The Knights of the Cross, or, Krzyzacy: Historical Romance

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER IX.

  Zybszko, having joined Zych and Jagienka, who were accompanying the abbotand his retinue to Krzesnia, rode with them, because he wanted to showthe abbot that he was afraid neither of Wilk of Brzozowa, nor of Cztan ofRogow. He was again surprised at Jagienka's beauty. He had often seen herin Zgorzelice and Bogdaniec, dressed beautifully; but never had shelooked as she did now when going to church. Her cloak was made of redbroadcloth, lined with ermine; she wore red gloves, and on her head was alittle hood embroidered with gold, from beneath which two braids felldown on her shoulders. She was not sitting on the horse astride, but on ahigh saddle which had an arm and a little bench for her feet, whichscarcely showed from beneath her long skirt. Zych permitted the girl todress in a sheepskin overcoat and high-legged boots when at home, butrequired that for church she should be dressed not like the daughter of apoor _wlodyczka_,[84] but like the _panna_ of a mighty nobleman. Twoboys, dressed like pages, conducted her horse. Four servants were ridingbehind with the abbot's seminarists, who were armed with swords andcarried their lutes. Zbyszko admired all the retinue, but especiallyJagienka, who looked like a picture. The abbot, who was dressed in a redcloak, having enormous sleeves, resembled a traveling prince. The mostmodest dress was worn by Zych, who requiring magnificent display for theothers, for himself cared only for singing and joy.

  Zych, Zbyszko, Jagienka and the abbot rode together. At first the abbotordered his _shpilmen_ to sing some church songs; afterward, when he wastired of their songs, he began to talk with Zbyszko, who smiled at hisenormous sword, which was as large as a two-handed German sword.

  "I see," said he gravely, "that you wonder at my sword; the synod permitsa clergyman to wear a sword during a journey, and I am traveling. Whenthe holy father forbade the ecclesiastics to wear swords and red dresses,most assuredly he meant the men of low birth, because God intended thatnoblemen should wear arms; and he who would dare to take this right froma nobleman, would oppose His eternal will."

  "I saw the Mazovian Prince Henryk, when he fought in the lists," saidZbyszko.

  "We do not censure him, because he fought," answered the abbot, raisinghis finger, "but because he married and married unhappily; _fornicarium_and _bibulam_ had taken _mulierem_, whom _Bachum_ since she was young_adorabat_, and besides that she was _adultera_, from whom no one couldexpect any good." He stopped his horse and began to expound with stillgreater gravity:

  "Whoever wishes to marry, or to choose _uxorem_ must ascertain if she ispious, moral, a good housekeeper and cleanly. This is recommended notonly by the fathers of the church, but also by a certain pagan sage,called Seneca. And how can you know whether you have chosen well, if youdo not know the nest from which you take your life companion? Becauseanother sage has said: _Pomus nam cadit absque arbore._ As is the ox, sois the skin; as is the mother, so is the girl. Prom which you, a sinner,must draw this moral,--that you must look for your wife not far away, butnear; because if you get a bad one, you will cry as did the philosopher,when his quarrelsome wife poured _aquam sordidam_ on his head."

  "_In saecula saeculorum_, amen!" exclaimed in unison the wanderingseminarists, who when responding to the abbot, did not always answerproperly.

  They were all listening very attentively to the abbot's words, admiringhis eloquence and his knowledge of the Scriptures; he apparently did notspeak directly to Zbyszko; but on the contrary, he turned more towardZych and Jagienka, as if he wished to edify them. But evidently Jagienkaunderstood what he was trying to do, because from beneath her longeyelashes, she looked at Zbyszko, who frowned and dropped his head as ifhe were seriously thinking about what the abbot had said.

  After this the retinue moved on silently; but when they came nearKrzesnia, the abbot touched his girdle and then turned it so that hecould seize the hilt of his sword more easily, and said:

  "I am sure that old Wilk of Brzozowa will come with a good retinue."

  "Perhaps," replied Zych, "but I heard that he was not well."

  "One of my seminarists heard that he intends to attack us in front of theinn after the service is over."

  "He will not do that without a challenge, and especially after holymass."

  "May God, bring him to reason. I do not seek a quarrel with anybody and Ibear my wrongs patiently."

  Here he looked at the _shpilmen_, and said:

  "Do not draw your swords, and remember that you are spiritual servants;but if they attack us first, then strike them!"

  Zbyszko, while riding beside Jagienka, said to her:

  "I am sure that in Krzesnia we will meet young Wilk and Cztan. Show methem from afar, so that I may know them."

  "Very well, Zbyszku," answered Jagienka.

  "Do they not meet you before the service and after the service? What dothey do then?"

  "They serve me."

  "They will not serve you now, understand?" And she answered again, almostwith humility:

  "Very well, Zbyszku."

  Further conversation was interrupted by the sound of the wooden knockers,there being no bells in Krzesnia. After a few moments they arrived at thechurch. From the crowd in front, waiting for mass, young Wilk and Cztanof Rogow came forward immediately; but Zbyszko jumped from his horse, andbefore they could reach her, seized Jagienka and lifted her down from herhorse; then he took her by the hand, and looking at them threateningly,conducted her to the church.

  In the vestibule of the church, they were again disappointed. Both rushedto the font of holy water, plunged their hands in, and then stretchedthem toward the girl. But Zbyszko did the same, and she touched hisfingers; then having made the sign of the cross, she entered the churchwith him. Then not only young Wilk, but Cztan of Rogow also,notwithstanding his stupidity, understood that this had been donepurposely, and both were very angry. Wilk rushed out of the vestibule andran like a madman, not knowing where he was going. Cztan rushed afterhim, although not knowing why.

  They stopped at the corner of the inclosure where there were some largestones ready for the foundation of the tower which was to be built inKrzesnia. Then, Wilk wishing to assuage the wrath which raged in hisbreast, seized one of these stones, and began to shake it; Cztan seeinghim do this, seized it also, and both began to roll it toward the churchgate.

  The people looked at them with amazement, thinking that they had madesome vow, and that in this way they wished to contribute to the buildingof the tower. This effort gave them relief and they came to their senses;then they stood, pale from their exertion, puffing and looking at eachother.

  Cztan of Rogow was the first to break the silence.

  "What now?" asked he.

  "What?" answered Wilk.

  "Shall we attack him immediately?"

  "How can we do that in the church?"

  "Not in the church, but after mass."

  "He is with Zych and the abbot. And have you forgotten that Zych saidthat if there were a fight, he would refuse to let either of us visit atZgorzelice. But for that, I would have broken your ribs long ago."

  "Or I, yours!" answered Cztan, clinching his powerful fists.

  And their eyes began to sparkle threateningly; but soon they bothrealized that now, more than ever, they needed to have a goodunderstanding. They often fought together; but after each fight, theyalways became reconciled, because although they were divided by theirlove for Jagienka, they could not live without each other. Now they had acommon foe and they understood that the enemy was a dangerous one.

  After a while Cztan asked:

  "What shall we do? Shall we send him a challenge?"

  Wilk, although he was wiser, did not know what to do. Fortunately theknockers resounded to notify the people that mass would begin. When heheard them he said:

  "What shall we do? Go to church now and after that, we will do whateverpleases God."

  Cztan of Rogow was pleased with this answer.

  "Perhaps the Lord Jesus will send us an inspiration," said he.

  "And will bless us," added Wilk.

  "Accor
ding to justice."

  They went to church, and having listened devoutly to the mass, they grewmore hopeful. They did not lose their temper after mass, when Jagienkaagain accepted holy water from Zbyszko. In the church-yard they bowed toZych, to Jagienka and even to the abbot, although he was an enemy of Wilkof Brzozowa. They scowled at Zbyszko, but did not attempt to touch him,although their hearts were throbbing with grief, anger and jealousy;never before had Jagienka seemed to them to be as beautiful as she wasthen. When the brilliant retinue moved on and when from afar they heardthe merry song of the ambulant seminarists, Cztan began to wipe theperspiration from his hairy cheeks and to snort like a horse; as forWilk, he said, gnashing his teeth:

  "To the inn! To the inn! Woe to me!" Afterward remembering what hadrelieved them before, they again seized the stone and rolled it back toits former place.

  Zbyszko rode beside Jagienka, listening to the abbot's _shpilmen_ singingmerry songs; but when they had traveled five or six furlongs, he suddenlyreined in his horse, and said:

  "Oh! I intended to pay for a mass to be said for uncle's health and Iforgot it; I must return."

  "Do not go back!" exclaimed Jagienka; "we will send from Zgorzelice."

  "No, I will return, and you must not wait for me. With God!"

  "With God," said the abbot. "Go!" And his face brightened; when Zbyszkodisappeared, he touched Zych with his elbow and said:

  "Do you understand?"

  "What?"

  "He will surely fight in Krzesnia with Wilk and Cztan; but I wished forit and I am glad."

  "They are dreadful boys! If they wound him, then what of it?"

  "What of it? If he fight for Jagienka, then how can he afterward thinkabout that other girl, Jurandowna? From this time, Jagienka will be hislady, not the other girl; and I wish it because he is my relative and Ilike him."

  "Bah! What about his vow?"

  "I will give him absolution in the twinkling of an eye! Have you notheard that I promised to absolve him?"

  "Your head is wise about everything," answered Zych.

  The abbot was pleased with this praise; then he approached nearerJagienka and asked:

  "Why are you so sad?"

  She leaned on the saddle, seized the abbot's hand and lifted it to hermouth:

  "Godfather, could you not send your _shpilmen_ to Krzesnia?"

  "What for? They will get drunk in the inn--that's all."

  "But they may prevent a quarrel."

  The abbot looked into her eyes and then said sharply:

  "Let them even kill him."

  "Then they must kill me also!" exclaimed Jagienka.

  The bitterness which had accumulated in her bosom since that conversationabout Danusia with Zbyszko, mingled with grief, now gushed forth in astream of tears. Seeing this, the abbot encircled her with his arm,almost covering her with his enormous sleeve, and began to talk:

  "Do not be afraid, my dear little girl. They may quarrel, but the otherboys are noblemen; they will attack him only in a chivalrous manner; theywill call him up on the field, and then he can manage for himself, evenif he be obliged to fight with both of them at once. As for Jurandowna,about whom you have heard, I will tell you this: there is no wood growingfor a bed for the other girl."

  "If he prefers the other girl, then I do not care about him," answeredJagienka, through her tears.

  "Then why do you, weep?"

  "Because I am afraid for him."

  "Woman's sense!" said the abbot, laughing.

  Then having bent toward Jagienka's ear, he said:

  "You must remember, dear girl, that even if he take you, he will beobliged to fight just the same; a nobleman must be a knight." Here hebent still closer and added:

  "And he will take you, and before long, as God is in heaven!"

  "I do not know about that!" answered Jagienka.

  But she began to smile through her tears, and to look at the abbot as ifshe wished to ask him how he knew it.

  Meanwhile, Zbyszko having returned to Krzesnia, went directly to thepriest, because he really wished to have a mass read for Macko's health;after having settled about that, he went to the inn, where he expected tofind young Wilk of Brzozowa, and Cztan of Rogow.

  He found both of them there, and also many other people, noblemen,farmers and a few "madcap fellows" showing different German tricks. Atfirst he could not recognize anybody, because the windows of the innbeing made of ox bladders, did not let in a good light; but when theservant put some resinous wood on the fire, he noticed in the cornerbehind the beer buckets, Cztan's hairy cheeks, and Wilk's furious face.

  Then he walked slowly toward them, pushing aside the people; when hereached them, he struck the table so heavily with his fist that the noiseresounded throughout the whole inn.

  They arose immediately and began to turn their girdles; but before theycould grasp the hilts of their swords, Zbyszko threw down a glove, andspeaking through his nose, as the knights used to speak whilechallenging, he said these words which were unexpected by everybody:

  "If either of you, or any other knightly person here present, deny thatthe most beautiful and most virtuous girl in the world is _Panna_ DanutaJurandowna of Spychow, that one I will challenge to combat, on horsebackor on foot, until the first kneeling, or until the last breath."

  Wilk and Cztan were astonished as much as the abbot would have been, hadhe heard Zbyszko's words; and for a while they could not say a word. Whowas this _panna_? They cared about Jagienka and not about her; and ifthis youth did not care for Jagienka, then what did he wish? Why had hemade them angry in the church-yard? What did he return for, and why didhe wish to quarrel with them? These questions produced such confusion intheir minds, that they opened their mouths widely and stared at Zbyszkoas if he were not a man, but some German wonder.

  But the more intelligent Wilk, who was a little familiar with chivalrouscustoms and knew that often a knight served one lady, but marriedanother, thought that this must be a similar case, and that he must seizethe opportunity, to defend Jagienka.

  Therefore he came out from behind the table, and coming close to Zbyszko,asked threateningly:

  "Then, you dog-brother, you mean to say that Jagienka Zychowna is not themost beautiful girl in the world?"

  Cztan followed him; and the people surrounded them, because theyunderstood that it would not end in words.