Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/167

Rh was in front, so that the greatest knights wondered at him.

Yagenka, who had sat down on the log near Matsko, listened with parted lips to that narrative, turning her head, as if on a pivot, now toward Matsko, now toward Zbyshko, and looking at the young knight with ever increasing wonder. At last, when Matsko had finished, she sighed, and said:

"Would to God that I had been born a man!"

Zbyshko, who during the narrative was looking at her with equal attention, was thinking at that moment of something else evidently, for he said on a sudden,—

"But you are a beautiful maiden!"

"You are more beautiful than I, you see that," said Yagenka, half unwillingly, half in sadness.

Zbyshko might without untruth have replied that he had not seen many maidens like her, for Yagenka was simply radiant with a splendor of health, youth, and strength. It was not without reason that the old abbot declared that she looked half a raspberry, half a pine tree. Everything about her was beautiful, her lithe form, her broad shoulders, her breast as if chiselled from stone, red lips, and blue eyes quickly glancing. She was dressed more carefully than before at the hunt in the forest. She had red beads around her neck, she wore a sheepskin coat open in front and covered with green cloth, a petticoat of strong striped stuff, and new boots. Even old Matsko noted the handsome dress while looking at her, and when he had looked at her a while he inquired,—

"But why art thou arrayed as if for a festival?"

Instead of answering she called out,—

"The wagons are coming! the wagons are coming!"

As they came in she sprang toward them, and after her followed Zbyshko. The unloading continued till sunset, to the great satisfaction of Matsko, who examined every article separately, and praised Yagenka for each one. Twilight had come when the girl was preparing for home. When ready to mount Zbyshko seized her around the waist suddenly, and before she could utter one word he had raised her to the saddle and fixed her there. She blushed like the dawn and turned her face toward him.

"You are a strong lad," said she, in a voice suppressed somewhat.

Zbyshko who because of the darkness took no note of her confusion and blushes, laughed, and inquired,—