Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/199

Rh Instead of bursting into anger, he threatened Zbyshko joyously with his finger, and said,—

"Ah, thou art a witling! See that that does not happen thee which happened the German, Beyhard."

"And what happened him?" inquired Zyh.

"They burned him at the stake."

"Why?"

"Because he said that a layman is just as well able to understand the secrets of God as a spiritual person."

"They punished him severely!"

"But justly!" thundered the abbot, "for he blasphemed against the Holy Ghost. What do ye think? Can a layman make any decisions as to God's secrets?"

"He cannot in any way!" called the wandering clerics, in an agreeing chorus.

"But ye 'playmen' sit quietly," said the abbot; "for ye are no clerics, though ye have shaven crowns."

"We are not thy playmen nor indigents, but the attendants of your grace," answered one of them, looking that moment at a great pitcher from which at a distance came the odor of hops and malt.

"See! he talks as if from a barrel!" cried the abbot.

"Hei, thou bearded! Why look at the pitcher? Thou wilt not find Latin at the bottom of it."

"I am not looking for Latin, but beer which I cannot find."

The abbot turned then to Zbyshko, who was gazing at those attendants with wonder, and said,—

"All these are clerici scholares, though each one would prefer to fling his book away, seize a lute and wander through the world with it. I have taken them all in and feed them, for what can I do? They are good-for-nothings, inveterate vagrants; but they know how to sing, and have picked up the divine liturgy a little, so in the church I find use for them, and defence in them when need comes, for some are resolute fellows. This pilgrim here says that he has been in the holy land; but it would be vain to ask him about any sea or land, for he does not know the name of the Greek emperor, or in what city he has his residence."

"I knew," said the pilgrim, in a hoarse voice, "but when the fever shook me on the Danube, it shook everything out of me."

"I wonder most at their swords," said Zbyshko; "for I have never seen such at any time with wandering clerics."