Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/129

Rh  or rather remembered, this method while advising with the princess. The knights wondered at its simplicity, saying among themselves that except those two, no one else had remembered the custom, which, in a city occupied by Germans, had not been practised for a long period.

But everything depended still on the castellan. The knights and people went to the castle where the castellan lived during the king's absence, and straightway the court secretary, Father Stanislav, Zavisha, Farurey, Zyndram, and Povala of Tachev went to him to represent the validity of the custom, and remind him how he himself had said that if "law or pretext" were found by them, he would free Zbyshko. What law could surpass ancient custom, which had never been broken? The castellan answered, it is true, that that custom referred more to common people and robbers than to nobles; but he was too well versed in every law not to recognize the force of it. Meanwhile he covered his silver beard with his hand and smiled under his fingers, for he was glad evidently. At last he went out on a low porch; at his side stood Princess Anna Danuta, with some of the clergy and knighthood.

Zbyshko, seeing him, raised up Danusia again; the castellan placed his aged hand on her golden hair, held it a while there, and then nodded his gray head with kindness and dignity.

All understood that sign, and the very walls of the castle quivered from shouts. "God aid thee! Live long, just lord! live and judge us!" shouted people from all sides. New shouts were raised then for Danusia and Zbyshko. A moment later both ascended the porch and fell at the feet of the kind princess, Anna Danuta, to whom Zbyshko owed his life; for with the learned men it was she who had discovered the law and taught Danusia what to do.

"Long live the young couple!" cried Povala, at sight of them on their knees.

"Long life to them!" repeated others.

But the old castellan turned to the princess and said,—

"Well, gracious lady, the betrothal must take place at once, for custom demands that."

"The betrothal I will have at once," answered the good lady, with radiant face; "but I will not permit marriage without consent of her father, Yurand of Spyhov." Matsko and Zbyshko consulted with the merchant Amyley as to what they should do. The old knight looked for his own