Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/159

Rh "Oh, it was a close shot, and he was running tremendously. Look! not only the point, but the shaft is hidden entirely just behind his foreleg."

"The hunters must be near; surely they will take him."

"I will not give him!" answered Zbyshko; "he was killed on the road, and no one owns the road."

"But if the abbot is hunting?"

"If it is the abbot, let him take the beast."

Meanwhile some tens of dogs rushed from the woods. When they saw the bison they sprang at him with a terrible uproar, fastened to his body in a crowd, and began soon to fight among themselves.

"The hunters will come immediately," said Zyh. "Look, there they are already! but they have come out some distance in front of us and do not see the beast yet. Hop! hop! come this way, come this way! It is lying here! lying here!"

But all at once he was silent, and shaded his eyes with his hand.

"For God's sake, what is this?" called he, after a while. "Am I blind, or am I deceived—"

"There is one in front on a black horse," said Zbyshko

But Zyh exclaimed quickly,—

"Dear Jesus! As I live, that is Yagenka!"

And he began to shout,—

"Yagna! Yagna!"

Then he rushed forward, but before he could urge his steed to a gallop, Zbyshko saw the most wonderful sight in the world: On a swift pied horse hastened toward them, sitting man fashion, a young girl with a crossbow in her hand and a spear at her shoulder. To her hair, which had dropped down somewhat from the speed of riding, had clung wild hops, her face was as ruddy as the dawn, on her breast was an open shirt, above the shirt a coat with the wool inside. When she had ridden up she reined in her horse suddenly. For a moment incredulity, astonishment, and delight were depicted on her features; but at last, unable to gainsay the testimony of her ears and eyes, she began to cry with a thin voice, which was still somewhat childlike,—

"Tatulo! tatulo!"

In one twinkle she slipped from her horse, and when Zyh had sprung down from his beast to greet her on the ground, she flung herself on his neck. For a long time Zbyshko heard