Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/239

Rh autumn. In Warsaw only he and a handful of bowmen had remained as a guard. He heard that in Tsehanov there had been various amusements and weddings, as happens usually before Advent, but who of the damsels had married and who had remained single he, as a married man, had not inquired.

"I think, however," said he, "that Yurand's daughter is not married. How could the marriage take place without Yurand? and I have not heard of his arrival. Two brothers of the Order are visiting at the court,—one is from Yansbork, the other from Schytno,—and with them are some foreign guests, it is likely; at such times Yuraud never comes, for the sight of a white mantle rouses him to madness. Unless Yurand was there, there was no wedding. But if it is thy wish I will send a messenger to inquire, and will order him to return quickly, though, as I live, I think that thou wilt find Yurand's daughter yet in the maiden state."

"I shall go myself to-morrow, but God reward thee for the comfort. Only let my horses rest, and I shall go, for I cannot rest till I know the truth. But God repay thee; thou hast relieved me at once."

Soha did not stop here; he inquired of one and another among the nobles, who were stopping by chance in the castle, and the soldiers, if any had heard of the marriage of Yurand's daughter. No one had heard, though there were men who had been in Tsehanov, and had even been at weddings. "Unless some one had taken her during recent weeks or recent days." It might have happened, indeed, for in those days people did not lose time in reflection. But Zbyshko went to sleep greatly strengthened. While there in bed he thought whether or not to dismiss Sanderus on the morrow; but he considered that the man might be useful, because of his knowledge of German, when the time came to go against Lichtenstein. He thought, too, that Sanderus had not deceived him; and though at inns he was very expensive, since he ate and drank as much as four persons, still he was serviceable, and showed his new lord a certain attachment. Besides, he had the art of writing, thus surpassing the Cheh and Zbyshko himself.

All these considerations caused the young knight to let Sanderus go to Tsehanov; at which the man rejoiced, not only because of the food, but because he thought that in honorable company he would rouse more confidence and find purchasers more easily for his relics. After another night