Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/103

Rh 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 knighthood 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, Lichtenstein, before becoming an envoy."

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

"Thou knowest our books of knighthood, and thou knowest 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 crucifix 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 Bogdanets was condemned by the sentence of the castellan to be beheaded with a sword.

But Matsko prayed that the execution should not take