Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/229

Rh Zbyshko wished to inquire about Danusia, but at once a certain indecision possessed him, and a certain shame; for he understood that that would be the same as to confess his love to an unknown man of low origin, who, besides, had a suspicious look, and might be some common deceiver. So after a moment's silence, he asked,—

"What relics art thou bearing through the world?"

"I bear indulgences and relics; the indulgences are various. I have plenary indulgences, indulgences for five hundred years, for three hundred, for two hundred years, and less, cheaper, so that even poor people acquire them, and thus shorten the torments of purgatory for themselves. I have indulgences for past sins, and for future; but do not think, lord, that I put away the money which people pay for them. A morsel of black bread and a gulp of water suffices me; the rest of what I collect I take to Rome, so that in time I may make a new journey. There are many money grabbers who go through the world, it is true, but have only false things, indulgences, relics, testimonials, and seals; such persons as these the Holy Father pursues justly with his letters, but on me the prior of Sieradz has wrought injustice and wrong, for my seals are genuine. Look, lord, at the wax and you will know yourself."

"But what did the prior of Sieradz do?"

"Oh, as God lives, I thought unjustly that he was tainted with the heretical teaching of Wyclif. And if, as your attendant has told me, you are going to Sieradz, I prefer not to show myself to him, so as not to bring him to sin and blaspheme against holy things."

"That means, without saying much, that he took thee for a cheat and a cutpurse."

"May I forgive him, lord, through love for my neighbor, as indeed I have done already; but he has blasphemed against my sacred wares, for which I fear greatly that he will be damned beyond rescue."

"What sacred wares hast thou?"

"Such that it is not proper to speak of them with covered head; but since I have indulgences with me, I give you, lord, permission not to take off your cowl, since the wind is now blowing afresh. Buy of me, therefore, a little indulgence to have in supply, and the sin will not be accounted to you. What is it that I have not? I have a hoof of the ass on which the flight to Egypt took place; it was found near the pyramids. The King of Aragon offered me indeed fifty