at his neck, his shoulders, and his arms, wishing to estimate at once whether he would have much work were he to meet him either in battle or in single combat. It seemed to him that he would not have overmuch, for, though the shoulder-blades of the knight were rather powerful in outline, under his closely fitting garment of thin gray cloth, he was still a skel- eton in comparison with Povala, or Pashko Zlodye, or the two renowned Sulimchiks, or Kron of Koziglove, and many other knights sitting at the king's table.

On them indeed Zbyshko looked with admiration and envy, but his main attention was turned toward the king, who, casting glances on all sides, gathered in, from moment to moment, his hair behind his ears, as if made impatient by this, that the meal had not begun yet. His glance rested for the twinkle of an eye on Zbyshko also, and then the 3Toung knight experienced the feeling of a certain fear; and at the thought that surely he would have to stand before the angry face of the king a terrible alarm mastered him. At first he thought, it is true, of the responsibility and the punishment which might fall on him, for up to that moment all this had seemed to him distant, indefinite, hence not worthy of thought.

But the German did not divine that the knight who had attacked him insolently on the road was so near. The meal began. They brought in caudle, so strongly seasoned with eggs, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and saffron, that the odor went through the entire hall. At the same time the jester,

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 67

Tsarushek, sitting in the doorway on a stool, began to imi- tate the singing of a nightingale, which evidently delighted the king. After him another jester passed around the table with the servants who were carrying food ; he stood behind the chairs without being noticed, and imitated the buzzing of a bee so accurately that this man and that laid down his spoon and defended his head with his hand. At sight of this, others burst into laughter.

Zbyshko served the princess and Danusia diligently, but when Lichtenstein in his turn began to slap his head, which was growing bald, he forgot his danger again and laughed till the tears came. A young Lithuanian prince, son of the viceroy of Smolensk, helped him in this so sincerely that he dropped food from the tray.

The Knight of the Cross, noting his error at last, reached to his hanging pocket, and turning to bishop Kropidlo, said something to him in German which the bishop repeated im- mediately in Polish.

" The noble lord declares,'' said he, turning to the jester, " that thou wilt receive two coins; but buzz not too near, for bees are driven out and drones are killed."

The jester pocketed the two coins which the knight had given him, and using the freedom accorded to jesters at all courts, he answered, —

' ' There is much honey in the land of Dobryn ; that is why the drones have settled on it. Kill them, O King Vladislav ! "

u Ha! here is a coin from me too, for thou hast answered well," said Kropidlo; "but remember that when a ladder falls the bee-keeper breaks his neck. Those Malborg drones which have settled on Dobryn have stings, and it is danger- ous to climb to their nests. "

" Oh ! " cried Zyndram of Mashkov, the sword-bearer of Cracow, " we can smoke them out."

"With what?"

" With powder."

' ' Or cut their nests with an axe ! " said the gigantic Pashko Zlodye.

Zbyshko's heart rose, for he thought that such words her- alded war. But Kuno Lichtenstein understood the words too, for having lived long in Torun and in Helmno he had learned Polish speech, and he failed to use it only through pride. But now, roused by Zyndram's words, he fixed his gray eyes on him and answered, —

68 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

" We shall see."

" Our fathers saw at Plovtsi, and we have seen at Vilno," answered Zyndram.

" Pax vobiscum't Pax, pax ! " exclaimed Kropidlo. " Only let the reverend Mikolai of Kurov leave the bishop- ric of Kuyav, and the gracious king appoint me in his place, I will give you such a beautiful sermon on love among na- tions, that I will crush you completely, for what is hatred if not ignis (fire), and besides ignis inf emails (hell fire), — a hre so terrible that water has no effect on it, and it can be (quenched only with wine. With wine, then ! We will go to :the ops ! as the late bishop Zbisha said."

" And from the ops to hell, as the devil said," added the jester.

4 < May he take thee ! "

" It will be more interesting when he takes you ; the devil has not been seen yet with a Kropidlo (holy-water sprinkler), but I think that all will have that pleasure."

"I will sprinkle thee first," said Kropidlo. "Give us wine, and long life to love among Christians ! "

" Among real Christians ! " repeated Lichtenstein, with emphasis.

4 ' How is that ? " asked the bishop of Cracow, raising his head. " Are you not in an old-time Christian kingdom? Are not the churches older here than in Malborg ? "

" I know not," answered the Knight of the Cross.

The king was especially sensitive on the question of Chris- tianity. It seemed to him that perhaps the Knight of the Cross wished to reproach him ; so his prominent cheeks were covered at once with red spots, and his eyes began to flash.

" What," asked he in a loud voice. "Am I not a Chris- tian king?"

"The kingdom calls itself Christian," answered Lichten- stein coldly, " but the customs in it are pagan."

At this, terrible knights rose from their seats, — Martsin Vrotsimovitse, Floryan of Korytnitsa, Bartosh of Vodzinek, Domarat of Kobylany, Povala of Tachev, Pashko Zlodye, Zyndram of Mashkovitse, Yasha of Targovisko, Kron of Koziglove, Zygmunt of Bobova, and Stashko of Harbimo- vitse, powerful, renowned, victors in many battles and in many tournaments ; at one instant they were flushing with anger, at another pale, at another gritting their teeth they exclaimed, one interrupting another, —

4 ' Woe to us ! for he is a guest and cannot be challenged ! n

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 69

But Zavisha Charny, the most renowned among the re- nowned, the " model of knights," turned his frowning brows to Lichten stein, and said, —

"Kuno, I do not recognize thee. How canst thou, a knight, shame a noble people among whom thou, being an envoy, art threatened by no punishment ? "

But Kuno endured calmly his terrible Vooks and answered slowly and emphatically, —

" Our Order before coming to Prussia warred in Palestine, but there even Saracens respected envoys. Ye alone do not respect them, and for this reason I have called your customs pagan."

At this the uproar became still greater. Around the table were heard again the cries of " Woe! woe! "

They grew silent, however, when the king, on whose face anger was boiling, clapped his hands a number of times in Lithuanian fashion,, Then old Yasko Topor of Tenchyn, the castellan of Cracow, rose, — he was gray, dignified, rousing fear by the truthfulness of his rule, — and said, —

" Noble knight of Lichtenstein, if any insult has met you as an envoy, speak, there will be satisfaction and stern jus- tice quickly."

" This would not have happened to me in any other Chris- tian land," answered Kuno. "Yesterday, on the road to Tynets, one of your knights fell upon me, and though from the cross on my mantle it was easy to see who I was, he at- tempted my life."

Zbyshko, when he heard these words grew deathly pale and looked involuntarily at the king whose face was simply terrible. Yasko of Tenchyn was astounded, and said, —

"Can that be?"

" Ask the lord of Tachev, who was a witness of the deed."

All eyes turned to Povala who stood for a while gloomy, with drooping eyelids, and then said, —

"It is true!"

When the knights heard this they called out: "Shame! shame ! The ground should open under such a one." And from shame some struck their thighs and their breasts with their hands, others twisted the pewter plates on the table between their fingers, not knowing where to cast their eyes.

" Why did'st thou not kill him? " thundered the king.

" I did not because his head belongs to judgment," replied Povala.

** Did you imprison him? " asked the Castellan of Cracow.

70 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

" No. He is a noble, who swore on his knightly honor that he would appear."

" And he will not appear ! " said Lichtenstein, with a sneer and raising his head.

With that a plaintive youthful voice called out not far from the shoulders of the Knight of the Cross, —

"May God never grant that I should prefer shame to death. It was I who did that, I, Zbyshko of Bogdanets."

At these words the knights sprang toward the hapless Zbyshko, but they were stopped by a threatening beck of the king, who rose with flashing eyes, and called in a voice panting from anger, a voice which was like the sound of a wagon jolting over stones, —

"Cut off his head! cutoff his head! Let the Knight of the Cross send his head to the Grand Master at Malborg ! "

Then he cried to the young Lithuanian prince, son of the viceroy of Smolensk, —

"Hold him, Yamont!"

Terrified by the king's anger, Yamont laid his trembling hand on the shoulder of Zbyshko, who, turning a pallid face toward him, said, —

"I will not flee."

But the white-bearded castellan of Cracow raised his hand in sign that he wished to speak, and when there was silence, he said, >

" Gracious king! Let that comtur be convinced that not thy anger, but our laws punish with death an attack on the person of an envoy. Otherwise he might think the more justly that there are no Christian laws in this kingdom. I will hold judgment on the accused to-morrow ! "

He pronounced the last words in a high key, and evidently not admitting even the thought that that voice would be dis- obeyed, he beckoned to Yamont, and said, —

" Confine him in the tower. And you, lord of Tachev, will give witness."

" I will tell the whole fault of that stripling, which no mature man among us would have ever committed," said Povala, looking gloomily at Lichtenstein.

" He speaks justly," said others at once; " he is a lad yet; why should we all be put to shame through him ? "

Then came a moment of silence and of unfriendly glances at the Knight of the Cross ; meanwhile Yamont led away Zbyshko, to give him into the hands of the bowmen standing in the courtyard of the castle. In his young heart he felt

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 71

pity foi the prisoner ; this pity was increased by his innate hatred for the Germans. But as a Lithuanian he was accus- tomed to accomplish blindly the will of the grand prince; and, terrified by the anger of the king, he whispered to Zbyshko in friendly persuasion, —

" Knowst what I will say to thee? hang thyself! The best is to hang thyself right away. The king is angry, — and they will cut off thy head. Why not make him glad? Hang thy- self, friend! with us it is the custom."

Zbyshko, half unconscious from shame and fear, seemed at first not to understand the words of the little prince ; but at last he understood, and stood still from astonishment.

"What dost thou say?"

" Hang thyself ! Why should they judge thee? Thou wilt gladden the king ! " repeated Yamont.

"Hang thyself, if thou wish!" cried Zbyshko. "They baptized thee in form, but the skin on thee has remained pagan ; and thou dost not even understand that it is a sin for a Christian to do such a thing."

" But it would not be of free will," answered the prince, shrugging his shoulders. " If thou dost not do this, they will cut off thy head."

It shot through Zbyshko's mind that for such words it would be proper to challenge the young boyarin at once to a conflict on foot or on horseback, with swords or with axes ; but he stifled that idea, remembering that there would be no time for such action. So, dropping his head gloomily and in silence, he let himself be delivered into the hands of the leader of the palace bowmen.

Meanwhile, in the dining-hall universal attention was turned in another direction. Danusia, seeing what was taking place, was so frightened at first that the breath was stopped in her breast. Her face became as pale as linen; her eyes grew round from terror, and, as motionless as a wax figure in a church, she gazed at the king. But when at last she heard that they were to cut off her Zbyshko's head, when they seized him and led him forth from the hall, measureless sorrow took possession of her; her lips and brows began to quiver; nothing was of effect, — neither fear of the king nor biting her lips with her teeth ; and on a sudden she burst into weep- ing so pitiful and shrill that all faces turned to her, and the king himself asked, —

"What is this?"

"Gracious king! " exclaimed Princess Anna, "this is the

72 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

daughter of Yurand of Spyhov, to whom this ill-fated young knight made a vow. He vowed to obtain for her three pea- nock-plumes from helmets ; and seeing such a plume on the helmet of this comtur, he thought that God himself had sent it to him. Not through malice did he do this, lord, but through folly ; for this reason be merciful, and do not punish him ; for this we beg thee on bended knees."

Then she rose, and taking Danusia by the hand, hurried with her to the king, who, seeing them, began to draw back. 'But they knelt before him, and Danusia, embracing the king's feet with her little hands, cried, —

" Forgive Zbyshko, O king ; forgive Zbyshko ! "

And, carried away at the same time by fear, she hid her bright head in the folds of the gray mantle of the king, kiss- ing his knees, and quivering like a leaf. Princess Anna knelt on the other side, and, putting her palms together, looked imploringly at Yagello, on whose face was expressed great perplexity. He drew back, it is true, with his chair, but he did not repulse Danusia with force ; he merely pushed the air with both hands, as if defending himself from flies.

" Give me peace! " said he ; " he is at fault, he has shamed the whole kingdom ! let them cut off his head ! "

But the little hands squeezed the more tightly around his knees, and the childlike voice called still more pitifully, —

" Forgive Zbyshko, O king ; forgive Zbyshko ! "

Then the voices of knights were heard.

" Yurand of Spyhov is a renowned knight, a terror to Germans."

"And that stripling has done much service at Vilno," added Povala.

The king, however, continued to defend himself, though he was moved at sight of Danusia.

' ' Leave me in peace ! He has not offended me, and I cannot forgive him. Let the envoy of the Order forgive him, then I will pardon; if he will not forgive, let them cut off his head."

"Forgive him, Kuno," said Zavisha Charny ; "the Grand Master himself will not blame thee."

" Forgive him, lord! " exclaimed the two princesses.

" Forgive him, forgive him ! " repeated voices of knights.

Kuno closed his eyes, and sat with forehead erect, as if delighted that the two princesses and such renowned knights were imploring him. All at once, in the twinkle of an eye, he changed; he dropped his head, and crossed his arms or/

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 73

his breast ; from being insolent, he became humble, and said, in a low, mild voice, —

41 Christ, our Saviour, forgave the thief on the cross, and also his own enemies."

' 4 A true knight utters that ! " exclaimed the bishop of Cracow.

" A true knight, a true knight ! "

"Why should I not forgive him," continued Kuno, — "I, who am not only a Christian, but a monk ? Hence, as a servant of Christ, and a monk, I forgive him from the soul of my heart."

4 ' Glory to him ! " thundered Povala of Tachev.

" Glory to him ! " repeated others.

" But," added the Knight of the Cross, " I am here among you as an envoy, and I bear in my person the majesty of the whole Order, which is Christ's Order. Whoso offends me as an envoy, offends the Order; and whoso offends the Order offends Christ himself ; such a wrong I before God and man cannot pardon. If, therefore, your law pardons it, let all the rulers of Christendom know of the matter."

These words were followed by a dead silence. But after a while were heard here and there the gritting of teeth, the deep breathing of restrained rage, and the sobbing of Danusia.

Before evening all hearts were turned to Zbyshko. The same knights who in the morning would have been ready at one beck of the king to bear Zbyshko apart on their swords were exerting their wits then to see how to aid him. The princesses resolved to go with a prayer to the queen, asking her to persuade Lichtenstein to drop his complaint altogether, or in case of need to write to the Grand Master of the Order, begging that he command Kuno to drop the affair. The way seemed sure, for such uncommon honor surrounded Yaclviga that the Grand Master would bring on himself the anger of the pope and the blame of all Christian princes if he refused her such a request. It was not likely that he would, and for this reason, that Conrad Von Jungin- gen was a calm man, and far milder than his predecessors. Unfortunately the bishop of Cracow, who was also chief physician of the queen, forbade most strictly to mention even one word to her touching the matter. " She is never pleased to hear of death sentences," said he, " and though the question be one of a simple robber, she takes it to heart at once ; and what would it be now, when the life of a younp man is at stake, — a young man who might justly expect he 5-

74 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

mercy. Any excitement may easily bring her to grievous illness; her health means more for the whole kingdom than the lives of ten knights." He declared, finally, that if any one dared to disturb the lady in spite of his words, he would bring down on that person the terrible wrath of the king, and lay also the curse of the Church on mm or her.

Both princesses feared this declaration, and resolved to be silent before the queen, but to implore the king u .; r'::l he showed some favor. The whole court and all the knights were on the side of Zbyshko. Povala asserted xl at he would confess the whole truth, but would give testimony favorable to the young man, and would represent the entire affair as the impulsiveness of a boy. Still, every one fore- saw, and the castellan of Cracow declared openly, that, if the German insisted, stern justice must have its own.

The hearts of knights rose with growing indignation against Lichtenstein, and more than one thought, or even said openly: " He is an envoy and cannot be summoned to the barriers, but when he returns to Malborg, may God not grant him to die his own death." And those were no idle threats, for it was not permitted belted knights to drop a vain word ; whoso said a thing must show its truth or perish. The terrible Povala proved the most stubborn, for he had in Tachev a beloved little daughter of Danusia's age ; there fore Danusia's tears crushed the heart in him utterly.

In fact, he visited Zbyshko that very day in the dungeon, commanded him to be of good cheer, told him of the prayers of both princesses and the tears of Danusia. Zbyshko, when he heard that the girl had thrown herself at the feet of the king, wras moved to tears, and not knowing how to express his gratitude and his longing, said, wiping his eye lids with the back of his hand, —

" Oh, may God bless her, and grant me a struggle on foot or on horseback for her sake as soon as possible. I promised her too few Germans, — for to such a one was due a number equal to her years. If the Lord Jesus will rescue me from these straits I will not be stingy with her; " and he raised his eyes full of gratitude.

"First vow something to a church," said the lord of Tachev, ''for if thy vow be pleasing to God thou wilt be free of a certainty. And second, listen : Thy uncle has gone to Lichtenstein, and I will go too. There would be no shame for thee to ask forgiveness, for thou art at fault ; and

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 75

thou wouldst beg, not Liechtenstein, but an envoy. Art tbou willing?"

*' Since such a knight as your Grace says that it is proper, I will do so, but if he wishes me to beg him as he wanted on the road to Tynets, then let them cut my head off. My uncle will remain, and my uncle will pay him when his mission is ended."

" We shall see what he will answer to Matsko," replied Povala.

Matsko had really visited the German, but went from his presence as gloomy as night, and betook himself directly to the king, to whom the castellan himself conducted him. The king, who had become perfectly calm, received him kindly. When Matsko knelt, Yagello commanded him at once to rise, and inquired what he wanted.

" Gracious lord," said Matsko, " there has been offence, there must be punishment; otherwise law would cease in the world ; but the offence is mine, for not only did I not restrain the natural passionateness of this stripling, but I praised it. I reared him in that way, and from childhood war reared him. It is my offence, gracious king, for more than once did I say to him : ' Strike first, and see after- ward whom thou hast struck.' That was well in war, but ill at court. Still, the lad is like pure gold ; he is the last of our race, and I grieve for him dreadfully."

" He has disgraced me, he has disgraced the kingdom," said the king. "Am I to rub honey on him for such deeds ? "

Matsko was silent, for at remembrance of Zbyshko sor- row pressed his throat suddenly, and only after a long time did he speak again, with a moved voice, —

" I knew not that I loved him so much, and only now is it shown, after misfortune has come. I am old, and he is the last of our family. When he is gone — we shall be gone. Gracious king and lord, take pity on us! "

Here Matsko knelt again, and stretching forth hands that were wearied from war, he said, with tears, —

" We defended Vilno. God gave booty; to whom shall I leave it? The German wants punishment; let there be punishment, but let me yield my head. What is life to me without Zbyshko? He is young; let him free his land and beget posterity as God commands men to do. The Knight of the Cross will not even inquire whose head has fallen, if only one falls. Neither will any disgrace come on the

76 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

family for that. It is hard for a man to meet death, but, when we look at the matter more carefully, it is better that one man should die than that a family should be extinguished."

Thus speaking he embraced the feet of the king. Yagello blinked, which with him was a sign of emotion, and finally he said, —

"I shall never command to behead a belted knight! — never, never ! "

" And there would be no justice in doing so," added the castellan. " Law punishes the guilty, but it is not a dragon which sees not whose blood it is gulping. Consider what disgrace would fall on your family ; for were your nephew to consent to what you propose all would hold him and his descendants disgraced."

" He would not consent. But if it were done without his knowledge he would avenge me afterward, as I should avenge him."

" B ring the German to abandon his complaint," said the castellan.

" I have been with him already."

" And what," inquired the king, stretching his neck, " what did he say? "

" He spoke thus: ' Ye should have prayed for pardon on the Tynets road; ye had no wish then, I have no wish now.' "

" And why did ye not wish?"

" For he commanded us to come down from our horses and beg him for pardon on foot."

The king put his hair behind his ears and wished to say something, when an attendant came in with the announce- ment that the knight of Lichtenstein begged for an audience.

Yagello looked at the castellan, then at Matsko, but commanded them to remain, perhaps in the hope that on this occasion he would soften the affair by his kingly office.

Meanwhile the Knight of the Cross entered, bowed to the king, and said, —

u Gracious lord, here is a written complaint touching the insult which met me in your kingdom."

"Complain to him," answered the king, pointing to the castellan.

u I know neither your laws nor your courts, but I know this : that the envoy of the Order can make complaint only to the king himself/' said the knight, looking straight into Yagello's face.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS. 77

Yagello's small eyes glittered with impatience; but he stretched forth his hand, took the complaint, and gave it to the castellan. The castellan unrolled it and began to read, but as he read his face grew more vexed and gloomy.

"Lord," said he at length, "you insist on taking the life of that youth, as if he were a terror to the whole Order. Do you Knights of the Cross fear children? "

" We Knights of the Cross fear no one," replied the comtur, haughtily.

" Especially God," added the old castellan, in a low voice.

Next day Povala of Tachev did all that was in his power before the court to diminish Zbyshko's guilt. But in vain did he ascribe the deed to youth and inexperience, in vain did he say that even if some one who was older had made a vow to give three peacock-plumes, and had prayed to have them sent to him, and afterward had seen such a plume before him on a sudden, he too might have thought that to be a dispensation of God.

The honorable knight did not deny that had it not been for him Zbyshko's lance would have struck the German's breast. Kuno on his part had caused to be brought into court the armor worn by him that day, and it was found to be of thin plate, worn only on ceremonial visits, and so frail that, con- sidering Zbyshko's uncommon strength, the point of the lance would have passed through the envoy's body and deprived him of life. Then they asked Zbyshko if he had intended to kill the knight.

Zbyshko would not deny. " I called to him from a dis- tance," said he, " to lower his lance ; of course he would not have let the helmet be torn from his head while alive, but if he had called from a distance that he was an envoy I should have left him in peace."

These words pleased the knights, who through good-will for the youth had assembled numerously at the court, and straightway many voices were raised. " True ! why did he not cry out?" But the castellan's face remained stern and gloomy. Enjoining silence on those present he was silent himself for a while, then he fastened an inquiring eye on Zbyshko, and asked, —

"Canst thou swear, on the Passion of the Lord, that thou didst not see the mantle and the cross?"

"I cannot! " answered Zbyshko ; " if I had not seen the cross I should have thought him one of our knights, and I should not have aimed at one of our men."

78 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CKOSS.

" Bui how could a Knight of the Cross be near Cracow unless as an envoy, or in the retinue of an envoy?"

To this Zb}7shko made no answer, for he had nothing to say. It was too clear to all that, had it not been for the lord of Tachev, not the armor of the envoy would be before the court then, but the envoy himself with breast pierced, to the eternal shame of the Polish people ; hence even those who from their whole souls were friendly to Zbyshko under- stood that the decision could not be favorable. In fact, after a time the castellan said, —

" In thy excitement thou didst not think whom thou wert striking, and didst act without malice. Our Saviour will reckon that in thy favor and forgive thee ; but commend thy- self, hapless man, to the Most Holy Virgin, for the law can not pardon thee."

Though he had expected such words, Zbyshko grew some- what pale when he heard them, but soon he shook back his long hair, made the sign of the cross on himself, and said :

44 The will of God ! Still, it is difficult."

Then he turned to Matsko and indicated Lichtenstein with his eyes, as if leaving the German to his uncle's memory ; and Matsko motioned with his head in sign that lie understood and would remember. Lichtenstein too understood that look and that motion, and though there beat in his bi-eastbotha brave and stubborn heart, a quiver ran through him at that moment, so terrible and ill-omened was the face of the old warrior. The Knight of the Cross saw that between him and that knight there would be thenceforth a struggle for life and doath ; that even if he wanted to hide from him he could not, and when he ceased to be an envoy they must meet, even at Malborg.

The castellan withdrew to the adjoining chamber to dictate the sentence against Zbyshko to his secretary skilled in writ- ing. This one and that of the knighthood approached the 'envoy during this interval, saying, —

"God grant thee to be judged with more mercy at the last judgment! Thou art glad of blood ! "

But Lichtenstein valued only the opinion of Zavisha, for he, because of his deeds in battle, his knowledge of the rules of knighthood, and his uncommon strictness in observing them, was widely known throughout the world. In the most complicated questions in which the point was of knightly honor, men came to him frequently from a very great dis- tance, and no one ever dared to oppose, not only because

THE KNIGHTS "OF THE CROSS. 79

single combat with him was impossible, but also because men esteemed him as the " mirror of honor." One word of praise or of blame from his lips passed quickly among the knight hood of Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, Germany, and sufficed to establish the good or evil fame of a knight.

Liechtenstein therefore approached him and said, as if wishing to justify his stubbornness, —

" Only the Grand Master himself with the Chapter could grant him grace — I cannot."

"Your Grand Master has nothing to do with our laws' not he, but our king has power to show grace here."

"I, as an envoy, must demand punishment."

" Thou wert a knight, Lichtensteiu, before becoming an envoy."

" Dost thou think that I have failed in honor? "

" Thou knowest our books of knighthood, and thou know- est that a knight is commanded to imitate two beasts, the lion and the lamb. Which hast thou imitated in this affair? "

" Thou art not my judge."

" Thou hast asked if thou hast failed in honor, and I have answered as I think."

" Thou hast answered badly, for I cannot swallow this."

"Thou wilt choke with thy own anger, not mine."

" Christ will account it to me that I have thought more of the majesty of the Order than of thy praise."

'* He too will judge us all."

Further conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the castellan and the secretary. Those present knew that the sentence would be unfavorable, still a dead silence set in. The castellan took his place at the table and grasping a cru- cifix in his hand, commanded Zbyshko to kneel.

The secretary read the sentence in Latin. Neither Zbyshko nor the knights present understood it, still all divined that that was a death sentence. Zbyshko, when the reading was finished, struck his breast with his closed hand a number of times, repeating: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner!" Then he rose and cast himself into the arms of Matsko, who in silence kissed his head and his eyes.

On the evening of that day, the herald proclaimed, with sound of trumpets, to knights, guests, and citizens, at the four corners of the square, that the noble Zbyshko of Bog- danets was condemned by the sentence of the castellan to be beheaded with a sword.

But Matsko prayed that the execution should not take

80 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

place immediately. This prayer was granted the more easily since people of that age, fond of minute disposition of their property, were given time generally for negotiations with their families, and also to make peace with God. Lichtenstein himself did not care to insist on the speedy execution of the sentence, since satisfaction had been given the majesty of the Order; moreover, it was not proper to offend a powerful monarch to whom he had been sent, not only to take part in the solemnities of the christening, but also for negotiations touching the land of Dobryn. But the most important consideration was the health of the queen. The bishop of Cracow would not hear of an execution before her delivery, thinking rightly that it would be impossible to hide such an event from the lady, that should she hear of it she would fall into a "distress" which might injure her grievously. In this way a few weeks of life, and perhaps more, remained to Zbyshko, before the last arrangement and parting with his acquaintances.

Matsko visited him daily and comforted him as best he could. They spoke sadly of Zbyshko's unavoidable death, and still more sadly of this, that the family would disappear.

"It cannot be but you must marry," said Zbyshko once.

" I should prefer to adopt some relative, even if distant," replied Matsko, with emotion. " How can I think of marry- ing when they are going to cut off thy head. And even should it come to this that I must take a wife, I could not do so till I had sent Lichtenstein the challenge of a knight, till I had exacted my vengeance. I shall do that, have no fear!"

" God reward you! Let me have even that consolation! But I knew that you would not forgive him. How will you do it?"

44 When his office of envoy is at an end, there will be either war or peace — dost understand ? If war comes I will send him a challenge to meet me in single combat before battle."

44 On trampled earth?"

"On trampled earth, on horseback or on foot, but to the death, not to slavery. If there be peace, I will go to Malborg, strike the castle gate with my lance and command a trumpeter to announce that I challenge him to the death. He will not hide, be assured."

" Of course he will not hide. And you will handle him in a way that I should like to see."

THE KNIGHTS OF THE CKOSS. 81

"Shall I handle him? I could Dot handle Zavisha, or Pashko, or Povala; but without boasting, 1 can handle two like him. His mother, the Order, will witness that ! Was not the Frisian knight stronger ? And when I cut from above through his helmet, where did my axe stop ? It stopped in his teeth, did it not ? "

Zbyshko drew breath at this with great consolation, and said, —

" He will die more easily than the Frisian."

The two men sighed; then the old noble said with emo- tion, —

"Be not troubled. Thy bones will not be seeking one another at the day of resurrection. I will have an oaken coffin made for thee of such kind that the canouesses of the church of the Virgin Mary have not a better. Thou wilt not die like a peasant, or like a nobleman created by patent. Nay ! I will not even permit that thou be beheaded on the same cloth on which they behead citizens. I have agreed already with Amyley for entirely new stuff, from which a king's coat might be made. And I shall not spare masses on thee — never fear ! "

Zbyshko's heart was delighted by this, so grasping his uncle's hand he repeated, —

" God reward you ! "

But at times, despite every consolation, dreadful yearning seized him ; hence another day, when Matsko mad come on a visit, and they had scarcely exchanged greetings, he asked while looking through the grating in the wall, —

4 ' But what is there outside ? "

" Weather like gold," replied the warrior, "and warmth of the sun makes the whole world lovely."

Then Zbyshko put both hands on his uncle's shoulders and bending back his head, said, —

"O mighty God! To have a horse under one and ride over fields, over broad fields. It is sad for a young man to die — awfully sad ! "

"People die even on horseback," said Matsko.

" Yes. But how many do they kill before dying ! "

And he began to inquire about the knights whom he had seen at the court of the king : about Zavisha, Farurey, Povala, Lis, and all the others, — what were they doing, how did they amuse themselves, in what honorable exercises did their time pass? And he listened eagerly to the narrative of Matsko, who said that in the morning they jumped in full

VOL. I. — 6

82 THE KNIGHTS OF THE CROSS.

armor over a horse, that they pulled ropes, fought with swords and leaden-edged axes, and finally that they feasted, and sang songs. Zbyshko desired with his whole heart and soul to fly to them, and when he learned that immediately after the christening Zavisha would go far away somewhere to Lower Hungary against the Turks, he could not restrain himself from weeping.

"They might let me go with him! and let me lay down my life against pagans."

But that could not be. Meanwhile something else took place : The two Mazovian princesses continued to think of Zbyshko, who interested them with his youth and beauty; finally Princess Alexandra resolved to send a letter to the Grand Master. The Master could not, it is true, change the sentence pronounced by the castellan, but he could inter- cede for Zbyshko before the king. It was not proper for Yagello to grant pardon, since the question was of an attack on an envoy ; it seemed, however, undoubted that he would be glad to grant it at the intercession of the Grand Master. Hence hope entered the hearts of both ladies anew. Princess Alexandra herself, having a weakness for the polished Knights of the Cross, was uncommonly esteemed by them. More than once rich gifts went to her from Malborg, and letters in which the Master declared her venerated, saintly, a benefactress, and special patroness of the Order. Her words might" effect much, and it was very likely that they would not meet a refusal. The only question was to find a courier who would show all diligence in delivering the letter at the earliest, and in returning with an answer. When he heard of this, old Matsko undertook the task without hesitation .

The castellan, on being petitioned, appointed a time up to which he promised to restrain the execution of the sentence. Matsko, full of consolation, busied himself that very day