Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/250

226 regions for an expedition with the Knights of the Cross, wishing to win glory, and also salvation for his soul. While on the road he thought that war, even with the Mazovians, as a people half pagan, would secure him a plenary indulgence. He hardly believed his eyes, therefore, when on his arrival in Mazovia he saw churches in the towns, crosses on the towers, priests, knights with sacred emblems on their armor, and a people turbulent, it is true, passionate, ready for quarrel and battle, but Christian, and in no way more given to robbery than the Germans through whose country the young knight had passed. When they told him, therefore, that those people had confessed Christ for generations, he knew not what to think of the Knights of the Cross; when he learned that Lithuania too had been baptized by the late queen, his astonishment, and at the same time his sorrow, had no bounds.

He asked Matsko then if in those forests to which they were going there were not dragons to which people were forced to offer maidens, and with which it was possible to fight. But Matsko's reply in this regard too caused complete disappointment.

"In the forests live various good beasts, such as wolves, bisons, wild bulls, and bears; against these there is plenty of work," answered the Mazovian. "It may be too that foul spirits dwell in the swamps, but I have not heard of dragons; even if there were some, surely we should not give them maidens, but should go in a crowd against them. And even had there been dragons here long ago, the Kurpie would be wearing girdles of their skin now."

"What kind of people are the Kurpie, and cannot one fight with them?"

"Yes, that is possible, but it is not healthy," answered Matsko; "and finally it does not become a knight, since the Kurpie are peasants."

"The Swiss also are peasants. Do they recognize Christ?"

"There are none in Mazovia who do not, and they are our people, subject to the prince. But you have seen the bowmen at the castle. Those are Kurpie; there are no better bowmen on earth."

"The English and Scotch whom I saw at the Burgundian court—"

"I saw them also in Malborg," interrupted the Mazovian. "Sturdy fellows, but may God never let them stand against